Division: Ligue 2  Tier: 2Status: ProfessionalBalance: OkayBudget: £0Training Facil.: Youth Facil.: Youth Academy: Stadium Capacity: 21,628Avg. Occupation: 35.8%Max. Occupation: 53.2%Introduction
Stade de Reims are a club that often form the footnote of European footballing history many people who know their history will have heard of them as the losing team of the first ever European Cup. A more in-depth look at their history reveals a proud, successful club that simply never kept up with the times.

History
Stade de Reims were formed as Société Sportive du Parc Pommery in 1911 and adopted their current name in 1931. Their early years were spent as an amateur club winning a variety of amateur titles until the formation of the first professional French league structure. Stade de Reims took their place in the first league following the end of World War II in the 1945-46 season, finishing 4th.

The early years of Ligue 1 resulted in a variety of clubs winning the trophy with Stade de Reims picking up their first top flight domestic title in the 1948-49 season. Two more titles followed before 1956 when Stade de Reims would step into the forefront of European Cup football. The first European Cup was contested in the 1955-56 season and as French Champions in 1955, Stade de Reims would represent France in the inaugural version of Europe’s premier competition.

Beating clubs like AGF Aarhus (4-2), Vörös Lobogó (8-6) and Hibernian (3-0) all over two legs would see them compete for the chance to be the very first European Cup holders. Unfortunately for Stade de Reims, they ran into the legendary Real Madrid side of the 1950’s and would fall to a 4-3 defeat at the Parc des Princes in their native France as European club football was born. As French champions in 1958, Stade de Reims would again reach the final where they would again run into the behemoth that was Real Madrid. Having won the first three European Cups, Stade de Reims were always up against it and succumbed to a 2-0 defeat. Real Madrid would go on to win the first five European cups and this team would widely be regarded as one of the greatest ever assembled.

Their final league title of 1962 would mark the start of a real downfall for Stade de Reims, the following season they finished runners-up before being relegated to the second tier in 1964. This signalled the end of the most successful period in their history as their dominant team was broken up through retirements and players leaving. After yo-yoing between the divisions for the next decade they were relegated from the top tier for their final time in the 1979-80 season. The club would be crippled by financial mismanagement up until the current day including being liquidated and renamed to Stade de Reims Champagne FC in 1991.

Honours
Though Stade de Reims might be the ultimate nearly men when it comes to the European Cup, their domestic trophy haul is the envy of all but the most successful of French clubs. Currently tied for 6th place in the all time champions ranking, their last league title coming up for its half century anniversary in 2012. As well as league titles, Stade de Reims also have two Coupe de France titles from 1950 and 1958.

More recently, they won the 2004 Championnat National title on their way back into Ligue 2.

What have they been up to lately?
Stade de Reims have spent the years following the turn of the millennium bouncing between the third tier National and Ligue 2. Never finishing above mid-table in their 5 seasons in Ligue 2, they were again relegated to the National following the 2009-10 season. As with their last visit to the third tier of French football, they bounced straight back up again and currently reside in Ligue 2 for the 2010-11 season.

Has anyone famous played for/managed the club?
As Stade de Reims’ most successful and famous era of their history was in the 1950’s and 60’s all but the most ardent of footballing historians will have heard of their more famous players from this era. Players like Just Fontaine and Raymond Kopa contributed hugely to the successes of these decades but aren’t quite as fashionable as Puskas or Di Stefano.

In more recent times, the Argentine Carlos Bianchi spent 5 years of his playing career at the club before managing them in mid 1980’s. He would later go on to manage AS Roma, Boca Juniors and most recently had a stint in charge of Atletico Madrid for the 2005-06 season.

The most famous player to play for the club who is still playing today is Robert Pires previously of course of Arsenal, Villareal and currently at Aston Villa. Born in Reims itself, Pires would only represent the club at youth level before moving to FC Metz and embarking on a glittering career which would see him win the English Premiership, the World Cup and European Championships.

So how does this tie into Football Manager?

Stade de Reims are the perfect club for a manager that wants to take a club that has extensive history both domestically and on the continent back to former glories from the past. Returning the club to the pinnacle of European club football to right the wrongs of their controversial defeat in the first ever European Cup would provide a stern test for any manager. Having fallen on hard times since their last league title in 1962, never has the term ‘fallen giant’ been more apt for a club. Imagine what could have been had they defeated Real Madrid in either of those final appearances!

In Football Manager 2011, the club is in as healthy a state as it has been for many years, helped with their promotion back into Ligue 2. No loans and owning their own stadium gives the club a good footing for pushing back into the elite clubs of French football, especially with the good state of their youth and training facilities.

Versatile young winger Romain Amalfitano can provide the width for wily veteran striker Cedric Faure to fire the club back to glory. Plenty of high potential youngsters are on the books at the Stade August Delane so the future looks bright for the club, they just need someone to help guide them back to where they belong.