There are many links between Nice and Angers in the history of the two clubs. Some are even very recent, like former SCO player Billal Brahimi’s arrival in the 2022 winter transfer window. While the 354th issue of OGCNICE.mag, available at the stadium this Sunday, will highlight three of them, here is the one that is perhaps the least known of all...

Christophe Galtier and Thierry Oleksiak made their mark on the pitch before embarking on a career on the sidelines. When they were players, the current Gym coach and his assistant even played together in the Angers shirt during the 1993-94 season. Their only season in a SCO shirt. This was Thierry Oleksiak's last season as a professional player, who played 115 times for the Gym between 1986 and 1989.

"IT WAS IN ANGERS THAT OUR FRIENDSHIP REALLY DEVELOPED”

“Me and Thierry found ourselves in Angers the season after their promotion from D2 to D1," recalls Christophe Galtier. At the time, the club was not prepared for the top flight. There was a very good atmosphere in the team, but the team was not at all ready for the demands of the top flight," explained the Nice coach, who played 35 times for SCO (1 goal). That's where Thierry and I met, even though we had often crossed paths on the pitch as opponents - God knows he was a pain in the neck too (smile) - but it was there that our friendship started to blossom.

For the record, the two men also rubbed shoulders with former Aiglon player Mus' El Haddaoui during their time together in western France.

CHRISTOPHE GALTIER'S GOAL FOR THE SCO

Christophe Galtier scored his only goal in the French top flight when he was wearing the Angers shirt (in red and black on that day). It was on the Olympique de Marseille pitch of, on 5 April 1994. A powerful penalty, placed under Fabien Barthez’s crossbar, the Angers number 5 couldn't avoid defeat on that day (2-1).

Can you recognise the @AngersSCO number 5️⃣, who placed his strike into Fabien Barthez's top corner? #OGCNice #SCOOGCN pic.twitter.com/OQjNoL1x7z

— OGC Nice 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@ogcnice_eng) February 19, 2022