Stade Malherbe Caen facts for kids
 |
||||
| Full name | Stade Malherbe Caen | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Malherbe Les Vikings (The Vikings) |
|||
| Short name | SMC | |||
| Founded | 17 November 1913 | |||
| Ground | Stade Michel d'Ornano | |||
| Capacity | 20,300 | |||
| Owner | Coalition Capital (80%) PAC-Invest (20%) |
|||
| President | Ziad Hammoud | |||
| Manager | Nicolas Seube | |||
| League | Ligue 2 | |||
| 2021–22 | Ligue 2, 7th of 20 | |||
|
||||
Stade Malherbe Caen (often called SM Caen or just Caen) is a professional football team from Caen, a city in Normandy, France. They play in Ligue 2, which is the second-highest football league in France. The club started on November 17, 1913, when two local clubs, Club Malherbe Caennais and Club Sportif Caennais, joined together. The team is named after François de Malherbe, a famous poet from Caen who lived in the 1600s.
For many years, SM Caen was mostly an amateur club. But in the late 1980s and early 1990s, they became much stronger. In 1985, they became a professional team. Just three seasons later, they were promoted to the top league for the first time. In 1992, even after almost going bankrupt, the club finished fifth in the top league. This allowed them to play in the UEFA Cup, a big European competition. However, they were sent back down to a lower league three years later. Even though they won the second division title in 1996, SM Caen spent many years going between the first and second divisions.
Since 2002, under new leaders, Stade Malherbe has had more success. They were promoted to Ligue 1 (the top league) several times. They even reached the final of the Coupe de la Ligue in 2005 and finished 7th in Ligue 1 in 2016. In 2018, some problems within the club led to changes in management. Caen was relegated to Ligue 2 in 2019. In 2020, an American company bought the club to help with money problems. In 2024, the famous French football star Kylian Mbappé's company became the main owner of the club.
SM Caen has played at the Stade Michel d'Ornano since 1993. Before that, and since its founding, the club played at Stade de Venoix. The old stadium is now used by the reserve team. SM Caen has rivalries with nearby teams like Le Havre AC (their matches are called "Le derby normand") and Stade Rennais.
Contents
Club's Journey: A Look at SM Caen's History
How It All Started (Before 1913)
Many football clubs were formed in Caen in the late 1800s. Some of these included the Union sportive des étudiants de Caen (1892) and the Club Sportif Caennais (1899). These early clubs played in the first football championships organized in France.
In 1907, some former players created the Club Malherbe Caennais. This club quickly became the best in Lower Normandy. They even played friendly matches against an English club, St Albans City F.C., in 1909 and 1911.
Early Years and First Professional Try (1913–1947)
The Stade Malherbe Caennais was officially created on November 17, 1913. It was a mix of Club Sportif Caennais and Club Malherbe Caennais. The new club kept the "Malherbe" name and the striped jersey from CMC. They also used the red and blue colors from CSC. The club got its own stadium, the Stade de Venoix, from CMC.
The football team quickly won its first title in its first year. They won the league in Lower Normandy. They then played in the finals of the 1914 USFSA Football Championship. However, World War I stopped many sports competitions. Sadly, 39 club members, including former captain Eugène Lesomptier, died in the war.
After the war, in 1919, new regional championships began. Stade Malherbe won the Lower Normandy championship six times between 1920 and 1928. They also started playing in the Coupe de France, a national cup competition.
In 1934, Stade Malherbe became a professional team. They joined the French Division 2. They played in this league for four seasons. But because of money problems, Stade Malherbe left D2 in 1938. The club then went back to playing in the regional league. They won this league in 1938–39, and again in 1946 and 1947 after World War II.
Becoming an Important Amateur Club (1948–1985)
In 1948, Stade Malherbe joined the new Championnat de France amateur, which was the third level of French football. Caen was seen as a strong amateur team. They often beat top professional teams in the Coupe de France in the 1950s. For example, they defeated French champions Stade de Reims in 1953. They also beat Racing Club de France in 1956 and RC Lens in 1961.
Despite these successes, the club faced challenges. They had many changes in coaches and presidents. Money was also often tight. Stade Malherbe was relegated twice in the 1960s, but they always managed to get back to the higher amateur level.
In the 1970s, Caen played between the third and second divisions. In 1975, the club won its first national title: the West group of Division 3. Stade Malherbe was even named the best amateur club by a French football magazine.
In 1983, Pierre Mankowski joined as a player and coach. He helped Stade Malherbe move up from the third division to the top of the second division very quickly. He also encouraged the club to become professional again in 1985.
From Second Division to European Football (1985–1993)
SM Caen has been a professional football club since 1985. Coach Mankowski's goal was to get Caen into the first division. The team got better and better. In 1987, they finished second in the second division. They won their playoff matches against Olympique Lyonnais and Chamois Niortais F.C.. This meant they were promoted to the top league!
In 1988, Stade Malherbe made it to Division 1. Even with many players leaving, Caen managed to stay in the top league. A promising young striker named Fabrice Divert helped a lot. The team continued to perform well in the following seasons.
With a new coach, Daniel Jeandupeux, the team changed a lot. In the 1990–91 season, Caen was in the top half of Division 1. This was thanks to their great results at their home stadium, Venoix. However, in late 1991, the club was almost bankrupt. Local businesses and the government stepped in to help save the club. This led to a fantastic 1991–92 season. Stade Malherbe finished fifth, which was their best-ever finish. This allowed them to play in the UEFA Cup for the first time!
In the first round of the 1992–93 UEFA Cup, Caen played against Real Zaragoza from Spain. Caen won the first game 3–2 at home. But they lost 2–0 in Spain, so they were knocked out. Despite this, it was a huge achievement for the club.
