RC Lens facts for kids
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| Full name | Le Racing Club de Lens | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Les Sang et Or (The Blood and Gold) | |||
| Founded | 1906 | |||
| Ground | Stade Bollaert-Delelis | |||
| Capacity | 38,223 | |||
| Owner | Solferino SARL Amber Capital |
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| President | Joseph Oughourlian | |||
| Manager | Will Still | |||
| League | Ligue 1 | |||
| 2021–22 | Ligue 1, 7th of 20 | |||
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Racing Club de Lens, often called RC Lens or just Lens, is a professional football club from Lens, a city in northern France. Their nickname is Les Sang et Or, which means "The Blood and Gold". This comes from their famous red and gold team colours. As of the 2024–25 season, Lens plays in Ligue 1, which is the top football league in France.
Lens won the Division 1 title in the 1997–98 season. They have also finished second five times, most recently in the 2022–23 season. They have a big rivalry with their nearby team, LOSC Lille. Their matches are known as the Derby du Nord.
Contents
Club History
How the Club Started
The club began in 1906 in Lens. It was started by local students who loved playing football in the city's main square. They chose the name "Racing Club de Lens" because other popular clubs at the time also used "Racing Club."
The first people to run the club were the students' parents. The team first wore green and black uniforms. Green was for the "Place Verte" (Green Square), where they played. Black was for the coal mining industry, which was very important in the area.
Between 1907 and 1912, the team moved grounds twice. They finally settled at the Parc des Glissoires. During World War I, like many sports clubs, their games stopped. They started playing again in 1919, and by then, their colours had changed to sky blue.
The Famous Red and Gold Colours
In 1924, the club started using its famous red and gold colours. One story says that Pierre Moglia, the club president, chose these colours from the Spanish flag. This was because of the area's history with Spanish rule.
Another popular story says the colours represent the local coal mines. Red stands for the blood of the miners. Gold stands for the valuable coal they dug up.
Also in 1924, the club got a new stadium called Raoul Briquet. The first game played there was with the new red and gold colours. In 1926, a British player named Kid Fenton became the first star for Lens. He played for eight seasons and was a big favourite with the fans. This was also when the first fan group was formed.
In 1929, Lens won the North championship. This helped them move up to a higher league for the first time. In 1932, the club opened its new stadium, the Stade Félix Bollaert.
Early Wins and Challenges
In 1937, Lens moved up to the first division. This was thanks to players like Stefan Dembicki. In 1943, Lens won the first division of the Northern Zone. Dembicki was amazing, scoring 43 goals in 30 games. A year before, he set a world record by scoring 17 goals in one Coupe de France match!
After World War II, Lens had some ups and downs. They reached their first Coupe de France final in 1948 but lost to Lille. In 1949, they were promoted back to the first division.
In 1962, the coal mines in Lens closed down. This was a big problem for the club, as many players were miners. The club struggled to survive for several years. However, in 1964, Lens finished third in the league. Ahmed Oudjani was the top scorer with 30 goals. But in 1968, the club was relegated again. The mine owners also stopped owning the club. Lens became an amateur club, and its future looked very uncertain.
A New Start and European Adventures
Things started to get better in the 1970s. The mayor of Lens, André Delelis, loved the club and knew how important it was to the city. He helped gather volunteers and money to save the club. The city also took over ownership of the stadium.
Over the next twenty years, the club slowly improved. In 1972, Lens reached the semi-finals of the Coupe de France. In 1975, they reached the Coupe de France final again but lost to Saint-Étienne.
As a finalist, Lens got to play in a European competition for the first time, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. They were knocked out early by a Dutch team.
Lens kept getting better. After finishing second in the league, they qualified for the UEFA Cup. They beat teams like Swedish club Malmö FF and even the strong Italian club Lazio. They lost 2–0 away to Lazio but then won an amazing 6–0 at home after extra time! This was a rare and exciting win for a French club. However, they were then knocked out by a German team. In 1978, the club went back to the second division.
But they quickly bounced back! In 1979, they were promoted to the top league again. Famous coaches like Roger Lemerre and Gérard Houllier managed the team during the 1980s.
Martel Takes Over and the Golden Era
In 1988, a rich local businessman named Gervais Martel bought the club. Under new coach Arnaud Dos Santos, Lens returned to the first division in 1991.
In 1993 and 1994, Lens had a very strong team. They played well in the top league and qualified for the UEFA Cup twice.
The best part of Lens' history came in 1998. Under coach Daniel Leclercq, les Sang et Or became French champions! They also reached the Coupe de France final that year. A player who started his career at Lens, Yohan Lachor, scored the goal that won them the title. In 1999, Lens won their second major trophy, the Coupe de la Ligue. That same year, in the UEFA Champions League, Lens made history. They became the only club to beat the English team Arsenal at the famous Wembley Stadium (1–0).
Even after Leclercq left, Lens continued to do well. They reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup in 2000. In 2002, Lens finished second in the league and qualified for the Champions League again. In 2005 and 2007, they won the UEFA Intertoto Cup.
