La Renaissance du Le Mans FC
La Renaissance: How Le Mans Rose from the Ashes of Bankruptcy to Promotion to Ligue 1 A story of liquidation and resurrection, of the sixth tier and the second division, of Novak Djokovic's millions and a coach who feared flying, of a city famous for endurance and a club that refused to die—and of how a team that was dead and buried sixteen years ago is now preparing for life among the elite. Prologue: The Death of a Dream On 18 June 2013, the news that Le Mans fans had dreaded finally arrived. The club, which had been a fixture in Ligue 1 as recently as 2010, was bankrupt. The debts had piled up €15 million, an impossible sum for a club from a city of 150,000 people. The DNCG, French football's financial watchdog, had run out of patience. Professional status was revoked. The team was relegated to the sixth tier. Division d'Honneur. Amateur football. The Stade Marie-Marvingt, a sparkling 25,000-seat arena built potentially to host the Women’s World C...
