Erik VAN DEN BOOGAARD

This Dutch striker, Erik Van den Boogaard experienced some great times with Stade Rennais at the end of the 1980s. He started out as a youngster with a local amateur club in his hometown, and was quickly picked up by PSV Eindhoven in 1982, aged 16. Whilst finding his feet, he only played five matches in his first season, but he scored his first goal on his debut against the prestigious Ajax Amsterdam. In the two seasons that followed Van den Boogaard only made it into the starting line-up intermittently. He would play 47 games and still managed to score 16 goals. Looking for more game time, he decided in 1985 to leave for a less illustrious club, MVV Maastricht, and there he found his spot as first-choice striker. During his three seasons at Maastricht, played less and less as time went by, netting 10 goals in 43 matches, and left the club in 1987. That year, he caught the eye of Rennes during a successful trial a the club. Rennes were in Division 2 at the time, and were on the lookout for a centre-forward, so they made the decision to sign him. Van den Boogaard's Rennes adventure thus started, making his debut on 13th February 1988 in the French Cup, scoring in the process, against amateur side Baud in a 7-0 success. Then, for his first league match against Strasbourg, he netted a brace in a 4-0 win. A tremendous start which meant he was soon the darling of Rennes' fans. During his three seasons at the front of the Rennes side, he was to form an irresistible trio with the Delamontagne brothers, scoring 46 goals between them in the 1988-89 season. This goalscoring machine was blessed with a good aerial game, and he was also a clinical finisher in the box. He went on to score a remarkable total of 55 goals (of which 8 braces) in 98 matches with Rennes. His most prolific season (1988-89) saw him net 29 goals in 44 appearances. After three excellent seasons at Rennes, which culminated in promotion to the First Division, he was sacrificed by his club for financial reasons. Having earned his stripes in the Second Division, he left for a season with FC Rouen, went on to finish career with two seasons in Switzerland at Lausanne. Van den Boogaard, who has always been attached to Brittany and Stade Rennais, will forever be revered by Rennes fans who remembered that period at the end of the 1980s.