Paris FC
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 07/2016

Full name
Paris Football Club

Nickname
Paris FC

Founded
1969

Ground
Stade Charléty,
Paris

Capacity
20,000

Chairman
Pierre Ferracci

Manager
Jean-Luc Vasseur

League
Championnat National

2015-16
Ligue 2, 20th (relegated)

Paris Football Club, commonly referred to as PFC, is a French association football club based in Paris. 

The club was founded in 1969 and competes in Championnat National, the third level of French football. 

Paris plays its home matches at the Stade Charléty located in the 13th arrondissement of Paris. 

The team is managed by Denis Renaud and captained by defender Thomas Veldemann.

Paris FC was founded in 1969 and later merged with Stade Saint-Germain to form Paris Saint-Germain. 

The current Paris FC exists as a result of the club splitting from Paris Saint-Germain. 

Unlike its counterpart, which has gone on to establish a solid foundation, Paris FC has struggled to establish itself, having spent the majority of its existence playing in the amateur divisions. 

The club's highest honour to date was winning its group in the Championnat de France amateur in 2006. Paris FC last played in Ligue 1 in the 1978-79 season.

Though Paris FC have struggled domestically, the club has served as a springboard for several youth players who have gone on to have successful professional careers.

Notable players who started their careers at PFC include Jean-Christophe Thouvenel, Mamadou Sakho, Tijani Belaid, Aymen Belaïd, and Gabriel Obertan. 

Sakho and the Belaïd brothers have since became senior internationals for their respective national teams, while Thouvenel went on to win a gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics. 

Manager Roger Lemerre started his managerial career with the club before leading France to titles at UEFA Euro 2000 and the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup.

History
In an effort to re-launch professional football in the city of Paris, Paris Football Club was founded on 1 August 1969. 

The objective of the club was to be playing in the first division by 1970. 

An attempted merger with CS Sedan Ardennes was refused so Paris went looking in the second division and, subsequently, merged with Stade Saint-Germain to form Paris Saint-Germain, the professional club that currently plays in Ligue 1 today. 

The current incarnation of Paris FC came into being in 1972 when the club split from Paris Saint-Germain after coming under pressure from the capital city's mayor, who refused to support a non-Parisian club (the club had originally been situated in nearby Saint-Germain-en-Laye). 

As a result, a bitter split occurred and both Paris FC and Paris Saint-Germain remained as separate football club with the main agreement being that Paris FC had the right to keep the splitting entity's first division and professional status, as well as all the professional players. 

Paris Saint-Germain were, on the other hand, administratively relegated to the third division and given all the former entity's amateur players.

At the beginning of the 1972-73 season, Paris were playing in the first division hosting matches at the Parc des Princes. 

Two seasons later, the club was relegated to the second division, which coincided with Paris Saint-Germain's rise to top-flight and the acquisition of the Parc des Princes. 

After four years of playing in Division 2, Paris returned to the first division for the 1978-79 season. 

However, the season was a difficult one and resulted in the club falling back to Division 2 after one season. 

Paris FC have since yet to return to the top-flight league of France.

In 1983, Paris FC, then led by the industrialist Jean-Luc Lagardère, merged with Racing Club de France. 

While Racing remained in the first division, the remaining entity that was PFC was administratively relegated to the fourth division. 

Due to having limited resources, Paris fell to the Division d'Honneur after one season and, subsequently, spent four seasons in the fifth division before returning to Division 4 in 1988. 

Another promotion the following season saw Paris earn a place in Division 3.

Paris remained in the division for 12 years becoming inaugural members of the Championnat National in the process. 

In 2000, the club finished 17th and were relegated to the Championnat de France amateur. 

Paris spent six years in the league before returning to National for the 2006-07 season. 

After a successful 2014-15 campaign, the club gained promotion to Ligue 2, the French second division alongside its local rival Red Star F.C.

Players