FC Gueugnon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
FC Gueugnon

Full name	Football Club Gueugnonnais
Nickname(s)	Les Forgerons (The Blacksmiths)
Founded	1940; 85 years ago (1940)
Ground	Stade Jean Laville, Gueugnon
Ground Capacity	14,753
Chairman	Bernard Canard
Manager	Philippe Correia
League	National 3 Group J
2022–23	National 3 Group E, 9th
Home colours Away colours

Football Club Gueugnonnais, often called Gueugnon, is a French football club. It is based in the town of Gueugnon, in Burgundy. The club started in 1940. Its home games are played at the Stade Jean Laville stadium.

Gueugnon has mostly played in the second and third levels of French football. They even had a short time in the top league. The club has won some important titles. They won the League Cup in 2000. They also won Ligue 2 in 1979. In 1991, they reached the semi-finals of the French Cup.

In 2011, the club faced big money problems. It had to restart in a lower league. Since then, Gueugnon has been working hard to climb back up the football ranks.

Club History

Football Club de Gueugnon began in 1940. People quickly nicknamed the club Les Forgerons, which means The Blacksmiths. This was because many of their early supporters worked in the local steel factories.

Early Success and Challenges

The club won the Championnat de France amateur in 1947. By 1970, they were playing in the second division of French football. In 1974, with player Casimir Nowotarski, Gueugnon almost got promoted. But they lost in the play-offs to Rouen.

In 1979, the club won the second division title. This was a huge achievement! However, they were not allowed to play in the top league. This was because they were not a professional club yet.

Becoming Professional and Big Wins

The 1980s brought tough times for the steel industry. This made the club decide to become professional. After some difficult seasons, things got better in 1991. Gueugnon reached the semi-finals of the Coupe de France. They were beaten by AS Monaco.

In 1995, Gueugnon finally made it to the top league, Division 1. They finished second in the second division, behind EA Guingamp. But their time in the top league was short. They went back down after just one season.

The Famous League Cup Win

In 2000, Gueugnon surprised everyone in French football. They won the League Cup! They beat Paris Saint-Germain 2–0 in the final. Paris Saint-Germain had won the cup twice before.

This win made Gueugnon the first and only club from the second division to win the League Cup. After this big success, many top players left the club. They moved to teams with better opportunities. The next season, Gueugnon played in the UEFA Cup. They lost to the Greek club Iraklis.

After that, the club usually stayed in the middle of the league table. In 2004, they just avoided being sent down. They won 5–0 against Lorient on the last day of the season. The 2007–08 season was very bad. The club stayed in last place for most of the season. With only five wins, Gueugnon was sent down to the third division, National.

Recent Years and Rebuilding

In 2009, former French international player Tony Vairelles joined the club. He also became a main investor. His father, Guy Vairelles, became the club's chairman.

The club continued to play in the Championnat National. But in April 2011, the club had to close down due to financial problems. In the summer of 2011, the club was reformed. It started playing in the DH Bourgogne, which is the sixth level of French football. Gueugnon won the DH Bourgogne in the 2012–13 season. This meant they were promoted to CFA 2.

Club Rivals

Gueugnon supporters see Montceau Bourgogne and Louhans-Cuiseaux as their main rivals. This is because these clubs are very close to Gueugnon.

Rivalry with Montceau

Montceau is Gueugnon's oldest rival. The two clubs are less than 16 kilometers (10 miles) apart. Their rivalry started in the early 1980s. Montceau's chairman tried to get some of Gueugnon's best players by offering them more money. This made the town and club of Gueugnon dislike Montceau.

Gueugnon has a great record against Montceau in league games. They have never lost to them in the league. However, the clubs have not been in the same league for 20 years. On October 20, 2009, they played each other in the Coupe de France. Montceau won 3–1. This was Montceau's first win against Gueugnon in an official match.

Rivalry with Louhans-Cuiseaux

Louhans-Cuiseaux has also always been a rival for Gueugnon. They are close in distance and have often played in the same division. In the 1984–85 Ligue 2 season, Gueugnon held Louhans to a 1–1 draw on the last day. This result sent Louhans down to a lower league. Since the 2008–09 season, the two clubs have played each other regularly in the Championnat National.

Club Crest

• 

  (1995–2000)

Famous Players

Here are some notable players who have played for Gueugnon in league and international games since 1940. To be on this list, a player must have played in at least 80 official matches for the club.

For a full list of Gueugnon players, see Category:FC Gueugnon players

Club Honours

Gueugnon has won several important titles:

• League Cup
  • Champions: 1999–2000
• Ligue 2
  • Champions: 1978–79
• Championnat de France amateur
  • Champions: 1946–47, 1951–52
• Ligue de Bourgogne
  • Champions: 1945–46, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1956–57
• DH Bourgogne
  • Champions: 2012–13

European Games

Gueugnon has played in one European competition:

Season	Competition	Round	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
2000–01	UEFA Cup	1R	Iraklis Thessaloniki	0–0	0–1	0–1

Club Managers

Many different managers have led FC Gueugnon throughout its history. Philippe Correia has been the manager since 2012.

See also

In Spanish: Football Club de Gueugnon para niños