In 2007, the club had a tough time and was relegated to Ligue 2. But they fought hard and won the Ligue 2 title in 2009, getting promoted back to Ligue 1. However, they were relegated again in 2011.
On 16 May 2014, Lens earned promotion back to Ligue 1. But there were some financial issues, and their promotion was put on hold for a while. Eventually, it was decided they could play in Ligue 1. Because their home stadium, Stade Bollaert-Delelis, was being renovated for UEFA Euro 2016, Lens played their home games at other stadiums. In 2015, they were unfortunately relegated back to Ligue 2.
New Leadership and Recent Success
In the 2017–18 Ligue 2 season, Lens had a very bad start, losing their first seven matches. But they managed to get their first win in September.
In the 2018–19 Ligue 2 season, Lens finished 5th. They reached the play-off final for promotion but lost.
On 30 April 2020, Lens was promoted to Ligue 1! This happened because the league season ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic in France. Lens was in second place in Ligue 2 at the time.
In the 2020–21 season, Lens had a great first season back in the top league, finishing 7th. They finished 7th again the next season.
The 2022–23 season was amazing for Lens. They won all 10 of their home games in the first half of the season. On 1 January 2023, Lens beat PSG 3–1. This was the first time PSG had been beaten all season! Lens finished the season in 2nd place in Ligue 1. This meant they qualified for the Champions League for the third time in their history!
Club Honours
- Ligue 1
- Winners (1): 1997–98
- Runners-up (5): 1955–56, 1956–57, 1976–77, 2001–02, 2022–23
- Ligue 2
- Winners (4): 1936–37, 1948–49, 1972–73, 2008–09
- Runners-up: (2): 2013–14, 2019–20
- Coupe de France
- Runners-up (3): 1947–48, 1974–75, 1997–98
- Coupe de la Ligue
- Winners (1): 1998–99
- Runners-up (1): 2007–08
- Coupe Drago
- Winners (3): 1959, 1960, 1965
- Runners-up (1): 1957
- Coupe Gambardella
- Winners (3): 1957, 1958, 1992
- Runners-up (4): 1979, 1983, 1993, 1995
- UEFA Cup (now the UEFA Europa League)
- Semi-finalists (1): 1999–2000
- UEFA Intertoto Cup
- Winners (2): 2005, 2007 (joint winner)
Club Records
- Biggest league win: 10–2 against RC Paris in 1963–64.
- Biggest European Cup win: 7–0 against Avenir-Beggen in 1995–96.
- Famous European comeback: Beat Lazio 6–0 after extra time on 2 November 1977.
- Most goals in one match: 17 goals by Stefan Dembicki (a world record!) against Auby Asturies in the French Cup on 13 December 1942. The final score was 32–0.
- Most league games played for Lens: 497 by Éric Sikora and 377 by Bernard Placzek.
- Most league goals in a season: 30 by Ahmed Oudjani (1963–64) and 20 by Roger Boli (1993–94).
- All-time top scorer: 94 goals by Ahmed Oudjani.
- Highest attendance at a home match: 48,912 fans watched Lens play Marseille in Ligue 1 on 15 February 1992 at Stade Bollaert-Delelis. Lens won 2–1.
Current Players
First-team Squad
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Other Players Under Contract
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Players on Loan
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Reserve Squad
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Retired Jersey Numbers
12 – 
This number is retired for the Club Supporters. It represents the fans as the "12th player" on the field. 17 – 
Marc-Vivien Foé, a midfielder who played for Lens from 1994–99. His number was retired in his honour after he passed away.
Former Players
Many great players have played for RC Lens. Three Lens players won a gold medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games: defender Didier Sénac and strikers François Brisson and Daniel Xuereb. They helped France beat Brazil 2–0 in the final.
For a full list of RC Lens players, see Category:RC Lens players
French National Team Players
Here are some players who played for the French national team while they were at Lens, or who are famous French players who once played for Lens. (As of 17 July 2023)
| Rank | Name | Position | Caps with Lens | Total Caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryan Wisnieski | Forward | 33 | 33 |
| 2 | Georges Lech | Forward | 16 | 35 |
| 3 | Xercès Louis | Midfielder | 12 | 12 |
| 4 | Didier Six | Forward | 11 | 52 |
| 5 | Alou Diarra | Midfielder | 11 | 44 |
| 6 | Guillaume Bieganski | Defender | 5 | 9 |
| 7 | Philippe Vercruysse | Midfielder | 4 | 12 |
| 8 | Jonathan Clauss * | Defender | 4 | 6 |
| 9 | Ladislas Smid | Midfielder | 4 | 4 |
| 10 | Tony Vairelles | Forward | 3 | 8 |
| 11 | Daniel Xuereb | Forward | 3 | 8 |
| 12 | Pierre Laigle | Midfielder | 2 | 8 |
| 13 | Daniel Moreira | Forward | 2 | 3 |
| 14 | Didier Sénac | Defender | 2 | 3 |
| 15 | François Brisson | Forward | 2 | 2 |
| 16 | Edmond Novicki | Forward | 2 | 2 |
| 17 | Michel Stievenard | Forward | 2 | 2 |
| 18 | Frédéric Déhu | Defender | 1 | 5 |
| 19 | Farès Bousdira | Midfielder | 1 | 1 |
| 20 | Paul Courtin | Forward | 1 | 1 |
| 21 | Jean Desgranges | Forward | 1 | 1 |
| 22 | Raymond François | Midfielder | 1 | 1 |
| 23 | Richard Krawczyk | Midfielder | 1 | 1 |
| 24 | Marcel Ourdouillié | Midfielder | 1 | 1 |
| 25 | Brice Samba * | Goalkeeper | 1 | 1 |
| 26 | Raphaël Varane * | Defender | 0 | 93 |
| 27 | Loïc Rémy | Forward | 0 | 30 |
| 28 | Eric Carrière | Midfielder | 0 | 11 |
| 29 | Geoffrey Kondogbia * | Midfielder | 0 | 5 |
| 30 | Alphonse Areola * | Goalkeeper | 0 | 3 |
* Still playing.
