François DENIS

François Denis was playing for Redon Saint-Conwoïon when Stade Rennais FC offered him an amateur contract in 1986. A year later, he signed his first professional contract with the Red and Blacks, but it wasn’t until 1987/1988 that he started an official match for the first time in the Second Division. Denis was an undisputed first-choice central defender and captain throughout his career at Rennes, but he was also a symbol of a Stade Rennais who yo-yoed between Division 1 and Division 2. From the 1994/1995 season, under the management of Le Milinaire, he became Club Captain of a team who managed to stay up comfortably, and this despite a personal streak of bad luck, scoring three own goals in a single season. At the other end, though, his numerous headers from corners or free kicks helped his side, scoring 8 goals between 1994 and 1997. Paired with Jensen, Cyprien or Papura, skipper Denis was an exemplary player, proud and worthy of his team's colours, who took on a final mission at Le Mans in 1997.