It was 18 years ago, on March 20, 2004. ASSE’s last trip to the Robert-Diochon stadium. That day, the Greens defeated FC Rouen on the 29th day of Ligue 2. A 1-0 victory, a penalty from Vincent Hognon in stoppage time. A few weeks later, ASSE found the elite of French football. Since then, the Greens have never put their crampons back on at Diochon.
In 2004, Stéphane Lhérault was in the Rouen stands for this meeting. The President of Section 51 of Associated Supporters (based in the Cotentin) will be there again this Monday, with a mixture of joy and bitterness. “Of course for me, seeing ASSE in Normandy is a pleasure, but not in Ligue 2he confides. It’s going to be really weird to come back to the Robert-Diochon stadium, but we’ll be there, we’ll always be there.” Thirty members of his section will be present this Monday, with the hope of seeing the first victory of the season from Saint-Etienne.
Another example of the enthusiasm aroused by the arrival this Monday of ASSE, the presence in the stands of several licensees of the US amateur club Saint-Jacques-sur-Darnetal, a town of 2,500 inhabitants east of Rouen . Licensed fans of the Greens, at the base, but even more attached to them for two years and the covid crisis. “During this period when football has partly stopped, we had requested the support of professional clubs by asking if they could send us a jersey, a message or dedications.remembers the president of the club, Sébastien Galloy. A club responded favorably to us, it was ASSE. A pleasant surprise for us. They sent us a Loïs Diony jersey. The kids in our club were super happy. Again today, I thank the leaders of Saint-Etienne for this gesture, for all that it has made it possible to put in place in our structure.. This proves all the human values emanating from ASSE, its closeness to amateur football.”
– Club’s Facebook page
ASSE coach Laurent Batlles said it again this Saturday during the pre-match press conference: he hopes to be able to capitalize on this popular support, in Rouen and in other Ligue 2 stadiums, to earn points as quickly as possible. His QRM counterpart, Olivier Echouafni, is well aware that a (good) part of Diochon will be green this Monday, well beyond the stand reserved for visitor parking (600 places). The Norman technician hopes that this meeting can also highlight his very young club and show that he can compete with a big name in French football. A big name recovering on the pitch, but not in the stands of Ligue 2 stadiums.
QRM – ASSE, 3rd day of Ligue 2, a meeting to live in full with us from 8 p.m. this Monday on France Bleu Saint-Etienne Loire, with our partners from Evect.