Season 1979/1980

On the back of a disappointing previous season, Stade Rennais' ambition to obtain promotion back to the top-flight of French football remained intact at the beginning of the 1979/1980 season. There were changes at the top, with Gérard Dimier replacing Alfred Houget as President of the football club, and Pierre Garcia took over the reins as First-team Manager in place of Alain Jubert. On the playing front, there were several notable departures, in particular that of club legend Pokou, and Spreco. Rennes did strengthen their squad, though, bringing in the experienced heads of Llorens, Rampillon, Zlataric and Saliné. Anafal also made his much-heralded return to Rennes after having spent three years in Morocco. The Red and Blacks would get off to a great start in the league, winning five of their first six league fixtures of the season, and they went on to establish themselves as a top club for the rest of the season. Vying with Tours for top spot Rennes remained stuck in second place for the whole year, somehow never managing to catch Tours, this in spite of a fine unbeaten run between matchdays 17 and 28. Rennes fell off the pace in the final sprint, losing three of the last six, including a match against Tours. The Red and Blacks would finish 2nd in Group A of the Second Division, with the best attack and second-best defence in the league. After missing out on direct promotion, Rennes went through the play-offs, only to miss out over two legs against Avignon (0-0 and 2-3). In the French Cup, Rennes had a decent cup-run, getting as far as the Round of 16, knocking out Division 1 Laval in the process, before falling to Paris FC (2-0 and 0-4).