50 years: The club's origins (6/12)
Paris Saint-Germain celebrates its 50 birthday this year and we're taking a look back at 12 key dates that founded the club in 1970. Today Act 6: 28 July.
28 July 1970 was a historic date in the history of Paris Saint-Germain Football Club. All the club board was present for the first training session on the pitch at the Camp des Loges in Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
Pierre-Étienne Guyot, Guy Crescent and Henri Patrelle were present for this first, along with the new professional recruits: French team captain Jean Djorkaeff from Marseille, international striker Jean-Claude Bras who played for Liege in Belgium, Les Bleus and Saint-Etienne defender Roland Mitoraj, OM defensive midfielder Jean-Pierre Destrumelle and Cannes striker Jacky Rémond.
The Board and coach Pierre Phelipon, who led the club last season in the French Amateur Championship, were hoping to further strengthen the squad with the recruitment of a foreign player who will not be present for this historic first training session.
The integration of professionals to the Sangermanois' amateur squad was a real challenge, with training sessions tailored to the demands of certain players of the new Paris Saint-Germain, who were starting in the National Championship (equivalent to the current Ligue 2) and were aiming for promotion to the first division that very season.
The media are present for this big premiere at the Camp des Loges and at its conclusion, Guy Crescent declared enthusiastically: "From now on, you belong to a family. The Paris Football Club and the Stade Sangermanois are finished. Now we are Paris Saint-Germain!"
