Saving Strasbourg: From the brink of extinction to a return to Ligue 1

image- GFFN

This piece, written for GFFN, covers the remarkable story of Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace, who, in 2011, were relegated to the fifth tier of the French football pyramid, facing extinction from the game due to the prospect of total liquidation. The club, winners of Ligue 1 in the late 1970s and one of only six sides to have won all three of France's major honours, were faced with the worst possible circumstances after years of financial mismanagement and later, catastrophic behind the scenes ownership. Their return to Ligue 1, fittingly marked by that frantic conclusion to the Ligue 2 season back in May, marks the culmination of years of hard work from characters both old and new, from within then club but also from without, as the region of Alsace got behind their once great team. It's worth a read not only for the showing the worst that can happen to a major club, but also showing that no matter how bad things get, it is possible to come back from the brink. 

http://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2017/feature-saving-strasbourg-from-the-brink-of-extinction-to-a-return-to-ligue-1/