St Etienne end European exile

By Christian Châtelet

It may not be the tournament the fans were hoping for, but on Saturday one of France's most famous sides, AS Saint-Etienne, will return to European competition for the first time in two decades as they take on Switzerland's Neuchâtel Xamax FC in the first leg of a UEFA Intertoto Cup second-round tie.

Last game
It has been 22 years and eight months since Les Verts went down 4-0 against Czech club CU Bohemians Praha in the last 32 of the 1982/83 UEFA Cup to begin their long exile from Europe. However, supporters will be looking a little further back as they set their aims for what the team can achieve this season.

Golden age
To understand why St Etienne mean so much to so many fans, you have to look back 25 years. Between 1957 and 1981, the club won ten French titles and six French Cups, boasting great players like Michel Platini, Dominique Rocheteau, Ivan Curkovic, Christian Lopez, Dominique Bathenay and Oswaldo Piazza.

National obsession
With France having been in decline since finishing third at the 1958 FIFA World Cup - and yet to revive public interest with a brilliant showing at the 1982 World Cup - St Etienne were regarded by many as an alternative national team, especially when in continental competition.

European nights
St Etienne qualified for the European Champion Clubs' Cup ten times, reaching the semi-finals in 1974/75 before losing 1-0 against FC Bayern München in the following season's final. None the less, Robert Herbin's side were still greeted like heroes upon their return home.

Declining fortunes
Subsequent campaigns saw St Etienne's glory eclipsed by 1992/93 UEFA Champions League winners Olympique de Marseille and 1995/96 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup winners Paris Saint-Germain FC, as the club went into a decline heralded by the struggles of the local coal industry and a huge financial scandal.

Public excited
During the lean years, fans at the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium turned out to see increasingly anonymous teams. However, the stadium known as 'Le Chaudron' will be boiling again on Saturday, with 26,600 tickets sold for the game and a large television audience anticipating a glorious comeback.

Players primed
The players have been sharing in the excitement too, after qualifying for the tournament with a sixth-place finish in Ligue 1. Goalkeeper and St Etienne academy graduate Jérémie Janot said: "All my friends have been geeing me up for this game for days."

Holiday training
However, European football has come at a cost, with players forced to keep themselves fit for action during the holidays. "When we knew we were in the Intertoto, we decided to train on our own during our holidays," said captain Julien Sablé. "I did sprint training at my hotel with my uncle timing me."

Back together
Coach Elie Baup called his squad together to start formal training on 24 June, but the former FC Girondins de Bordeaux boss was keen to underline that he would not be using past glories to inspire his players. He said: "The players' predecessors have entertained them with epic tales of European nights at Le Chaudron, but I don't want any comparisons to put a brake on my players' progress. They must write their own story."

Former player
Xamax coach Alain Geiger, who played for St Etienne from 1988-90, added: "To play in Le Chaudron against this mythical team means a lot." Home fans will hope the chance of beating the mighty Greens will not bring the best out of Geiger's men on Saturday.