To celebrate its 110th birthday this Saturday, October 21 (3 p.m.) against Auxerre in Ligue 2, SM Caen invites several former glories of the club to its birthday party. Among them, the holder of a record that makes the nets quiver: 66 goals, the official number of achievements (sources vary, some report 61) of striker Cyrille Watier, top scorer in Weed history. “In my time, we paid less attention to statistics than today,” slips the former red and blue, aged 51. I never paid much attention to those numbers. But it’s nice to have this record! “.
Arriving in 1999 from his native Brittany, Cyrille Watier, “although not predestined for a career as a professional footballer”, discovered in Caen “a training, family club with a great stadium and a lot of supporters”. He spent six years under the red and blue colors. Six seasons where he will “experience everything: playing, being sidelined, playing again, moving up, making a League Cup final…”.
The Caen epic, in the 2005 League Cup, is also one of his best memories: “I only played a few minutes in the final (against Strasbourg, 2-1 defeat) but I was able to take advantage of the party from the bench. What I remember most is the semi-final at home against Monaco. I had scored. I also remember that supporters slept in their cars to get a place in the final! “.
With more than 200 matches under his belt, the current assistant director of a sports store near Lorient has developed a mutual attachment with the Weed supporters. With an anecdote, from his first match, August 7, 1999 against Wasquehal: “The lawn of the Michel d’Ornano stadium was being repaired. We played in the old Venoix stadium, that of the European Cup match (September 15, 1992 against Zaragoza). People only talked about this stadium! It put me in the mood straight away.”
“A certain state of mind”
Today Cyrille Watier watches the results and the enthusiasm around his favorite club and smiles: “We wonder if the Ornano stadium is not too small. It doesn’t matter whether Caen is at the top or bottom of the ranking, there are a lot of people.”
So as in 2013 for the centenary of Stade Malherbe, Cyrille Watier will be there this Saturday, October 21. “I will enjoy coming back as much as some supporters will enjoy seeing me again.” In his eyes, the club which revealed him remains a symbol “of a certain state of mind in football. A real family. Here, we know how to recruit players who may be less good than others, but who have great spirit.”
The ex goleador cites the example of one of his successors on the front of the Caen attack: “Alexandre Mendy preferred to stay this summer rather than respond to offers elsewhere because he feels good here, in the club, in the city.” The record holder for goals in the SMC jersey will have plenty of time to observe the performance of Mendy, who, with his 50 goals, tickles the shelves of the red and blue institution, which hopes to celebrate its 110th anniversary under the eyes of its old fine trigger.
