Clermont-Ferrand (AFP)
The famous statue of Vercingétorix place de Jaude in Clermont-Ferrand has dressed this week a collector's jersey in the red and blue colors of Clermont Foot, on the occasion of the club's 30th anniversary.
"We are launching a collector's jersey, containing elements of the jersey of the first season 1990-1991, which we symbolically installed on the bust of the statue of Vercingétorix", said a spokesman for the football club founded on June 21, 1990 .
The chief of Arvernes, winner of Caesar during the battle of Gergovie which took place a few kilometers away, also brandished since Friday and for a week a flag in the colors of the club with the mention "30 years".
Sculpted by Auguste Bartholdi - also sculptor of the Statue of Liberty in New York - this bronze statue of Vercingétorix, erecting his sword on a galloping horse, was installed in Clermont-Ferrand in 1903.
"It's a real nod to our history since the statue is present on the club logo," noted an official at Clermont Foot.
"Let us celebrate today, and throughout the 2020-2021 season, this thirtieth anniversary, first with pride for what has been accomplished and with humility for what remains to be achieved. 30 years, what a beautiful age!" said President Ahmet Schaefer in a letter to "friends of the Clermont Foot 63" posted on the club's website.
"In thirty years, this club replaced the dying Clermont FC and went bankrupt in 1990, becoming a club ready to take its place in Ligue 1," he added.
"And what about this 2019-2020 season? The sporting dynamics and the quality of the group led by Pascal Gastien, could let us predict the best" but "this progression towards the rise in L1 was stopped suddenly by the tragedy which struck the country and the world, "he recalls.
Fifth in Ligue 2 at the time of the end of the season due to the epidemic of Covid-19, the club from Clermont-Ferrand announced on June 12 that it had seized the Council of State to be able to dispute the play-offs and play-offs accession to Ligue 1.
The CF63 hired a referral with the club of Troyes (4th) also concerned, just like that of Ajaccio (3rd).
Its leaders are asking that the possibility of organizing roadblocks in August be reconsidered in the light of the positive development of the health situation in France.
© 2020 AFP