FC Metz v Monaco 1984: The steel final – Part One

To celebrate les Grenats’ return to Ligue 2, Sharkfoot is offering an FC Metz special this week, which will end with the publication of a webdocumentary on the club’s youth centre. 

Today, we’ve decided to look back at a cult event for the club. On May 11 1984, FC Metz won the Coupe de France for the first time in their history. The victory was seen, by a whole region, as a symbol of their fight for survival. The club, sponsored by the local steelworks, became the figurehead for the exposure of Lorraine’s suffering.

In 1984, whilst Lorraine’s steel industry was (already) going through a delicate period, Sollac Florange decided to support FC Metz, by becoming one of the main partners of the club of the cross of Lorraine. That year would go on to forge unbreakable links between steel and football in Lorraine.

France takes to the streets

The beginning of 1984 bore many similarities to the problems of today. The socialist government was struggling to impose its authority in the face of the economic crisis of the time, which led many French people onto the streets in protest.

Worried about their children’s futures, parents took to the streets in protest against the reforms to private education. The number of demonstations and demonstrators continued to rise, reaching its height at the start of summer (resulting in the annulment of the Bill).

The Lorraine had other reasons to protest. The adoption by the government, formed of a coalition of the left, of a new « Plan Acier » (Steel Plan), sounded the death knell for a whole region. And yet the election of François Mitterand had promised so much : shortly after his election, in October 1981, he did a tour of Lorraine and declared : « not one job will be lost in the steel industry, without another being created beforehand in another sector », and condemning, in Longwy, « the social cost of a savage capitalism ». The Lorraine steel industry employed 150,000 people and produced 75% of French steel in 1970, across thirty furnaces.

Seville must be avenged

That season, the French football fraternity only had eyes for the national team (the French clubs hadn’t lasted long in Europe) and were counting on Platini, voted Ballon d’Or with Juventus (he would go on to win the Cup Winners’ Cup with them that season), to win the European Championships the following summer and thus avenge the defeat in Seville two years earlier.

Football also found itself embroiled in front page stories. Roger Rocher, the legendary president of les Verts, was imprisoned (November 1983), as a result of the famous « secret funds » scandal. In January, several top players of the time appeared before the judge (Larios, Lacombe, Janvion and even Platini).

In Belgium too, at the same time, a secret fund was discovered in Antwerp. Eddy Wauters is implicated. But it was above all the Standard Liège scandal which attracted the headlines. Several players were accused of having been paid to throw matches to ensure the title in 1982. The Belgian football union struck off Goetals. Eric Gerets was suspended for three years (two years on appeal).

FC Metz, highs and lows

Things were barely going any better for FC Metz at that time. The situation was catastrophic and the club was in a moribund way at the beginning of the 1983-1984 season. The crisis began a little earlier when Carlo Molinari lost control of the club in 1978, resigned and was replaced by Aimé Dumartin, the head of a local business in the Metz region.

The new regime had not skimped on funds and had recruited several well-known internationals: Wim Suurbier, Henryk Kasperczak, Christian Synaeghel from the top club of the time, Saint-Etienne, and also Philippe Mahut, future international, had joined the club « to move up to the next level and challenge at the top of the table ». Marc Rastoll, former FC Metz defender, was promoted to manager. The 1978-1979 season started with a fanfare and four straight victories, and ended with a respectable fifth place, the club only missing out on a European place on goal difference.

Unfortunately, the following seasons did not meet the hopes that had been raised and results were inconsistent. Relegation was narrowly avoided in 1979-1980: 17th. Then 9th in 1980-1981, 17th again in 1981-1982 and 9th in 1982-1983, thanks in the main to the 23 goals scored by the goalscorer Krimau, who played one season at FC Metz.

The free-spending times were over. The club was now living day-to-day and was experiencing serious financial problems, which reached their worst point in the summer of 1983. Bankruptcy was narrowly avoided. The local Metz authorities provided decisive financial aid and called for Carlo Molinari, who took control again, five years after his departure. He named Henry Kasperczak as the new manager.

The Coupe as evidence of the quality of a developing team

However, the beginning of the season was catastrophic. With only five wins, the Lorrain club was 19th at the halfway point of the season. Luckily, Kasperzcak built a close-knit group around goalkeeper Ettore, with Thys, Zappia, Bernad and Kurbos (who would go on to finish the season with 15 goals). He gradually integrated into the team a talented generation of youngsters who the club had developed : Hinschberger, Sonor, Rohr, Bracigliano, Marco Morgante were given their big chance. The second half of the season was much more impressive; 8 wins, 6 draws and 5 defeats later, the club finished in 12th place. The club was free to concentrate on fulfilling its Coupe destiny.

The aventure began against Calais in the round of 32, in January 1984. The match was not as straightforward as the final scoreline suggested, and the goals only came at the end of each half. Pécout in the 43rd minute gave the lead to the team, which survived an onslaught throughout the second half, before Philippe Hinschberger secured the win in the 84th minute.

Castets-en-Dorthe was the round of 16 opponent. The Gironde-based club were in the division d’honneur (regional league) at the time, but no longer exists today. In 1984, Coupe matches were still two-legged affairs. With 4-0 wins in both legs, qualification for the next round was a formality.

This article originally appeared in French on the excellent SHARKFOOT website. We thank them for allowing us to post the series in English. And a huge thank you to Jeremy Smith for the translation work.