Football Season Guide

For so long Auxerre were France's model provincial club, winning one league title and four French Cups between 1994 and 2005. They were even in the Champions League as recently as 2010 but the last few years have often been traumatic for the side from Burgundy. They are now preparing for a sixth straight season in Ligue 2 after struggling spectacularly in the last campaign and only just avoiding relegation. It has been all change off the field over the close season following the appointment of Francis Graille as president by the club's Chinese owners. Graille has previously occupied the same role at Lille and worked as president-delegate of Paris Saint-Germain. He has overseen the interesting appointment as coach of Francis Gillot, the former Lens and Sochaux boss who led Bordeaux to the French Cup in 2013 and was most recently working in China. He has been handed a two-year deal, while Cedric Daury, who led the club to survival last season, has moved upstairs to become sporting director. "I felt a lot of confidence from the president and the owner during our discussions," said Gillot, who arrived with his own assistant and fitness coach. "This project really interests me. I have coached for more than twenty years and experienced a lot of things, but I have never worked in Ligue 2." Gillot admitted that he needed to build a new squad, with full-back Ruben Aguilar joining Montpellier, talented young midfielder Samed Kilic departing and veteran captain Lionel Mathis retiring. Gaetan Courtet, last season's leading scorer with 18 goals in all competitions, has left for Lorient after forcing through a transfer but goalkeeper Zacharie Boucher has extended his contract and there have been a host of new arrivals. The giant Mauritanian Abdoul Ba joins from Lens to provide a new option in central defence, while Comoros international Bendjaloud Youssouf has joined from Orleans to replace Aguilar. Jordan Adeoti will reinforce the midfield, while Romain Philippoteaux and Mickael Barreto are interesting arrivals in the creative department and Pape Sane's loan signing from Caen will soften the blow of the departure of Courtet.