André Guillard (footballer)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | André Xavier Lucien Guillard | ||
| Date of birth | 9 June 1906 | ||
| Place of birth | Saussines, France | ||
| Date of death | 25 December 1972 (aged 66) | ||
| Place of death | Valencia, Spain | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1927–1928 | Olympique Alès | ||
| 1928–1934 | Montpellier | ||
| 1934–1938 | Saint-Étienne | ||
| 1938–1939 | Olympique Alès | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
André Xavier Lucien Guillard (9 June 1906 – 25 December 1972) was a French footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Montpellier from 1928 until 1934.
Career
Born in the Hérault town of Saussines on 9 June 1906, Guillard began his football career at Olympique Alès in 1927, aged 21, from which he joined Montpellier in 1928. Together with Branislav Sekulić and the Kramer brothers (Edmond, Auguste, and Georges), Guillard was a member of the Montpellier team that reached two Coupe de France finals in 1929 and 1931, keeping a clean-sheet in the former to help his side to a 2–0 victory over Sète,[1][2][3] and conceding three goals in the latter in a 3–0 loss to Club Français.[3][4] His performance in the 1929 Cup final was praised by the journalists of the French newspaper L'Auto (currently L'Équipe), who described him as "agile", "remarkably surefooted", and even made a "superb dive" to save a shot from Jacques Dormoy.[5]
In the 1932–33 season, Guillard helped Montpellier to a fourth-place league finish.[1] He stayed at Montpellier for six years, from 1928 until 1934, when he moved to Saint-Étienne, with whom he played 84 matches in Ligue 2 over four seasons, until 1938.[3] In his last season at the club, Saint-Étienne finished as runners-up in Ligue 2, thus achieving promotion, but even though Guillard was "of a good standard", he was deemed insufficiently equipped for the top flight, being replaced by René Llense.[6] He then returned to Olympique Alès, where he retired in 1939, aged 33.
Death and legacy
Guillard died in Valencia on 25 December 1972, at the age of 66.[3] The municipal stadium of Saussines was named after him.[7]
Honours
Montpellier
- Coupe de France: 1928–29; runner-up 1930–31
References
- ^ a b "Grandes équipes Montpellier HSC" [The great teams of Montpellier HSC]. www.pari-et-gagne.com (in French). Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "Saison 1928-1929 Montpellier Vainqueur" [1928-1929 Season Montpellier Winner]. www.om4ever.com (in French). Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ a b c d "La fiche complète de l'ancien Vert André GUILLARD" [The complete profile of former Green André GUILLARD]. www.anciensverts.com (in French). Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "Saison 1930-1931 Club Français Vainqueur" [1930-1931 Season Club Français Winner]. www.om4ever.com (in French). Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "Comment les S.O. Montpelliérains ont gagné la Coupe de France" [How Montpellier's S.O. won the Coupe de France]. gallica.bnf.fr (in French). L'Auto. 6 May 1929. p. 5. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "ASSE: Un Gardien au niveau international dans le Forez" [ASSE: A Goalkeeper at international level in Forez]. peuple-vert.fr (in French). 21 February 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "Stade Andre Guillard". stade.autour-de-moi.com (in French). Retrieved 2 May 2025.