FC Sion - History

History

FC Sion were founded in 1909 by Robert Gilliard, who became club captain, and played their first game, a 3-2 win against FC Aigle, the same year. The club grew thanks to contributions from local people, and played their first competitive league fixture in 1914, again a 3-2 victory, this time against FC Monthey. In 1919 Sion formally organised its managerial structure, with Gilliard becoming Vice President, and Charles Aymon taking Presidency.

From 1932 Sion played in the fourth tier of Swiss football, where they spent much of the next twenty years, briefely interrupted by promotion to the third tier in 1944, quickly followed by relegation in 1946. In 1952 Sion returned to the third tier, and five years later gained promotion again to the National League B, followed five years later by promotion to the National League A (now the Swiss Super League) in 1962. 1965 saw the first of FC Sion's Swiss Cup wins, with a 2-1 victory over Servette FC.

The 16,263 capacity Stade Tourbillon was officially opened in August 1968, but was followed by relegation in 1969. Sion returned to the National League A at the first attempt, and secured a second victory in the Swiss Cup, winning 3-2 against Neuchâtel Xamax in 1974. Sion would go on to consistently perform well in the Swiss Cup, with victories in 1980 (vs Young Boys), 1982 (vs FC Basel), 1986 (vs Servette FC) and 1991 (vs Young Boys). This period of success also saw the renovation and expansion of the Tourbillon in 1989, and was crowned with Sion's first Swiss League Championship in 1992.

More success in the Swiss Cup followed, winning the tournament in three consecutive years from 1995 with victories over Grasshopper Zurich, Servette FC and FC Luzern. Their win against FC Luzern in 1997 secured FC Sion their only domestic double, having also won the Swiss League.

However the club quickly fell in to financial trouble, and having narrowly avoided bankruptcy due to its purchase by Gilbert Kadji, the club suffered relegation in 1999. Despite returning to the top division the following season, financial problems plagued the team, culminating in relegation in 2001 and the departure of Kadji, and a denial of a professional license in 2003. The club was saved by architect and former footballer Christian Constantin, and they were re-instated in to the second division in October 2003.

Constantin spent the following seasons rebuilding the club, with the club getting through twenty managers in the following eight years, including taking the role himself twice, in a bid to financially stabalise. He was rewarded in 2006 with promotion back to the Super League, as well as a victory in the Swiss Cup, becoming the first second tier team to achieve this, with a 5-3 penalty shoot-out victory over Young Boys after a 1-1 draw.