René BOUTEILLER

René Bouteiller was born in Paris, and he did his apprenticeship as a footballer with US Pons, before turning professional in 1949 with Stade Rennais. This wily striker scored his first goal on his first match in the First Division, in an away game at Montpellier (6-5 win) on Matchday 5. A promising start, which would prove to be a false dawn, however, playing precious little in a Red and Black shirt, owing to stiff competition (3 goals in 11 matches). In the following 1950/1951 season, he left Stade Rennais University Club to sign for FC Nantes in the Second Division. He would spend two seasons there as first-choice. The 1951/1952 would prove to be his most prolific, scoring 12 league goals, and a hat-trick in the French Cup, making him the second-best attacker at Nantes? After finishing 4th in the Second Division, he left Nantes to head south to finish his professional playing days at Toulon.