| 1928-1959 |
Founded in 1928, FC Sochaux-Montbéliard became in less than ten years a major participant in French Football. Jean-Pierre Peugeot, boss of Peugeot Automobiles, the car company, decided in 1928 to create a high profile football club: the Football Club Sochaux is born. One year later, he recruited the best players, French and international football stars, and he made no secret of the fact that he paid the players to play for his club. FC Sochaux-Montbéliard became thus the first professional football club in France. In 1930 FC Sochaux merged with A.S. Montbéliard to continue as FC Sochaux-Montbéliard. The club initiated a competition, called Coupe Peugeot, in which participated the best clubs of France. The French Football Associated soon accepted professional football in France and started an official national football competition.
In the early years of this new league, FCSM was one of the leading clubs and were crowned champions in 1935 scoring a massive amount of 94 goals. In 1937 FCSM won the French Cup and a year after they dominated again the national championship in which they ended top of the league after a close title race with Olympique Marseille. During these days the FCSM squad was composed of a lot of great football players like Matller who played no less than three World Cups. In this team a lot of youngsters, who had been recruited all over France, were given a change. The start of World War II did end the golden period of FC Sochaux-Montbéliard. FCSM suffers a lot during the war period and was named shortly FC Sochaux-Valentigney until the liberation when it continued as the former known FCSM. The stadium name changed in Stade Auguste Bonal, in honour to the former FCSM director deported to a German which he didn't survive. The cruel war break ended FCSM glory years and the club survived due to the development of the scouting department in their search for gifted young players all over France. In spite of the presence of some pre-war big names to help the talented boys, FCSM relegated in 1946 for the first time in their history. After just one year in a lower league, the club gained promotion back into the French Division 1, where it showed again their principles of the " beautiful game ". More and more FCSM got their focus on the recruitment of talented young players. In 1959, guided by coach Gaby Dormois, FC Sochaux-Montbéliard reached the Cup Final after more then 20 years without any silverware. The match against Le Havre saw a replay after a draw in the first game (2-2). In the second leg, Sochaux weren't lucky, hit the post several times and lost thanks to some deadly placed counter attacks: 3-0.
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