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. They play their home games at the Stade Jean Laville stadium in their city.

Gueugnon has spent most of its time playing in the second and third divisions of French football. They also had a few short times 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 leagues.

Club History

How FC Gueugnon Started

Football Club de Gueugnon was created in 1940. The club quickly got the nickname Les Forgerons, which means The Blacksmiths. This was because many of their fans worked in the local steel factories.

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

Winning the Second Division

In 1979, the club won the second division title. This was a huge success! However, the club was not considered a "professional" team yet. Because of this, they were not allowed to play in the top division.

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

Promotion to the Top League

In 1995, Gueugnon was officially promoted to Division 1 for the first time. They finished second in the second division, just behind EA Guingamp. But their time in the top league was short. They went back down to the lower league after only 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 match. Paris Saint-Germain had won the cup twice before.

This win made Gueugnon the first and only club to win the League Cup while playing in the second division. After this big win, many of their best players left. They went to other clubs for better chances and more money. One famous player was Sylvain Distin.

Playing in Europe

The next season, Gueugnon got to play in the UEFA Cup. This is a big European competition. But they lost to a Greek team called Iraklis. The score was 1–0 over two games.

After that, the club usually stayed in the middle of the league table. In 2004, they just barely avoided going down to a lower league. They won 5–0 against Lorient on the very last day of the season.

Tough Times and Rebuilding

The 2007–08 season was very bad. The club stayed in last place for most of the season. They only won five games. Gueugnon was then moved down to the third division, called National.

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

The club kept playing in the Championnat National. But in April 2011, they had to close down because of money problems. In the summer of 2011, the club started again. They joined the DH Bourgogne, which is the sixth level of French football. Gueugnon won that league in the 2012-13 season. This helped them get promoted to CFA 2.

Club Rivalries

Most Gueugnon fans 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. At that time, Montceau's chairman tried to get some of Gueugnon's best players. He offered them more money. This made the town, the club, and the fans of Gueugnon really dislike Montceau.

Gueugnon has a great record against Montceau. They had never lost a league game to them. However, the clubs were not in the same league for 20 years. On October 20, 2009, Gueugnon and Montceau played each other in the Coupe de France. Montceau won 3–1. This was the first time Montceau had ever beaten Gueugnon in an official game.

Rivalry with Louhans-Cuiseaux

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

Club Crest

• 

  (1995–2000)

Famous Players

Below are some important former players who have played for Gueugnon. They played in league games or international matches since 1940. To be on this list, a player must have played in at least 80 official games for the club.

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

Club Honours

• Coupe de la Ligue
  • 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 Record

Gueugnon has played in European competitions once.

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

Club Managers

Many different people have managed the FC Gueugnon team over the years. Here is a list of them:

Managerial History

See also

In Spanish: Football Club de Gueugnon para niños