comme
30 Apr 2006, 09:54 AM
Robert Jonquet (The Hero of Highbury)
Born: 3rd May 1925
Position: Central defence
France
58 caps, 0 goals
1942-1960 Stade Reims
1960-1962 Racing Strasbourg (II. Division)
Honours:
5 French League titles (1949, 1953, 1955, 1958, 1960)
2 French Cups (1950, 1958)
1 Latin Cup (1953)
European Cup finalist (1956, 1959)
Bob Jonquet was born in Paris in 1925 and as a youngster began his career with small clubs Chatenay-Malabry and then SS Voltaire. At 17 Jonquet made the move to Reims where he developed into an excellent player. At the time the second world war was still raging, but football continued under the Vichy government albeit in a regional format. When Jonquet joined Reims they were the reigning Northern champions, but it was not until 1949 that Jonquet was able to lift some silverware of his own. That season Reims lifted the French league title, seeing off the strong challenge of Lille by just a point. Their travails in the Latin Cup were slightly less successful as they were annihilated 5-0 by Barcelona in the semi-finals, and then beaten 5-3 in the 3rd place play off. The next year Reims picked up the French Cup, beating Racing Club de Paris in the final thanks to two goals in the last ten minutes.
It was in a match against England at Highbury in 1951 that Jonquet earned his nickname. The match finished as a two all draw, but Jonquet earned widespread praise and recognition for his performance. He had made his France debut 4 years earlier in a 3-1 loss to Italy, and by this time had established himself as a fixture in the national team.
1953 proved to be something of a dream year for Jonquet and Reims as they won the French title again ahead of Sochaux and Bordeaux as well as lifting the Latin Cup, making up for their disappointment 4 years earlier. This time they scraped past Valencia in the semi finals, before comfortably beating a Milan side including the GreNoLi trio 3-0 in the final.
The 1954 World Cup proved to be a bitter disappointment for France and Jonquet, due in part to the strangle way in which it was organised. Each group contained 2 seeded team who did not play each other, therefore France only played 2 games in the tournament. They lost the first 1-0 to Yugoslavia, and won the second 3-2 against Mexico. Sadly that was not enough and they went home.
In 1955 Jonquet picked up a third French Championship, with Reims finishing 4 points ahead of nearest rivals Toulouse. In the Latin Cup they saw off Milan 3-2 in extra-time in the semi-finals, before meeting Real Madrid in the final. There they were defeated by two goals courtesy of Hector Rial. It was not to be the last time that Madrid would disappoint Robert Jonquet.
Indeed the next year it would be Real Madrid that met Stade Reims in the inaugural European Cup final, after the French side had seen off AGF, Vörös Lobogó and Hibernian. The final was a wonderful game that ebbed and flowed, but eventually saw Jonquet end up on the losing side again as Reims went down 4-3.
In 1958 Reims completed a French league and cup double, with Nimes coming off second best in both competitions. Reims were comfortable winners of the league, 7 points ahead of their nearest rivals and they eased past Nimes in the final 3-1. That then seemed the ideal send off for Jonquet to go to the World Cup in Sweden. There the French progressed through a group containing Yugoslavia, Paraguay and Scotland before beating N Ireland 4-0 in the quarters. That earned Les Bleues a contest with Brazil in the semi-final, but there hopes were ruined when Jonquet broke his leg in the first half. At that point the scores were tied at 1-1, but with 10 men the French couldn’t compete and went down 5-2.
1959-60 was Jonquet’s last season at Reims and he capped off an incredible career there by winning the French league for a 5th time, this time beating Nimes into second place again. From Reims he went to Racing Strasbourg where he wound down his career.
Jonquet was widely regarded as one of the game’s foremost centre backs for much of the 1950s, and his predominance was built on his superb reading of the game, as well as his good use of the ball and outstanding leadership. His defensive master mind, coupled with the genius of Raymond Kopa and the goal scoring prowess of Just Fontaine catapulted Reims and France into the first rank of European heavyweights. It is testament to quite how influential Jonquet was that after he left the club Reims have won just one title, they won 5 in his 18 years at the club.
