Football: the “Sauvons le Nîmes Olympique” association wants to hit the mark

Le bureau de l’association et les adhérents, lors d’une récente réunion au bar nîmois Le Victor-Hugo. MIDI LIBRE

Créée il y a neuf mois sous la forme d’un collectif, l'association "Sauvons le Nîmes Olympique" s’apprête à accoucher de son 1 000e adhérent. Et à lancer une levée de fonds.

When the collective “Save the Nîmes Olympique” was born, in the spring of 2023, the Gard club was relegated to Ligue 2, and Rani Assaf's real estate project is still relevant. When it turned into an association, at the end of the summer, NO was relegated to National and the Cnac (national commercial development commission) was preparing to challenge the new imagined district by the boss of the Crocodiles.

A few months later, the situation hasn't really improved. The team is still flirting with the red zone, and its CEO, “Fantômassaf”, is still there without being there. And, above all, without its Costières demolition-reconstruction project, which has been forgotten.

The association “Save the Nîmes Olympique” (SNO) is preparing for a double event: the reception of its 1,000th member and the launch of fundraising.

More members of the association than spectators at the Antonins stadium

The members, first of all: they are now more numerous than the Antonins public, which peaks at 984 spectators this winter. "In September, we became an association and many independents joined it, explains secretary Patrick Fustier. Initially, it was more the supporters' clubs who launched a petition and created the collective. MM. Carpentier, Pialat, Roure, Espeisse and Belbachir (the latter is no longer part of it) were the five founding members in May 2023. We bring together former players, grassroots supporters, traders and businesses . We have MM. Girard, Kabile, Vercruysse, Champ, Cubaynes, Clary, Malige (the former referee), the Charles-Alfred or Sauli family, Thomas Barlaguet, Pierre's grandson, etc."

And the thousandth is… Bernard Blaquart !

And the 1000th is… Bernard Blaquart, who has just joined its ranks. The association also wants to hit the mark with its fundraising. As in Sochaux, where the “Sociochaux” raised 780,000 € last summer (11,000 contributors) when the club was threatened with bankruptcy. “Let's save Nîmes Olympique” has affiliated with the Fédération des socios de France and will proceed with the collection. "As early as March, normally, says the president, Corentin Carpentier. A major financial specialist in this area should accompany us."

30 € to perhaps one day become a shareholder of NO

The minimum donation was set at 30 €, "like our department, and to keep it popular (it was 50 € for Sochaux, Editor's note) , specifies Mr. Fustier. We want to position ourselves and be ready for the post-Assaf era. When the club is sold, we will have to be there, attached to the project of the future buyer if he wishes, with a place on the board of directors if possible. nbsp;

This would be the second step: setting up a Scic, a cooperative society of collective interest, which would allow former players, supporters, communities and companies who have subscribed to each become a (small) shareholder of Nîmes Olympique.

We want "physical ticket offices, the return of supporter clubs with their entertainment equipment, and for NO to escape!"

And the two leaders of the association reiterate their positions: "We want to defend the identity of the club, and that training be relaunched. As such, we want to get closer to the amateur section (the youngest categories, Editor's note). We are also calling for the return of physical counters to the stadium and supporters' clubs with their entertainment equipment.

On this subject, "why we don’not call on people to go to the stadium to cheer on the team’? Some members of our association go to the Antonins, others not. There are different opinions. But our wish is not to go down to the amateur level. We want NO to escape: we are behind the players and coach Frédéric Bompard."

Five euros for membership, instructions for use

REGISTRATION There are several ways to join the association “Sauvons le Nîmes Olympique” : on the helloasso websites, and sauvonslenimesolympique.fr, on the Facebook page, by email sauvonslenimesolympique@gmail.com or, for those reluctant to use the web, go directly to the bar Le Victor-Hugo leaving their name on the free paper , first name, postal and email addresses, as well as 5 €.

This will allow those responsible to send you the membership card. All this independently of the fundraising, which will come later, in the spring, and for which everyone will be free to participate, or not.

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