Full name Athletic Club Ajaccien Ground Capacity 10,000 2015–16 Ligue 2, 17th Arena/Stadium Stade François Coty Manager Olivier Pantaloni Founded 1910 | Nickname(s) L'ours (The Bear) Chairman Léon Luciani Website Club home page League Ligue 2 Location Ajaccio, France | |
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Training ground AC Ajaccio Training Ground Profiles | ||
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Athletic Club Ajaccio ([aʒaksjo]; commonly referred to as AC Ajaccio or simply Ajaccio, Corsican: Athletic Club Aiacciu) is a French association football club based in the city of Ajaccio on the island of Corsica. The club was founded in 1910 and currently plays in Ligue 2. The club president is Léon Luciani and the first-team is currently coached by manager Olivier Pantaloni following the sacking of Christian Bracconi in October 2014. Ajaccio play their home matches at the Stade François Coty and are rivals with fellow Corsican club Bastia, with whom they contest the Corsica derby (Derby Corse).
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Historical information
Depending on sources, it is agreed that Ajaccio began playing in 1909–10. Their adopted colours are red and white stripes. Though they used to play in what was previously utilised as a sand dump, they decided to move to another, cleaner, safer stadium upon the insistence of Jean Lluis, father-in-law of club president Louis Baretti. The new stadium that was chosen held 5,000 spectators and was in use until 1969.
AC Ajaccio were elected Corsican champions on eight occasions, in 1920, 1921, 1934, 1939, 1948, 1950, 1955 and 1964, and are one of three big "island" teams, along with Gazélec Ajaccio and Bastia, the competition between the three being kept no secret. Spectators during the 1946 Corsican Cup final, held between A.C.A. and Sporting Bastia were handed umbrellas to shield themselves from the violence. Upon refusal of a penalty which would have been awarded to ACA, violence erupted between the fans, who used umbrellas both to cause and shield themselves from violence. This final was abandoned and replayed much later.
A.C.A. became a professional team in 1965 thanks to the ambitious efforts of the club's leaders. They initially adopted the symbol of the polar bear, but this has since been dropped in favour of a more stylised logo that uses a part of the Corsican flag.
In 1967, the team became the first Corsican club to play in the France's top division. They were most recently in Ligue 1 in the 2013–14 season, when they were relegated after finishing in last place, following a spell of three seasons in the top flight.
Current squad
As of 28 January, 2017
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Notable past players
For a complete list of AC Ajaccio players, see Category:AC Ajaccio players.