Season 1938/1939

Having missed out on promotion by the narrowest of margins in the previous season, Stade Rennais were touted as one of the favourites to gain promotion to the top-flight in the 1938/1939 season. With the departure of some key players during the close season (such as Benaouda, Bambridge and Kaiser), the Red and Blacks would focus on recruiting players for their attack, such as Belunza and Thévenot, who would prove to be extremely prolific. The Stade Rennais University Club got off to a very promising start to the season, before moving up a gear from Matchday 9. Indeed, Rennes remained unbeaten for eight matches, with six straight wins. Having established themselves in the top part of the table, they then enjoyed another series of invincibility, from Matchday 25 to Matchday 38. Offensively, they were on fire, netting 112 goals in the season, with three goalscorers each scoring upwards of 20 goals. Rennes would end the season in Division Two in second place, with the best attack, and fourth-ranked defence, in a league which began with 23 clubs, and ended up with just 21, following the voluntary forfeit of both Tourcoing and Dieppe during the course of the season. In the French Cup, Rennes were knocked out in the Round of 16 by Nancy, who were also in the Second Division that season.