• In his novel “From the shadow to the light of the North”, Stéphane Bigeard tells how he advised Daniel Leclercq during the Lens title season in 1998.

  • Without anyone knowing it, the management consultant whispered in the ear of the iconic "Druid".

  • If the names are not the same as in reality, the story of the novel is "80%" true according to the author.

For all RC Lens supporters, the 97-98 season remains the most legendary in history, with the club's first French champion title at stake. Twenty-three years later, we thought that everything had been written on the subject, but the book

From Shadows to the Light of the North *,

written by Stéphane Bigeard, proves us the opposite. A consultant in communication and management in the corporate world of sport for thirty years, this Northerner experienced the coronation of the Blood and Gold from the inside as special advisor to Daniel Leclercq and Gervais Martel.

Except that hardly anyone knew it.

Because at the time, management and communication coaches were looked at with a funny eye, and often compared to gurus.

“Doing that at the time was very daring.

Clearly, it was not being done and it should not be talked about.

At the club, only Daniel and Gervais knew what I was doing.

For the others, I was presented as the unemployed friend of Daniel Leclercq ”, laughs with hindsight Stéphane Bigeard.

"There was an alchemy between us"

It is on an idea of ​​Gervais Martel, eager to see his club take a step forward and finally win a trophy, that Stéphane Bigeard, 35 at the time, comes to help the president and the Lensois coach. Stroke of luck, the current passes immediately between him and the "Druid", however difficult to cheer. “I was the only one who believed in his dream of being French champion from his first coaching season. So there was an alchemy between us. But it just had to remain secret, ”says the consultant.

Present at each training, Stéphane Bigeard observes everything and discusses it in the wake with Leclercq without any player being aware.

“Daniel was extremely demanding, which is essential at the high level.

On the other hand, he put his demand on the shortcomings of the players, but that did not work.

If you want it to work, you have to emphasize the strengths of the players.

It was complicated for him because he often self-flagged and had trouble putting that into place.

But he got there.

"

The death of the "Druid" prompted the author to write the book

Life was not, however, a long calm river between the two men.

Fired in November then reinstated ten days later, Bigeard succeeded in convincing Leclercq of his method, with the apotheosis of the title as a splendid final bouquet.

To unveil this secret story, Bigeard waited for the green light from Daniel Leclercq which he finally obtained in June 2019, five months before the brutal death of the “Druid”, a real shock.

Written during confinement, the book is intended to be a novel.

That is to say that you will not find the exact names of the players and the places.

Tony Vairelles has become Tiago Vausselle

For example, Gervais Martel is renamed Geoffray Martins, Daniel Leclercq is called Denis Lenek and Tony Vairelles is renamed Tiago Vausselle.

RC Lens becomes the Corons de Laurette and the Bollaert stadium is renamed the Guy Leriche stadium, in tribute to a former employee of the club who died suddenly.

Confusing choices, but perfectly assumed by the author.

“I had started to write the book with the real names.

And then very quickly, I saw that I was not exactly telling the reality in certain scenes.

There was also a question of image rights in relation to the names of the club, the stadium.

I made legal inquiries and was told that I could be a little limited in relation to that, especially in a novel.

But roughly speaking, there are 80% of things that are true and 20% of fiction ”, assures Stéphane Bigeard, author of a book which devours itself, even if we know the (beautiful) end of the story for 23 years .

* From Shadow to Northern Light.

Inkjet Edition.

€ 25.90

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