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Relegated from Ligue 2 in 2009 Sporting Club Amiens took just two seasons to return to the 2nd tier of French football. Following a mid table finish in the 2009/2010 season SC Amiens rose to 2nd spot in the National after suffering just 4 defeats all season none of which came at the state of the art Stade de la Licorne home.

The town of Amiens got its first taste of professional football back in 1933 (32 years after being founded) although that was later abandoned in 1952 before becoming professional again in 1993. Since then Amiens have played National football until 2001 and then Ligue 2 football until their 2009 relegation.

Manager Ludovic Batelli a former Valenciennes & Lorient goalkeeper is in his 3rd spell at the club as manager beginning with the Youth set up having also Managed FC Sete & Troyes in between. Without a goal scorer of note last season (the top 2 scorers finished with 11 & 8), Batelli has brought in firepower in the shape of former Nimes front man Mohamed M’Changama & Herve Bazile who joins from Guingamp. Experienced Macedonian International Vlade Lazarevski joins from Kazakhstan outfit Astana in a bid to keep things tight at the back.

Pre season form hasn’t been great with heavy defeats to Sedan & Guingamp and goal less draws with Reims & Valenciennes but a Coupe de Ligue victory over Nimes last week will encourage the team before this the Ligue 2 opener at home to Batelli’s former club Troyes. New signing Herve Bazile on target in the cup win.

The Stade de la Licorne has been home to SC Amiens since it was built in 1999 and houses 12097 spectators although last season the average was just less than 6500. Current Ligue 1 players to have worn the White shirt of Amiens on the Licorne turf are Marseille defender Fabrice Abriel, Bordeaux’s Fahid Ben Khalfallah & Nancy’s Congo International Joel Sami.

The trophy cabinet at the Stade de la Licorne hasn’t been opened for a while, the last Championship Trophy won was the National in 1978 although they did surprisingly reach the final of the Coupe de France in 2001 when as a National side they faced struggling Ligue 1 side Strasbourg containing the likes of Jose Luis Chilavert, Teddy Bertin & Peggy Luyindula at the Stade de France and held them to a goal less draw before succumbing 5-4 on penalties. Amiens had defeated Rennes, Le Mans, Reims & Troyes on the way to the final.

2011-2012 prediction – A long season in store.