Red Star: the oldest and coolest club in Paris
Tue, Feb 14.23
Red Star Football Club might not be the most popular in France, but they're definitely one of the most interesting. From stunning kits and lifestyle collections to passionate left-wing ultras; this is a club with serious vibes.
The club dates back to 1897, making it the oldest club in Paris and the fourth oldest in France. It was founded in a Parisian café (of course) by Jules Rimet and Ernest Weber. They decided to call their team Red Star Club Français.
Where did they get 'Red Star' from? That remains uncertain. Most people beleive they took it from the red star of Buffalo Bill. Others think it may have referenced Miss Jenny, a then British governess based in Paris. Miss Jenny was the adopted godmother of the club at the time, who also recommended the club be named after the famous Red Star Shipping Line.
The club was officially inaugurated on the 12th of March, 1897. Rimet installed Jean de Piessac as the first club president, with one of his younger brothers as club secretary. Red Star was born and thus began the journey of an incredibly important club in the French football scene.
In the beginning, the club actually started out wearing navy blue and white. They played their games at Champ de Mars, situated in the parklands next to the Eiffel Tower. It didn't take long however for Red Star to move away from the area to Meudon, playing on a terrace which overlooked the Seine Valley.
Get into the Red Star FC vibe with our Ultra FM: Red Star Paris Playlist.
In 1930, the National Council of the French Football Federation held a vote about professionalising French football. It was a unanimous vote of 128-20, and Red Star then became one of the founding members of the new league. Things didn't go to plan however in season 1. Red Star were relegated down to Division 2. Luckily for the club they bounced back up relatively quickly to Division 1 for the 1934/35 season.
In 1930, the National Council of the French Football Federation held a vote about professionalising French football. It was a unanimous vote of 128-20, and Red Star then became one of the founding members of the new league. Things didn't go to plan however in season 1. Red Star were relegated down to Division 2. Luckily for the club they bounced back up relatively quickly to Division 1 for the 1934/35 season.
The return to the top led to another change. The club switched from white to the green and white that remains to this day. We're all better for it, too. Some of the kits we've seen, in particular the current Red Star 22/23 home jersey, in collaboration with Lack of Guidance, is special. So is the 100 year celebration retro jersey by Kappa. Some serious kit heat has been coming out of Paris for quite some time, and this season is arguably one of the best.
Like with all beginnings things were not exactly smooth. It took less than a year for de Piessac to resign as president, with Rimet having to step up and take the reigns. Rimet guided his side to the first division by 1904, before another big change came in 1907. The club changed its name to Red Star Amical Club after merging with Amical Football Club. This led to another move to Grenelle, before a final move to Saint-Ouen where the club still resides at the Stade Bauer (AKA Stade de Paris).
The stadium is a 10,000 capacity purpose built football ground. If you're a fan of old, cumbly niche stadiums; you'll like this one. It certainly isn't right for Ligue 1, and the club know that given they are constantly looking into redevelopment plans. It needs a massive amount of work. What it does have though in spades is character, even though you might be forgiven for missing it if you're in the area given how small it is. The stadium resides in the flea market district of the Northern part of Paris. It is home to a diverse and multicultural community, with lots of immigration from former French colonies in Africa and the Caribbean.
What makes this stadium special isn't so much the stadium itself, but the fans who flock to the ground each week. The Stade Baur is home to one of the most passsionate supporter bases in France. Red Star fans are loud and certainly make their feelings known about social issues in France. They are a left-leaning supporter base who value their role in the community.
There hasn't been much recent success for these fans, but they have won some trophies. You'll just need to go back a while. Red Star have won the Coupe de France an impressive 5 times, starting with their first back in 1921, then in 1922, 1923, 1928 and 1942.
If you want to get some Red Star gear to show your support for the club down here in Australia, you can get the new Red Star Paris 23/24 home jersey, designed by AI, in stores or online now.
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