AJ Auxerre
Founded in 1905 by Abbé Deschamps, AJ Auxerre is a historic French club with one Ligue 1 title and four Coupe de France trophies.
Association de la Jeunesse Auxerroise (French pronunciation: [asɔsjɑsjɔ̃ də la ʒœnɛs osɛʁwaz]), commonly known as AJ Auxerre or by the abbreviation AJA, is a French professional football club based in Auxerre, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France. The club currently competes in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. Auxerre plays its home matches at the Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps, on the banks of the Yonne River. The team is managed by Christophe Pélissier.
- Founded
- 1905
- Stadium
- Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps
- League Titles
- 1 (1995–96)
- Longest Tenure Coach
- Guy Roux (36 years uninterrupted from 1964 to 2000)
- Top Flight Debut
- 1980–81 season
- Relegation End of Top Flight Run
- 13 May 2012
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
The club was founded in 1905 by the abbot Ernest Abbé Deschamps. Auxerre made its debut in the first division of French football in the 1980–81 season, remaining in the top flight until the 2011–12 season. The club has won the Ligue 1 title once, in the 1995–96 season. Two years prior, Auxerre achieved its first major honour by winning the Coupe de France in 1994 in a 3–0 victory over Montpellier. The club has since added three more Coupe de France titles. From 1961 to 2005, the club was predominantly coached by Guy Roux. This included an uninterrupted period when Roux was in charge for 36 years between 1964 and 2000.
In Their Own Story
The path to glory was paved with specific, unforgettable moments. On 24 July 1980, Auxerre made its Division 1 debut against Bastia in Toulon, suffering a 2–0 loss. However, the season turned remarkable with a 3–2 win at the Parc des Princes against Paris Saint-Germain on 13 December 1980, and a stunning 1–0 victory over Nantes on 7 April 1981, ending Nantes' five-year unbeaten home run. European nights brought drama too; in 1985, Auxerre defeated Milan 3–1 at the Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps before a Paolo Maldini debut, though they were eliminated after losing 3–0 away. Ultimately, it was the domestic stage that offered the greatest triumph: the 1998 World Cup squad included three former Auxerre players—Guivarc'h, Bernard Diomède, and Lionel Charbonnier—who lifted the trophy, while Laurent Blanc led France to Euro 2000 glory.
Reader's Guide
Auxerre plays its home matches at the Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps, on the banks of the Yonne River. The team is managed by Christophe Pélissier. The club currently competes in Ligue 1.
Did You Know?
- Auxerre was founded in 1905 by the abbot Ernest Abbé Deschamps.
- The club won its first Ligue 1 title in the 1995–96 season.
- Auxerre's first major honour was the Coupe de France in 1994, a 3–0 victory over Montpellier.
- Guy Roux coached the club for an uninterrupted 36-year period from 1964 to 2000.
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