Béziers - A Big Club with a Famous History.

By Razcal
July 21 2002

The club emerged in 1911 as a result of a merger between two existing clubs , Le Sorting Club Biterois and Le Midi Athletic Club.

The new club’s full title is L’Association Sportive Biteroise but it is usually referred to by the initials ASB (shortened to ASS-BAY) or as Béziers.

For many years it played at a pretty ground along the banks of the river Orb called Le Stade de Sauclières but in 1989 it moved into a brand new purpose built stadium called Le Stade de la Méditerranée. This can hold 18,000 with 17,500 seated. However, average gates are 6,500 and the ground record attendance is 12,500 two seasons ago for a match with Stade Français. The club colours are predominantly bright red with some blue.

The club is famous throughout France for having won the French Championship 10 times in a thirteen year period between 1971 and 1984. At that time there were no leagues in England! The French had had leagues for a long time. Because France is nearly 3 times the size of Britain but with roughly the same population travelling costs were a problem. So you had two first divisions , two second divisions and several third divisions.

The top 4 in each first division move into a pool based play off system from which 4 semi finalists emerge and a final, usually played in Paris, determines the ultimate Champion club of France. So to win it takes a lot and to do it so frequently was unheard of. As this period coincides with some of the time I lived and played in France I am still in awe of the name Béziers.

On the rare occasions they missed out anybody connected with rugby but not a supporter of Béziers would go into ecstasy. Remind you of anyone? Ah, you want more clues. Their ground was considered impregnable. A fierce pack of brutal forwards and a crowd for whom the word impassioned would be a huge understatement meant that even great players from visiting clubs would have a higher proportion of injuries making them unfit to play before that game than any other. Get the picture? Referees came under such intense pressure that they either failed to spot blatant infringements or blew for imaginary infringements by the opposition.

Since 1984 the club has passed through a long period of transition and once more appears among the elite of France since the advent of professionalism. So they only scraped into the HC because of Agen’s ban we would still take them lightly at our peril.

The club and the rugby mad area it serves, believe that playing at the highest level is their destiny and they will not want to blow this chance. Like Tigers they have a nucleus of club officials who are Béziers through and through , most notably Richard Astre, captain for a large part of their invincible period who left the club following a bust up but who has recently returned determined to relive those days.

The fans, players and officials can be found most evenings in La Brasserie Paul Riquet in L’Allée Paul Riquet.The club has gone through financial difficulties, largely due to Air France pulling out post September 11th but has still recruited a tough and talented squad including the Argentinian Queseda.

One of the new sponsors is called Harlequins which doesn’t exactly fill me with dread! If your French is up to it try their website www.asbh.net/ but please try not to leave aggressive messages in English or pigeon French on their Forum. The Perpignan supporters certainly found some of us very tiresome last season.

The town of Béziers is perched between the Mediterranean and the Pyrenees, both of which can be seen from the town. It is only 200 feet above sea level so no problems with altitude. There are 70,000 inhabitants therefore an average gate of 6,500 represents almost 10% of the population.

It is a beautiful town. The old Roman amphitheatre has been restored and many medieval buildings remain in use, enhanced by some imposing nineteenth century edifices. It is famous for an incident in 1219. The town was captured during a religious war. A captain asked his victorious commander how he could tell which of the civilians he had rounded up were of the right religious persuasion. He was told “Tuez les tous, Dieu reconnaitra les siens” or “Kill them all, God will recognize his own.” Again you can try the town’s tourist website www.ville-béziers.fr.

I doubt that I will be able to make the away game at 6,30 on December 8th but any of you who do get there should have a good time. I will only hate you for several months.