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Patrick Trotignon is a French businessman born on March 23, 1954 in Saint-Amand-Montrond. He has directed many European football clubs including the 1890 Servette Football Club in Geneva, Berrichonne de Châteauroux, Évian Thonon Gaillard F.C., Grenoble Foot 38 and Paris Football Club. In 2017, Trotignon became the director of the International Center of European Football and Thonon Evian Grand Geneve FC.

Youth, Studies, and Military Career
Patrick Trotignon grew up in the village of Dun-sur-Auron, where his parents were civil servants and his grandparents were farmers. Passionate about football, he played regularly with his friends in the village. At 17, he joined the youth teams of La Berrichonne de Châteauroux and even made some appearances on the reserve team. Following his studies in Vierzon, he obtained a diploma as a mechanical engineering technician and then a university degree in technology in business and administration management. He then went on to work in the armaments industry in Bourges and became a member of the pyrotechnics department in the military.

FC Bourges (1980s)
In the 1980s, he joined FC Bourges. During this time, he played on the reserve team and made a few appearances with the first team, playing in the French Division 4 championship.

LB Châteauroux F.C.
In 1989 Patrick Trotignon managed the 1st division club LB Chateauroux F.C. with Michel Denisot who became president of Paris Saint-Germain F.C. from 1991 through 1998. Trotignon led the professional club from 3rd division in 1989 to 1st division Ligue 1 in only 8 years. One of the main achievements of Patrick Trotignon in Châteauroux, in addition to his participation with reserve team and his promotion to the first division, is his creation of the training center in 1993. At this time, he welcomed the future French international sensation Florent Malouda.

Servette Geneve F.C.
In January 1997, a member of the Servette Football Club committee, the CANAL+ Group, then owner of the Paris Saint-Germain Football Club, bought the Geneva club from businessman Paul-Annik Weiller, who had saved the club from bankruptcy two and a half years earlier. At the request of Michael Denisot, Patrick Trotignon was appointed general manager of the Swiss club, with Christian Hervé as president. As he had done in Châteauroux, Trotignon invested in the structuring of the club. He launched the site of the Stade de la Praille and promoted the opening of the Training Center. Its mission is to achieve the objectives set by Canal+, namely to become champions and the best team at the European level.

LB Chateauroux F.C.
In 2003 Patrick Trotignon regains presidency of LB Chateauroux F.C. but dowgraded to 2nd division due to difficulties. However, Trotignon manages to maintain the club in the division and to lead the team to the finals of the French cup vs. Paris Saint-Germain F.C..

Evian Thonon Gaillard F.C.
In 2008, Patrick Trotignon is named President of French 1st division club Evian Thonon Gaillard F.C. under the impulsion of DANONE Group. Trotignon leads the club from French National level competition to professional 1st division in 2012 and goes on to win the French Cup vs. Bordeaux F.C. in 2013. Trotignon then went on to build the professional training center powering the International Center of European Football.

Paris F.C.
In 2014, Patrick Trotignon started working as a consultant for the iconic professional 2nd division club. Paris F.C.

Thonon Evian Grand Geneve F.C.
Since 2017 Patrick Trotignon is the Director of the football center powering Thonon Evian Grand Genève F.C. and the International Center of European Football.

International Center of European Football
Directed by Patrick Trotignon, the former president of the club Evian Thonon Gaillard, the academy follows an academic curriculum that will train them in football with European methods while allowing them to continue their studies and learn French. Together with Ravy Truchot, this will hope to create a football bridge between France and the United States. "The best players coming out of the academy will eventually be able to join the national teams of the Thonon Evian Savoie FC club, while others will be able to come and compete at the American championships by continuing their career at FC Miami City," said Truchot. Many players sign professional contracts in the United States or Europe.

Football Career

 * 1970s: La Berrichonne de Châteauroux: player in the youth teams then in the reserve
 * 1980s: FC Bourges
 * Early 1980s: Player and coach of the youth teams
 * 1988-1989: Secretary General
 * 1989-1997: The Berrichonne of Châteauroux General Manager
 * 1997-2002: Servette FC General Manager
 * 2002-2005: The Berrichonne of Châteauroux Delegate President
 * 2005-2008: The Berrichonne of Châteauroux General Manager
 * 2008-January 2014: Evian Thonon Gaillard Football Club President
 * January 2014-June 2015: Grenoble Foot 38 Administrator
 * June 2014-June 2015: Grenoble Foot 38 President's Advisor
 * June 2014: Paris FC General Director