Robert HENNEQUIN

Robert Hennequin (nicknamed "Bibiche") was born in Seine-Saint-Denis in the Paris region, and started his playing days in youth football with Stade de L'Est, a local multisports club. This talented defender was picked up by Stade Rennais in 1941, where he would begin his time as a professional footballer. Initially used as a midfielder, he would become the undoubted lynchpin in Rennes' playing system. He would demonstrate his versatility over several years, before finally settling down definitively as a defender for Stade Rennais University Club in his final years with the team. In 1943/1944, he would play as an amateur, however, as he was not retained in the Rennes-Bretagne side. That season, Stade Rennais were playing amateur football, and Hennequin would find a rich vein of goalscoring form, netting nine goals in 19 appearances, having played in four different positions. During that season, and notably as a result of the Second World War, he also spent time coaching at the Academy, which was set up for school children. He would go on to spend ten years with SRUC, before departing, in 1951, to sign for Lorient as Player/Manager for a season (a short experience which - alas - proved to be unsuccessful for Hennequin.) Having ended his playing days, he took over one of the Youth Teams at Lorient, before coaching amateur sides Hennebont and also Larmor Plage. Note that, as of 30th September 2022, Robert Hennequin was 7th on the list of all-time appearances for Rennes, with 275 matches in Red and Black to his name.