Chamois Niortais FC
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| Full name | Chamois Niortais Football Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Les chamois |
| Founded | 1925 |
| Ground | Stade René Gaillard |
| Capacity | 10,898 |
| Chairman | Joel Coué |
| Manager | Denis Renaud |
| League | Ligue 2 |
| 2015–16 | Ligue 2, 16th |
| Website | Club home page |
Chamois Niortais Football Club (often referred to as simply Les Chamois) is a French association football club based in the commune of Niort, in the Deux-Sèvres department of western France. It was founded in 1925 by Charles Boinot, the son of the owner of a local chamois leather factory. The club's badge shows a chamois goat standing on a football. The club's home stadium is the Stade René Gaillard in Niort, which has a capacity of 10,898 although in the last 20 years attendances have generally averaged below 5,000 per match due to the club's relatively small fan base. Chamois Niortais has traditionally played in an entirely blue home strip, although away strips regularly differ.
For the first 20 years of the club's existence they played in local leagues around the Centre-Ouest region. In 1945, after the Second World War, the side joined the Championnat de France amateur. They achieved promotion to Division 3 in 1970 and stayed in the division for the following eight seasons. Between 1980 and 1984, the team played in Division 4 before winning promotion back to Division 3. The club gained professional status for the first time the following year when they were promoted to Division 2. After another promotion in 1987, they played in Division 1 for the only time in the 1987–88 season, but were relegated after one season.
Chamois Niortais were relegated to the Championnat National in 2008, and relegated again a season later, thereby losing their professional status. After finishing as runners-up in the Championnat National, the team were promoted back to Ligue 2 for the 2012–13 season.
After the First World War, local chamois leather factory owner, Theophile Boinot, established the first sports club in Niort, Amicale Club Niortais. Soon after, the football section of the club was founded and named Étoile Sportive Niortaise. In 1923, many players were conscripted into the French army. In 1925, a number of the players returned to the town and Boinot's son, Charles, set up the first proper association football team in the town, which he named Chamois Niortais Football Club.
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