Etienne DIDOT

Etienne Didot arrived at the Academy at Rennes aged 14 in 1997. He saw first team action under the Gourcuff era in 2002. The native of Paimpol signed his first professional contract on his 18th birthday, and got his first full start in the League Cup in January 2002. This midfielder was sometimes defensive, sometimes attacking, and shone in his ability in shutting down opponents and directing play, which meant that his different managers: Halilhodzic, Bölöni and Dréossi were all convinced in his ability. He was a leader on and off the pitch, and was a symbol for the identity of the team, who qualified for the UEFA Cup in 2005. He warranted the respect of the supporters, his team-mates and his bosses. Goalscorer in the historic 2-0 win over Nantes at their Beaujoire Stadium in 2006, he was the logical replacement for Monterrubio as Club Captain at the beginning of 2007. The success story ended when Lacombe dropped him to the subs bench, then to the Reserves in CFA (French 4th Division) as he favoured the youngster Lemoine. As an former French U21 international, who was often pre-selected for the senior side, he left to join Toulouse in 2008.