Nîmes Olympique: become CrocoSocios with a simple click and bet on the future of the football club

magictr | May 4, 2024 | News | No Comments

The CrocoSocios project was officially launched this Saturday, May 4 in Costières. Free Midi – Mikaël ANISSET

Since noon this Saturday, May 4, Nîmes Olympique supporters can support their football club by becoming Socios. A bet on the future with the hope of saving the Nîmes club from the twists and turns in which it is lurching.

So many emotions on this Saturday, May 4, in the North stand of the Costières stadium! More than a year after it was shelved in favor of something new with the Antonins stadium, "the showcase of Nîmes Olympique"resounds again with the laughter and hopes of Croc lovers. Among the 300 supporters present (out of the 1 430 that the collective currently has, Editor's note), this morning, who came with family and in the image of Nicolas Benezet, former player and fervent supporter of Nîmes Ol , a bit nostalgic while holding her son, a few months old, in her arms facing the fallow lawn of the famous enclosure: "I brought my little one back today so that he can enter this mythical place, even if unfortunately, he will never have seen me play here. You all know what this club represents for me, and I would like to congratulate the commitment of the Sauvons Nîmes Olympique association and its project to allow supporters to become socios and get even more involved. for their club".

Become club shareholders

A few rows away, sitting in the middle "of friends", Christophe applauds the speeches which announce the official creation, on this fourth day of May, of a Cooperative Society of Collective Interest (SCIC) on the part of the club's supporters. A little earlier, he took care to slip a check into a transparent box bearing the image of CrocoSocios. "I came from Poulx especially to take part in this adventure. That’s something. It's giving back the place to the supporters, a bit like at Réal de Madrid, by involving them in the management of the club and personally I want to be part of it!"

Concretely, like Bastia for example, for Crocos fans, the rescue of Nîmes Olympique must go through a "sacred union" between all its components (from supporters, to employees, including communities). While placing collective interest above individual interests. The aim of the CrocoSocios is ultimately to have shares in the future capital of Nîmes Olympique in the event of the takeover of the club (and for the moment no sign indicating that &amp ;quot;the one whose name must not be pronounced" wants to sell). And join the board of directors.

Essential training center

Thanks to a range of donation proposals (from 30 euros, like Gard), via the HelloAsso site, the collective hopes to reach 500,000 euros at the earliest. A sum that he considers interesting enough to make a buyer think about the proposal they are making. And in the event that the latter declines the offer, "we will be able to return the money to the generous donors. But we are confident! This won't happen".

In the stands, eyes become misty when, in turn, founders of the collective, former players and coaches recall the importance of resurrecting the training center, "which was once envied by everyone, from Avignon to Montpellier !", insists Patrick Champ, president of the Anciens de Nîmes Olympique (former defender of Nîmes Ol in the years 70). "Who scored the goal on Friday at Chasselay ? A former member of the training center ! Where does the coach come from? Same!!!"

Alex Teuf, lifelong supporter, confirms, "for a long time our training center was in the leading pack. And to be back here in this stadium, it’s something. We all have a story with the Costières stadium."

To participate in the fundraising: sauvonslenimesolympique.fr