Moving Between Top and Second Divisions (Since 1993)
In the 2003–04 season, Caen finished 2nd in Ligue 2. This meant they were promoted to Ligue 1. They were relegated back to Ligue 2 on the very last day of the 2004–05 season. But the best part of that season was reaching the final of the Coupe de la Ligue for the first time! They lost 2–1 to Strasbourg in the final.
On May 25, 2007, SM Caen was promoted to Ligue 1 again. They won their last game against Libourne. In the 2008–09 season, they were relegated back to Ligue 2. But they won the championship the very next season and returned to Ligue 1!
In the 2010–11 season, Caen started very strongly. They beat the defending champions Marseille 2–1 away from home. Then they beat Champions League semi-finalists Lyon 3–2 at home.
In the 2013–14 season, Caen was in Ligue 2. They earned promotion to Ligue 1 for the 2014–15 season. In May 2014, they had a very important draw with Nîmes. This result helped both teams. Later, in November 2014, the Caen chairman was questioned about match fixing. However, he was cleared of any wrongdoing in March 2015. For the 2016–17 and 2017–18 seasons, Caen avoided relegation on the last day of the season. They managed to get a draw against Paris Saint-Germain both times.
In the 2018–19 season, Caen was relegated on the final day of the season after losing to Bordeaux. This ended Caen's five-year stay in the top division. In September 2024, French football superstar Kylian Mbappé became the main owner of the club.
Club Achievements: Trophies and Best Finishes
| National Competitions | Regional and Youth Competitions |
|---|---|
|
|
* denotes promotion without winning the championship.
Team Look: Crest and Colours
When the two clubs merged in 1913, they combined their looks. Club Malherbe Caennais wore black and white stripes. Club Sportif Caennais used blue and red stripes. The new Stade Malherbe team decided to use the vertical stripes from CMC but with the red and blue colors from CSC.
For almost 50 years, Stade Malherbe used the same diamond-shaped logo. This logo was designed when they first became professional in 1934.
In 1989, a new logo was created. It showed a longship (a Viking boat) on waves. This was a nod to the Viking history of Normandy. It also had three arrows, which are symbols of the city of Caen. This logo was used in different forms for 18 seasons. In 2007, a new logo was introduced.
The current logo shows the club's strong connection to the Norman history of William the Conqueror. You can often see the flag of Normandy, which has two lions, in the fan section. In 2013, the official song of SM Caen, "Normands, fiers et conquérants!" (Normans, proud and conquerors!), was made. It clearly talks about their Norman identity:
- "Représenter la Normandie est un honneur
- Derrière nos léopards nous chanterons en cœur!
- Décrire cette belle région
- Doit se faire à l'unisson
- Nous sommes Normands, fiers et conquérant!
- Portons les couleurs du Stade Malherbe de Caen,
- et c'est à d'Ornano que nous allons chantant
- Nous sommes de la même famille,
- Tous unis à domicile,
- Nous sommes Normands fiers et conquérants!"
- English:
- "Representing Normandy is an honour,
- Backing our leopards, we sing our hearts out!
- Describing this beautiful region
- must be done together
- We are Normans, proud and conquerors!
- We wear the colours of SM Caen
- And we go singing to d'Ornano
- We are from the same family,
- All united at home,
- We are Normans, proud and conquerors!"
- SM Caen crests
-
1913–1930
-
1934–1988
-
2013–2016
.svg)
Home Grounds: Where SM Caen Plays
Stade de Venoix was the club's home stadium from 1913 until 1993. At its biggest, Venoix could hold over 15,000 fans. Today, it can hold 5,000 people and is used by the club's reserve team.
In 1993, a new stadium was built. It was named Stade Michel d'Ornano. This new stadium can hold 21,500 spectators. It is located about 500 meters away from the old Stade de Venoix.
Team Members: Players and Staff
Current Squad
As of August 18, 2024.
|
|
Notable Former Players
Here are some of the players who have played the most matches for SM Caen, and those who have scored the most goals.
| Most Matches Played | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Matches | (Top League) |
| Nicolas Seube | 477 | 232 |
| Anthony Deroin | 395 | 93 |
| Yvan Lebourgeois | 391 | 200 |
| Jimmy Hebert | 321 | 38 |
| Christophe Point | 301 | 172 |
| Top Goal Scorers | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Goals | (Top League) |
| Cyrille Watier | 69 | 9 |
| Xavier Gravelaine | 45 | 26 |
| Fabrice Divert | 44 | 40 |
| Sébastien Mazure | 43 | 13 |
| Anthony Deroin | 38 | 9 |
These numbers are updated as of summer 2010 and include matches from the second division, first division, and cup games.
Coaching and Technical Staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager |  Nicolas Seube |
| Assistant Manager | Cédric Voyage Mathieu Mallatier |
| Goalkeeping Coach | Babacar N'Diaye |
| Fitness Coach | Charles Gaulais |
| Guardians Coach | Olivier Perpignan |
Playing in Europe: SM Caen's European Record
SM Caen has had a few chances to play against teams from other countries in European competitions.
| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | UEFA Intertoto Cup | Group stage |  Lyngby BK |
1–0 | 1–2 | 2nd | |
 RKC Waalwijk |
2–0 | 0–1 | |||||
 Schalke 04 |
1–1 | 1–1 | |||||
| 1992–93 | UEFA Cup | First Round |  Real Zaragoza |
3–2 | 0–2 | 3–4 |  |
See also
In Spanish: Stade Malherbe Caen para niños
