Pierre-Yves ANDRÉ

Dyed in the wool Breton, Pierre-Yves André didn’t take the traditional routes to get to the top of his profession. Starting with the club in Lannion, he signed his first professional contract in 1993 with Stade Rennais FC. Despite only being 19 years old, this left-footer had an astonishing first season in the Second Division, scoring 6 goals and obtaining promotion to the top flight. Once there, he didn’t let up at all, figuring in an attacking quartet where he supported Marco Grassi, Jocelyn Gourvennec and Sylvain Wiltord under the stewardship of Michel Le Milinaire. A team which was set up to attack fluctuated between huge wins and heavy defeats. The 1995/1996 season turned out to be his best in Red and Black with six goals and qualification for the Intertoto Cup. His path to first team football then became barred by the arrival in Rennes of loan-signing Stéphane Guivarc’h, and a change of system under the Manager Yves Colleu. His 1996/1997 season was a disappointment. André (nicknamed « Pierrot ») then left for Bastia, where he enjoyed the best times of his career.