Football Season Guide

One of France's biggest clubs in their heyday, Strasbourg are back in Ligue 2 after a six-year absence following their run to the third-tier title last season. The Alsace outfit, French champions back in 1979 and Coupe de la Ligue winners as recently as 2005, have had to build their way back up again after slipping into the amateur ranks. Last season they were very much the biggest fish in the obscure ponds of the Championnat National and crowds were regularly into five figures. Now they are looking to build to go again in the second tier and veteran coach Jacky Dugueperoux has stood aside with Thierry Laurey arriving from Gazelec Ajaccio to take his place. Laurey, who led the Corsicans to back-to-back promotions before they were relegated from the top flight in the spring, has already added a number of players capable of making an impact at this level. Forward Khalid Boutaib has followed the coach from Gazelec, while midfielder Anthony Goncalves was the captain of Laval. Vincent Gragnic has struggled with injuries at Auxerre but has previous in Ligue 2, while Vincent Nogueira, once of Sochaux, returns to France after a stint in the United States and Laurent Dos Santos joins from Ligue 1 Guingamp. Young forward Baptiste Guillaume has signed on loan from Lille and will strengthen an attack in which Jeremy Blayac and Stephane Bahoken were the leading marksmen last season. "Every match will be difficult, but we have brought in boys who know Ligue 2, some know Ligue 1," said Laurey. "They will bring their experience and will, hopefully, help the others grow. Strasbourg are a big club but there is nothing special about the team. This is a team that has just won promotion to Ligue 2." Numerous clubs have come up from the third tier and immediately gone on to win another promotion in recent seasons, including Gazelec, SC Bastia and Evian-Thonon-Gaillard. Strasbourg will take inspiration from that but they will not feel in any rush to take the next step.