US Boulogne

Union Sportive de Boulogne-sur-Mer Côte d'Opale (commonly referred to as US Boulogne, USBCO or frequently, simply Boulogne) is a French association football club based in the commune of Boulogne-sur-Mer. The club was founded in 1898 and currently plays in Championnat National, the third level of French football, having been promoted from the Championnat National 2 at the end of 2023–24 season.

The club was formed in 1898 and its achievements are comparatively minor, with their biggest feat to date consisting of reaching the semi-finals during the 1936–37 edition of the Coupe de France, and one Ligue 1 season in 2009–10. Boulogne play their home matches at the Stade de la Libération, which seats 15,004 having previously seated only 7,000 prior to its renovation in 2007.

Early years
US Boulogne were originally founded in December 1898 by a group of young local athletes. While they mainly focused originally on athletic events, they created a football team to provide themselves with sporting competition in the winter months, and made a decent job in their first few years as a football club. Boulogne won the Maritime Championship three years running between 1904 and 1906. They next won the Championship in 1909 and their final victory of this division was in 1922. In 1924, Boulogne moved to the Northern Championship and fared well. The team also did well in the Coupe de France – reaching the quarter-finals in 1929 and the last 16 three times.

In 1926, Boulogne won the Northern League and only six years later, they decided to become a professional club. In 1935, under chairman Marcel Lacroix, the team joined the professional leagues. However, they played averagely in Division Two but there were a few bright sparks in the team. The Coupe de France 1937 competition saw Boulogne reach the semi-finals, but they were convincingly beaten by FC Sochaux 6–0. After the war, Boulogne, reverted to amateur status – and only decided to become a professional team again in 1957, when they were re-elected into Division Two. They stayed comfortably in Division Two for 22 years but then plummeted through the divisions – suffering consecutive relegations. The Coupe de France competition only provided little respite, as the team made the last 16 three times.

Robert Senechal arrived in 1983 and stabilised the club in Division Four. They missed out on promotion by a narrow margin in 1984 – but were finally promoted in 1991. However, it was short-lived and they were relegated the following season. In June 1994, it was announced that Boulogne were in serious debt – owing ₣3 million.

Muselet takeover and rise to Ligue 1
Mayor of Boulougne and billionaire Jean Muselet intervened to save the club and appointed Jacques Wattez as chairman. Under the leadership of Wattez, the club adopted a new official name – Union Sportive Boulogne Côte d'Opale – in July 1994. as a new company, the debts of the club were wiped and Boulogne – although still struggling in Division Four – reached the last sixteen of the Coupe de France again in 1997–98. They earned a home tie against Ligue 1 side Olympique de Marseille, losing 1–0. In the following edition of the cup, they reached the last 32 before losing 2–1 at home to Ligue 1 neighbours Lille OSC. On 17 March 1999, the club marked their centenary by hosting Liverpool – managed by Gérard Houllier of nearby Thérouanne – in a friendly and winning 2–1.

In 2004, Boulogne hired Philippe Montanier in his first job in senior management. He won promotion to the Championnat National in his first season, and to Ligue 2 with a 2–1 victory over SC Toulon on 11 May 2007. Boulogne stayed up on the last day of the 2007–08 Ligue 2 season with a last-second win over Chamois Niortais F.C., who needed a draw to avoid the drop themselves.

The 2008–09 season saw Boulogne win promotion on the final day of the season after beating SC Amiens 4–0, replacing RC Strasbourg in the final promotion place by a single point; striker Grégory Thil finished top scorer with 18 goals. Montanier left for Valenciennes FC and was replaced by Laurent Guyot, former academy director at FC Nantes. They stayed just one season, being relegated in 19th place with 31 points; the first of their seven wins was in the second game on 16 August 2009, 2–1 at home to Grenoble Foot 38. In the same season, the team reached the quarter-finals of the 2009–10 Coupe de France, losing 3–1 away to fourth-tier US Quevilly.

Decline
Boulogne were relegated at the end of the 2011–12 Ligue 2 season, ending their five-year spell in the professional leagues. The team reached the quarter-finals of the 2014–15 Coupe de France, losing on penalties to AS Saint-Étienne after a 1–1 home draw.

In March 2020, Boulogne were third in Championnat National when the season was prematurely ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They were denied an opportunity for promotion when the FFF executive committee announced that the usual playoff between 18th in Ligue 2 and 3rd in Championnat National would not go ahead. The team finished bottom of the 2021–22 Championnat National table, and were relegated to Championnat National 2 after 17 years in the top three divisions. The team nearly suffered a second consecutive relegation in the 2022–23 Championnat National 2, surviving in 9th place after an improved second half of the season.

On 27 April 2024, Boulogne secure promotion to Championnat National from next season, champions of Championnat National 2 in 2023–24 season after defeat Racing CFF with score 3-1 and the club return to third tier after two years.

Staff

 * Head coach: 🇫🇷 Christophe Raymond
 * Assistant coach: 🇫🇷 Cédric Blomme
 * Goalkeeping coach: 🇫🇷 Hugo Stevenart
 * Fitness trainer: 🇫🇷 Antoine Decaix

Managers
• Blaud (1936–37)

• Ernest Payne (1937–38)

• François Bourbotte (1950–56)

• Jean Prouff (1956–58)

• Roger Meerseman (1959–61)

• Jean-Marie Prévost (1961–62)

• André Cheuva (1962–66)

• Angelo Grizzetti (1966–67)

• Ernest Schultz (1967)

• Jean Laune (1967–69)

• Ramon Muller and Jean Aubert (1969)

• Daniel Langrand (1969–73)

• André Pruvost (1973)

• Léon Deladerrière (1973)

• Jacques Favre (1973–74)

• Célestin Oliver (1974–75)

• Henri-Gérard Augustine (1975)

• Daniel Langrand (1975–76)

• Daniel Langrand and "Doudou" Douglas (1976–79)

• "Doudou" Douglas (1979–82)

• Bernard Soulliez (1982–86)

• Gilbert Zoonekynd (1986–88)

• André Bodji (1988–89)

• Edmond Baraffe (1989–90)

• Bernard Soulliez (1990–92)

• Richard Ellena (1992–94)

• Pascal Langlois (1994–96)

• Bruno Dupuis (1996–97)

• Alex Dupont (1997–98)

• Robert Dewilder (1998–99)

• Bruno Dupuis (1999–01)

• Jacky Colinet (2001–03)

• Pascal Langlois (2003)

• Bobby Brown (2003–04)

• Bruno Dupuis (2004)

• Philippe Montanier (2004–09)

• Laurent Guyot (2009–10)

• Michel Estevan (2010–11)

• Pascal Plancque (2011–12)

• Georges Tournay (2012–13)

• Stéphane Le Mignan (2013–16)

• Alain Pochat (2016–17)

• Olivier Frapolli (2017–19)

• Laurent Guyot (2019–21)

• Éric Chelle (2021)

• Stéphane Jobard (2021–22)

• Christophe Raymond (2022–23)

• Fabien Dagneaux and Antony Lecointe (2023–present)