Jean-Yves KERJEAN

Of Breton extraction, Jean-Yves Kerjean joined the Stade Rennais Academy setup in 1975, aged 17. Centre-back by trade, he would wait until the 1976/1977 season to make his first appearances with the Professional squad. He would play a bit-part role in seven matches in the First Division, in a season where the Red and Blacks would, alas, end up relegated to the Second Division at the end. He would become a first-choice member of the starting line-up on merit in the following seasons, and he stayed with Rennes until 1982. He then left to sign for Chaumont in the Second Division for a seaon before heading South to join Olympique de Marseille in 1983. He would enjoy a key role in the Marseille side, and would use his experience to help the younger members of the team. As an integral part of the team; he would help his new club to promotion to the top flight in his first season there. After two years on the South coast of France, he left for Istres in 1985, where he would spend two seasons before moving on to Dijon in 1987, spending a further two seasons at his next port-of-call. In 1989, he dropped down a division in joining Perpignan, who were playing in the Third tier of French football at the time, and spent a year with the team. His professional playing career came to an end with a spell at Vannes in the Fifth Division between 1990 and 1992. After hanging up his boots, he retrained to become a coach at the same club, spending four years managing with Vannes. He then took over the teams at Concarneau, Annecy, Limoges and even Orlando Pirates in South Africa. Indeed, his commitment at Orlando, even provided him with the opportunity to talk with the famous South African President, Nelson Mandela. After returning to France, he would head back to Brittany, where he would take on the Reserves at Stade Brestois. A willing and committed defender, Jean-Yves Kerjean would end up spending the most of his playing days in the Second Division.