Benoît Costil
« My connection with Stade Rennais goes back to when I was very young. When I signed for Stade Rennais at the age of 23, my parents told me that I was somehow making up for a regret that they hadn't let me join the club as a trainee. I thought to myself: ‘Wow, my parents are really happy! The connection with Stade Rennais, the club and the town, was exceptional, something that came naturally. I was happy where I was, with a strong sense of belonging to the club and great values. That didn't hide the fact that I always wanted to perform better individually and develop as a team. It's much more than a stage in my career, it's a place where I've been happy and where I'll come back to be happy again. I've made friends both inside and outside the club. It lasted six years, it could or should have lasted much longer. »
Jimmy Briand
« I joined the club at the age of 15 and stayed for almost ten years. I've developed as a player, but above all I've grown as a man and a citizen. My children were born here, I'm very attached to the town and I still have friends here. With many of the players from the training centre, we managed to play together in the first team over two or three generations. That's created a lifelong bond, and it's really my favourite club. »
Ousmane Dabo
« Stade Rennais shaped me as a player but above all as a person. They instilled in me a culture of hard work, respect and community life. That's all thanks to the training centre and the coaches, especially Patrick Rampillon. It gave me a very solid foundation for my career as a professional footballer. We were among the first to come out of the centre; before us there was Laurent Huard and Sylvain Ripoll, but they didn't really have it like us. I arrived very early, at 13. I saw my parents once in a while. It was difficult at first, I was at college and I was also training at Bréquigny. I adapted and blossomed, it was a great period. It was SRFC that shaped me. Stade Rennais is a family club that knows how to keep in touch with its alumni and bring people together. »
Paul-Georges Ntep
« It was at Rennes that I made my mark in Ligue 1 and made it all the way to the French national team. It's where I had the most fun in my career and where I made contacts that are still part of my repertoire today. I learned both on and off the pitch. It's a city that has left its mark on me. The beauty of Stade Rennais was the team spirit. We may not have had the best results on the pitch, even though we had a great collection of talent, but on a human level it was very strong. People talk to me a lot about that header off the line. Football sometimes lacks those ‘thrill’ moments. The goal wasn't to make an impression, but we laugh about it today. »
Sylvain Wiltord
« Stade Rennais was my first way out; they offered me this chance while I was still in the Paris region. It's my training club, it's everything to me. I learned my trade in Rennes, I lived my teenage life in Rennes. I couldn't have had a great career without Stade Rennais. Even though I'm from Paris, it's my club of heart. Some people will say that there's no pressure at family clubs. That wasn't the case at Rennes, there was always pressure, you always had to win. The demands didn't stop it being a family club. When I see the names, some very great talents, who have come after me, I'm so proud to have been one of the first to show the way at the centre. »
Stéphane Grégoire
« Stade Rennais was my first professional club, I stayed for five years, and it was with Rennes that I played the most games. I've been to other clubs and I haven't found the same strong identity. My role in the team gave me responsibilities, listening to others, observing, and empathising too. These are skills that I was able to develop as captain and that have served me well in my personal and professional life. I've known several coaches and I've always had their confidence, which means a lot and not a lot. I think my grey hair reassured them (laughs), and that's something I'm proud of. I tried to be real and my relationship with the fans was special, it was based on sincerity, closeness and commitment to the club. Stade Rennais means a lot of good relationships and good memories. It created this attachment between the club, the fans and me ».
Robert Rico
« Stade Rennais gave me everything. At Concarneau, my childhood dream was to play professional football. I spent seven years here, won the French Cup, became an international and then transferred to Reims. My dreams came true at Rennes. I made friends and was lucky enough to see my brother play for Stade Rennais too. I saw myself in him again and all the memories came flooding back. I'm the number one supporter, I come to see all the games. Everything is linked to SRFC, the passion for football and the family. It's my second home. What pleases me is that the new generations around the table think like I do. »