Born: 3rd May 1925
Position: Central defence
France
58 caps, 0 goals
1942-1960 Stade Reims
1960-1962 Racing Strasbourg (II. Division)
Honours:
5 French League titles (1949, 1953, 1955, 1958, 1960)
2 French Cups (1950, 1958)
1 Latin Cup (1953)
European Cup finalist (1956, 1959)
Bob Jonquet was born in Paris in 1925 and as a youngster began his career with small clubs Chatenay-Malabry and then SS Voltaire. At 17 Jonquet made the move to Reims where he developed into an excellent player. At the time the second world war was still raging, but football continued under the Vichy government albeit in a regional format. When Jonquet joined Reims they were the reigning Northern champions, but it was not until 1949 that Jonquet was able to lift some silverware of his own. That season Reims lifted the French league title, seeing off the strong challenge of Lille by just a point. Their travails in the Latin Cup were slightly less successful as they were annihilated 5-0 by Barcelona in the semi-finals, and then beaten 5-3 in the 3rd place play off. The next year Reims picked up the French Cup, beating Racing Club de Paris in the final thanks to two goals in the last ten minutes.
It was in a match against England at Highbury in 1951 that Jonquet earned his nickname. The match finished as a two all draw, but Jonquet earned widespread praise and recognition for his performance. He had made his France debut 4 years earlier in a 3-1 loss to Italy, and by this time had established himself as a fixture in the national team.
1953 proved to be something of a dream year for Jonquet and Reims as they won the French title again ahead of Sochaux and Bordeaux as well as lifting the Latin Cup, making up for their disappointment 4 years earlier. This time they scraped past Valencia in the semi finals, before comfortably beating a Milan side including the GreNoLi trio 3-0 in the final.
The 1954 World Cup proved to be a bitter disappointment for France and Jonquet, due in part to the strangle way in which it was organised. Each group contained 2 seeded team who did not play each other, therefore France only played 2 games in the tournament. They lost the first 1-0 to Yugoslavia, and won the second 3-2 against Mexico. Sadly that was not enough and they went home.
In 1955 Jonquet picked up a third French Championship, with Reims finishing 4 points ahead of nearest rivals Toulouse. In the Latin Cup they saw off Milan 3-2 in extra-time in the semi-finals, before meeting Real Madrid in the final. There they were defeated by two goals courtesy of Hector Rial. It was not to be the last time that Madrid would disappoint Robert Jonquet.
Indeed the next year it would be Real Madrid that met Stade Reims in the inaugural European Cup final, after the French side had seen off AGF, Vörös Lobogó and Hibernian. The final was a wonderful game that ebbed and flowed, but eventually saw Jonquet end up on the losing side again as Reims went down 4-3.
In 1958 Reims completed a French league and cup double, with Nimes coming off second best in both competitions. Reims were comfortable winners of the league, 7 points ahead of their nearest rivals and they eased past Nimes in the final 3-1. That then seemed the ideal send off for Jonquet to go to the World Cup in Sweden. There the French progressed through a group containing Yugoslavia, Paraguay and Scotland before beating N Ireland 4-0 in the quarters. That earned Les Bleues a contest with Brazil in the semi-final, but there hopes were ruined when Jonquet broke his leg in the first half. At that point the scores were tied at 1-1, but with 10 men the French couldn’t compete and went down 5-2.
1959-60 was Jonquet’s last season at Reims and he capped off an incredible career there by winning the French league for a 5th time, this time beating Nimes into second place again. From Reims he went to Racing Strasbourg where he wound down his career.
Jonquet was widely regarded as one of the game’s foremost centre backs for much of the 1950s, and his predominance was built on his superb reading of the game, as well as his good use of the ball and outstanding leadership. His defensive master mind, coupled with the genius of Raymond Kopa and the goal scoring prowess of Just Fontaine catapulted Reims and France into the first rank of European heavyweights. It is testament to quite how influential Jonquet was that after he left the club Reims have won just one title, they won 5 in his 18 years at the club.