Antoine PASCUAL

Of Algerian extraction, Antoine Pascual was developed by AS Marine d'Oran from the age of 14. This defender was an exemplary player, and he became a part of the First Team setup in 1953; where he was scouted by Stade Rennais during his military service with the Tirailleurs Algériens Regiment in 1954. Player with an excellent positional sense, he would complete a three-week trial with the Red-and-Blacks, before signing Apprentice Professional forms with the club. Initially, he was made available to the amateur side, but he eventually turned professional at the beginning of the 1957/1958 season. In the meantime, he had taken his first steps in the First Team, making his debut and second appearances in two Odorico Cup ties in August 1956, before making his professional debut on 19th May 1957, against Saint-Etienne, playing in the unaccustomed role as a striker. A sound and wily defender, he would be first-choice at right-back throughout the 1957/1958 season, missing only a handful of games. He was also a regular at the beginning of the next season, but he lost his place to Le Menn, who had forced a reshuffle in the defensive line-up, with Poulain sliding across to right-back. Eventually, he would leave Rennes in 1959 to sign for SO Montpellier, in the Second Division, where he would end his playing days as a professional footballer. Having passed his national coaching badge, he moved on the AS Moulins in 1962/1963 to have a go at being player/manager, a role which he also occupied with the Cormorans de Penmarc'h in Brittany, as well as FC Port-Vendres of Marseille. Finally he ended his career with FC Carpentras in Avignon, where he retired from the game in 1978. He headed off to the Var region of France to enjoy his retirement in 2007.