Jean PROUFF

Born in the Morbihan region of France, Jean Prouff began his footballing journey in the junior teams at Stade Rennais in 1933. A thoroughly talented midfielder by trade, he would win the French Youth Cup in 1935 with the Red and Blacks' youngsters. In 1938, he was scouted by the club of Fives, where he would start his professional career. In 1939, however, he was called up by his country to go to the front when the Second World War broke out. Alas, he was taken prisoner in the East of France in 1940, but he somehow managed to escape from captivity, walking countless kilometres to return to Rennes. He would play the 1941/1942 season with Rennes once more, but was forced to return to Fives for the following campaign. Prouff was back in the Breton capital in 1943 to sign for the Stade Rennais University Club, and became a cornerstone of the Rennes midfield for five seasons. He was also an athlete, and he became Brittany Champion in 800m in 1945. He was called up by the French National Team as a footballer, earning 17 caps, and scoring one goal in that time (between 1946 and 1949), even wearing the captain's armband on three occasions. He signed for Stade de Reims for a record transfer fee at the time in 1948. During his time in the Champagne region, he won the French League title in 1949. Having spent six months on loan at Rouen, he returned to Stade Rennais once more in 1950. During his last two seasons in a Rennes shirt, he was used in different roles, operating in defence, midfield and attack. He left Rennes in 1952 to convert to a manager, a role which he occupied for the first time with Caen, before a spell with Aix-en-Provence. His managerial career would end up taking in a number of clubs, including Rennes, with whom he would win the French Cup in 1965 and 1971, and then Standard Liège, winning the Belgian League title in 1963. On the occasion of the Centenary celebrations at Stade Rennais, Prouff was voted "Manager of the Century" for the Red and Blacks. On the 10th March 2021, a statue was unveiled in the stands of Roazhon Park as a tribute to the man as part of the 120th Anniversary celebrations for Stade Rennais.