Club Officials
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| President | Joseph Oughourlian |
| CEO | Arnaud Pouille |
| Chief instructor | Éric Sikora |
| Sports coordinator | Gregory Thil |
| Manager |  Will Still |
| Assistant manager | Edward Still |
| Assistant manager | Nicolas Still |
| Goalkeeping coach | Hervé Sekli |
| Conditioning Coach | Vincent Lannoy Aymen Djedidi |
| Scout | Patrick Barul Didier Sénac Grégory Thil Alaeddine Yahia |
| Sports scientist | Ghislain Dubois |
| Club doctor | Dr. Eric Furmaniak |
| Head of physiotherapists | Aurélien Latour |
| Physiotherapist | Florian Dupre Julien Kunsztowicz Philippe Darques |
Club Presidents
- 1906–07: Jules J. Van den Weghe
- 1907–08: Lotin
- 1908–12: Jules J. Van den Weghe
- 1912–20: Charles Douterlinghe
- 1920–23: Marcel Pierron
- 1923–30: Pierre Moglia
- 1930–33: Renoult
- 1933–34: Jules A. Van den Weghe
- 1934–57: Louis Brossard
- 1957–59: Vital Lerat
- 1959–68: Albert Hus
- 1968–72: René Houdart
- 1972–76: Jean Bondoux
- 1976–79: Jean-Pierre Defontaine
- 1979–86: Jean Bondoux
- 1986–88: Jean Honvault
- 1988–2012: Gervais Martel
- 2012–13: Luc Dayan
- 2013–17: Gervais Martel
- 2017–: Joseph Oughourlian
Club Coaches
Many coaches have led RC Lens. Two of them, Gérard Houllier (1982–85) and Roger Lemerre (1997), also coached the French national team!
- Jack Harris (1934)
- Robert De Veen (1934–36)
- Jack Galbraith (1936–38)
- Raymond François (1938)
- József Eisenhoffer (1938–39)
- Jack Galbraith (1939)
- Richard Buisson (1939–41)
- Georges Beaucourt (1941–42)
- Anton Marek (1942–47)
- Nicolas Hibst (1947–50)
- Ludvic Dupal (1950–53)
- Anton Marek (1953–56)
- Félix Witkowski (1956–58)
- Karel Michlowski (1956–58)
- Jules Bigot (1958–62)
- Élie Fruchart (1962–69)
- Arnold Sowinski (1970–78)
- Roger Lemerre (1978–79)
- Arnold Sowinski (1979–81)
- Jean Serafin (1981–82)
- Gérard Houllier (1982–85)
- Joachim Marx (1985–88)
- Arnold Sowinski (1988)
- Jean Parisseaux (1988–89)
- Philippe Redon (1989)
- Marcel Husson (1989–90)
- Arnaud Dos Santos (1990–92)
- Patrice Bergues (1992–96)
- Slavoljub Muslin (1996–97)
- Roger Lemerre (1997)
- Daniel Leclercq (1997–99)
- François Brisson (1999–2000)
- Rolland Courbis (2000–01)
- Georges Tournay (2001)
- Joël Muller (2001 – Jan. 2005)
- Francis Gillot (Jan. 2005 – 2007)
- Guy Roux (2007)
- Jean-Pierre Papin (Aug. 2007 – 2008)
- Jean-Guy Wallemme (2008 – Jan. 2011)
- László Bölöni (Jan. 2011 – June 2011)
- Jean-Louis Garcia (June 2011 – Sept. 2012)
- Éric Sikora (Sept. 2012 – July 2013)
- Antoine Kombouaré (July 2013 – May 2016)
- Alain Casanova (May 2016 – Aug. 2017)
- Éric Sikora (Aug. 2017 – May 2018)
- Philippe Montanier (May 2018 – Feb. 2020)
- Franck Haise (Feb. 2020 – present)
See also
In Spanish: Racing Club de Lens para niños
- Derby du Nord
