AJ Auxerre

Association de la Jeunesse Auxerroise (French pronunciation: ​[a.sɔ.sja.sjɔ̃ də la ʒœ.nɛs osɛʁ]; commonly known as AJ Auxerre or simply Auxerre) is a French football club based in the commune of Auxerre in Burgundy. The club was founded in 1905 and currently plays in Ligue 2, the second division of French football. Auxerre plays its home matches at the Stade l'Abbé-Deschamps on the banks of the Yonne River. The team is managed by former football player Jean-Luc Vannuchi and captained by centre-back Sébastien Puygrenier.

Auxerre was founded in 1905 and made its debut in the first division of French football in the 1980–81 season and have remained a fixture in the league until 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. The club has since added three more Coupe de France titles, which ties the club for fifth-best among teams who have won the trophy.

Auxerre

Auxerre (French pronunciation: ​[oˈsɛʁ]) is the capital of the Yonne department and the fourth-largest city in Burgundy. Auxerre's population today is about 39,000; the metropolitan area comprises roughly 92,000 inhabitants. Residents of Auxerre are referred to as Auxerrois.

Auxerre is a commercial and industrial centre, with industries including food production, woodworking and batteries. It is also noted for its production of Burgundy wine, including world-famous Chablis. In 1995 Auxerre was named "Town of Art and History".

History

Auxerre was a flourishing Gallo-Roman centre, then called Autissiodorum, through which passed one of the main roads of the area, the Via Agrippa (1st century AD) which crossed the Yonne River (Gallo-Roman Icauna) here. In the third century it became the seat of a bishop and a provincial capital of the Roman Empire. In the 5th century it received a Cathedral. In the late 11th-early 12th century the existing communities were included inside a new line of walls built by the feudal Counts of Auxerre.

Djibril Cissé

Djibril Cissé (French pronunciation: ​[dʒibʁil sise]; born 12 August 1981) is a former professional French footballer.

Cissé started his career at AC Arles in 1989 at the age of eight. After seven years at the club, he had a six-month spell at Nîmes Olympique before moving to Auxerre joining the club's youth system. Cissé spent two years in the system before graduating to the first team in 1998. Having had a move to Liverpool delayed once, he moved to the Merseyside-based club in 2004, after playing for Auxerre for six seasons, scoring 90 goals in 166 appearances.

During his time at Anfield, he played 79 games, scoring 24 times. He had a loan spell to Marseille, scoring 15 goals in 25 appearances before the deal was made permanent. Cissé returned to the Premier League in 2008 with a loan spell at Sunderland, scoring 11 goals in 39 appearances. On 25 June 2009, he signed a four-year contract with Greek side Panathinaikos. In the summer of 2011, he secured a move to Serie A side Lazio. On 31 January 2012, Cissé signed for Queens Park Rangers for a reported £4 million, scoring in his debut in a 2–2 draw with Aston Villa.