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Lens

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Full name	Racing Club de Lens
Nickname(s)	Les Sang et Or
Founded	1906
Ground	Stade Félix Bollaert, Lens (Capacity: 41,299)
Chairman	Gervais Martel
Manager	Jean-Louis Garcia
League	Ligue 2
2011–12	12th
Website	Club home page
Home colours Away colours

Racing Club de Lens (French pronunciation: [ʁasiŋ klœb də lɑ̃s]; commonly referred to as RC Lens or simply Lens) is a French association football club based in the northern city of Lens in the Pas-de-Calais department. Its nickname, sang et or (English: blood and gold), comes from its traditional colours of red and gold. Their primary rivals are their northern neighbors Lille OSC, whom they contest the Derby du Nord.

History[link]

The birth of a club[link]

1905, Lens. On the place Verte (the actual place de la République), students are playing football. They do not yet know that they are writing the first lines of the history of the Racing Club de Lens. Why this name? Football was invented in England, so it was good to have a club with an Anglo-Saxon name. Moreover, the youth of that time were following the Racing Club de Roubaix and the Racing Club de France.

The first board was formed by the parents of those teenagers under the name of Racing club lensois, before the club would officially be registered under the name Racing Club de Lens in 1906. The club originally played in green, as the club was born on the place Verte, and the black, for the omnipresence of coal mining in the region.

Between 1907 and 1912, the players were forced to change sports grounds a couple of times, before settling at the actual parc des Glissoires, between Avion and Lens.

During World War I, the club’s activities were silenced, before restarting in 1919. Lens was then playing in sky blue.

Of blood and gold[link]

It was in 1924 that the red and gold colours appeared. The legend says that Mr Moglia, president of the club from 1923 to 1930, chose the colours of the Spanish flag after someone from the club remarked that the ruins of the Saint-Léger church they happened to be walking by that night were the last remains of the Spanish occupation in 1648. People also say that the colours come from the coal mines: the red for the blood of the miners and the gold for the coal which was valuable at the time.

It was also in 1924 that the club was authorized to play at the newly built municipal stadium Raoul Briquet (nowadays Léo Lagrange). The first match with the new colours was played for the inauguration of the stadium.

In 1926, the British footballer Kid Fenton was the first star who played for Lens. He stayed there 8 seasons. It was also the year the first supporters group was formed, and – finally – Lens first capture of the Championnat d’Artois.

In 1929, Lens won the North championship and won promotion for the first time to the Division d’Honneur of the Ligue du Nord with the clubs of the Olympique Lillois, RC Roubaix, Excelsior Athlétic Club de Roubaix and the AC Amiens.

In the Artois League, the club gained renown and in 1932, the club inaugurated the stade Félix Bollaert.

The first victories[link]

In 1937 gains access to the first division by finishing first of the second with players such as Stanis and Spechtl. Lens even managed to reach the last 16 of the French Cup, but the team is knocked out by the Red Star (final score, 3–2).

In 1943, the RC Lens won the first division of the Northern Zone, thanks to Stanis who scored 43 goals in 30 games. A year earlier, in a French Cup match he scored 17 goals, which is still today the world record.

After World War II, Lens finished 6th in the 1945/46 season, but they are relegated the following year. In 1948, the club played its first French Cup final, which was lost 3–2 against the LOSC.

Then, Lens is promoted to the 1st division and Maryan Wisnieski is recruited (in 1953). But problems with the board made him quit the club to join the UC Sampdoria Genoa without much success.

In 1962, the mines are shut down and the club is at stake as most of the players were miners. Between 1956 and 1968, survival is hard. Nevertheless, in 1964, Lens finished third and the best goal scorer was Ahmed Oudjani with 30 goals. Another famous player joins Lens: Georges Lech. However, Lens is relegated in 1968.

The following year, the mine’s administrators let go of Lens, and it is the end of professional football at the Stade Bollaert. Lens is once again an amateur club, one year after its relegation.

Henry Trannin, the managing director, and Arnold Sowinski stay faithful to the club, waiting for better days…

The good years and the fall[link]

And the better days arrive in 1960: the town council bets on the Racing Club de Lens. Lens’ mayor, André Delelis, wants to see the club continue thrilling the fans. With the future president, Jean Bondoux, the mayor brings together volunteers and subscriptions in order to make the club survive. Moreover the city recovers the stadium from the closing mine industry.

In 1972, Lens reaches the semi-finals of the French Cup and the arrival of 2 Polish players helps the club to the 1st division. In 1975, Lens reaches once more the final of the French Cup against the AS Saint-Étienne. But “les Verts” win the game 2–0, with an anthology goal by Jean-Michel Larqué.

As finalist of the French Cup, Lens has the opportunity to participate in its first UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, but the team is knocked out quickly by the Dutch club ADO Den Haag.

Stade Félix Bollaert

Lens’ progresses continue and after finishing 2nd in the League behind Nantes, they qualify themselves to the UEFA Cup. They knock out Malmö FF, and above all, the Lazio Roma, after an away defeat (2–0), they won 6–0 at the Stade Félix Bollaert after extra-time. Unfortunately, after this rare exploit for a French club, they are eliminated by the East German side Magdeburg. Worse, the club goes back to the 2nd division in 1978.

The return among the elite will be in 1979 with Roger Lemerre as head coach. During the 1980s, Gérard Houllier and Joachim Marx will succeed him.

But the club doesn’t have enough means to keep players such as Didier Sénac, Gaëtan Huard or Philippe Vercruysse.

Martel’s takeover[link]

In 1988, a local businessman takes over the club, with the help of Serge Doré. Little by little, the club will transform itself into an enterprise and it will open itself to investors.

During the same year, Arnaud Dos Santos will be named head coach of the club, and it will be promoted back in 1st division in 1991.