Season 1972/1973

Stade Rennais began the 1972/1973 season with a new name, as the initials had changed from SRUC to SRFC, after the football section went separate ways from the other sporting activities on 23rd May 1972, at the end of the previous season. The new era also saw a change in Manager, René Cédolin - Assistant Manager the season before - ended his playing days to take over from Jean Prouff in charge of the Rennes First Team. On the transfer front, Rennes lost some key players, including Aubour, Chlosta and Lenoir (top scorer) In terms of arrivals, the Red and Blacks added a particularly cosmopolitan aspect to their team. bringing in new-signings Keïta, Duarte and Cherini, as well as Dortomb and Rizzo. Rennes started the season with three wins from the first four matches, but would subsequently fall off the pace, relegated to mid-table. Unfortunately for Rennes, they would have a serious bad patch from December 1972 to April 1973, winning just one match out of 13 in the league, which saw them slip down to 15th in the First Division. But the Red and Blacks somehow managed to recover with six wins out of the last 9 matchdays, thus finishing 10th in the league, with the 15th-rated attack and 12th best defence. This 1972/1973 season also saw the debut of a young Pierrick Hiard (1 match) with the professional First Team, as well as the Youth Team winning the French FA Youth Cup (Coupe Gambardella). The French Cup run was stopped early, in the Round of 64 against another Division One side, Red Star, losing 1-3.