GUY TOM GREEN LOOKS BACK AT THE INCREDIBLE REIGN OF GUY ROUX AT AUXERRE...
an English audience is that of a mercurial Frenchman who was brilliant and controversial in (almost) equal measures – Eric Cantona.
These three academy products alone would play over 700 matches for Auxerre, and Boli and Cantona would go on to fill their trophy cabinets after departing Burgundy.
They were part of the side that took to Ligue 1 football like a duck takes to water and formed an incredible set of foundations for what was to come.
Auxerre were more than holding their own in Ligue 1, finishing third, fourth and sixth in the opening seasons of the 90s. A disappointing exit in the second round of the 1991-92 UEFA Cup was forgotten about the following season as Roux led his charges to the semi-finals where they were bettered by German giants Borussia Dortmund on penalties having got past the likes of Copenhagen, Standard Liege and soon-to-be European champions Ajax.
Years of promotions, turning professional and playing in Europe were the stuff of dreams for a small club from Burgundy provincial leagues yet something was missing: silverware.
The 1993-94 season would see that long wait - Roux had been in continuous charge for 30 years at this point - come to an end. The Coupe de France was secured and taken back to Burgundy following a 3-0 win over Montpellier at the Parc de Prince in Paris, thanks to goals from Moussa Saib, Gerald Baticle and Corentin Martins.
Burgundy were not just home to vineyards and UNESCO World Heritage Sites but in 1996 they would dominate French football by not only winning the title but adding their second Coupe de France with a victory over Nimes thanks to goals from Blanc and Lilian Laslandes.
Roux had guided this small club from a small town to the top of French football. He had controlled the football club from the bottom, having his opinion heard on every decision made.
The production of players like Cantona and the signing of players who needed to turn their careers around such as Blanc demonstrated that his decisions paid dividends and the title win was the icing on a very large cake.