Laurent Pokou is one of the best, maybe even the best player who ever played for Stade Rennes. He started his career in his country, Ivory Coast, with ASEC Abidjan and then USFRAN Bouaké. Back to ASEC, he built up a national reputation by winning many titles, and an international reputation with the “Elephants”. The Best scorer of the 1968 and 1970 ACNs, he scored fourteen goals during these two editions, a record that stood for nearly forty years. In 1972, he took part to a « Mini World Cup » in Brazil, where he was showered with praise by Pelé. Logically courted by prestigious French clubs, Pokou left Ivory Coast in December 1973, only. Already 27 years old, he signed with Stade Rennes, thanks to an intervention of François Pinault and his network of acquaintances. The Breton public immediately fell in love with this disconcerting striker, capable of improbable exploits. The team revived thanks to this reinforcement: moribund in D1 until then, Rennes avoided relegation a first time. However, despite Pokou’s contribution (15 goals in 1974-1975), Rennes couldn’t avoid the drop to D2 next year. Encouraged to leave Rennes by the Ivorian press, Laurent Pokou finally decided to stay. The beginning of his season was astonishing, with seventeen goals scored in eleven matches. Unfortunately, during a game at Châteauroux, his season was stopped prematurely, because of a major knee injury. Pokou would not play again for seventeen months. Victim of serious financial troubles, and once again relegated in 1977, Stade Rennes had to let go its Ivorian pearl. Pokou was transferred to Nancy, where he played alongside a young Michel Platini. The forward would never achieve to play at his best, because of a virus. In September 1978, he decided to come back to Brittany, in the « club of his life », Stade Rennes. This come back only lasted few months, unfortunately. At the end of December 1978, he shoved a referee during a French Cup match at Saint-Pol-de-Léon, and received a two-year ban (a sentence reduced to six months after appeal). Sickened, he came back to Ivory Coast, where he ended his career with ASEC Abidjan. He then started a short coaching career, invested on textile industry, and then managed a few clubs. He then became part of the Ivorian federation and an ambassador for the FIFA.
Surname: N’Dri Pokou
Name: Laurent
Nicknames : The Baoulé Emperor, The man from Asmara, The Duke of Brittany
Nationality : Ivorian
Date of birth : 10/08/1947
Place of birth : Abidjan (Ivory Coast)
Height : 1,80 m
Weight : 78 kg
Position : Forward
International : Ivory Coast
Amateur :
ASEC Abidjan (Ivory Coast)
USFRAN Bouaké (Ivory Coast)
Professional :
ASEC Abidjan (Ivory Coast, 1965 - December 1973)
Stade Rennes FC (December 1973 - 1977)
AS Nancy-Lorraine (1977-1978)
Stade Rennes FC (September 1978 - December 1978)
ASEC Abidjan (Ivory Coast, January 1979 - March 1980)
Coach :
ASEC Abidjan (Ivory Coast)
Rio Sports Anyama (Ivory Coast)
Honours :
1970, 1972 and 1973 champion of Ivory Coast with ASEC Abidjan
1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972 and 1973 winner of Ivory Coast Cup with ASEC Abidjan
1978 Coupe de France winner with Nancy
1968 and 1970 best scorer of African Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast
- First match in Division 1 and with Rennes : Troyes - Rennes (1-2), 6th January 1973
- 1973-1974 season:
| Competition | Matches | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Division 1 | 13 | 7 |
| Coupe de France | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 14 | 8 |
- 1974-1975 season:
| Competition | Matches | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Division 1 | 27 | 14 |
| Coupe de France | 2 | 1 |
| Total | 29 | 15 |
- 1975-1976 season:
| Competition | Matches | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Division 2 | 12 | 17 |
| Coupe de France | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 12 | 17 |
- 1976-1977 season:
| Competition | Matches | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Division 1 | 11 | 6 |
| Coupe de France | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 13 | 6 |
- 1978-1979 season:
| Competition | Matches | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Division 2 | 12 | 6 |
| Coupe de France | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 14 | 6 |
- Total :
| Competition | Matches | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Division 1 | 51 | 27 |
| Division 2 | 24 | 23 |
| Coupe de France | 7 | 2 |
| Total | 82 | 52 |
- 1 - 06/01/74, Troyes - Rennes (1-2), Division 1 GW20 (30’, 1-1)
- 2 - 20/01/74, Rennes - Lyon (1-0), Division 1 GW22 (57’)
- 3 - 03/02/74, Rennes - Nantes (1-3), 1/32 of French Cup
- 4 - 24/02/74, Rennes - Marseille (3-1), Division 1 GW26 (24’, 2-0)
- 5 - 24/02/74, Rennes - Marseille (3-1), Division 1 GW26 (90’, 3-1)
- 6 - 16/03/74, Rennes - Saint-Étienne (1-0), Division 1 GW28 (49’)
- 7 - 01/05/74, Rennes - Nancy (3-0), Division 1 GW35 (38’, 2-0)
- 8 - 11/05/74, Nîmes - Rennes (0-2), Division 1 GW36 (89’, 0-2)
- 9 - 23/08/74, Lyon - Rennes (4-1), Division 1 GW5 (2’, 0-1)
- 10 - 13/09/74, Rennes - Marseille (1-0), Division 1 GW8 (90e)
- 11 - 24/09/74, Nantes - Rennes (1-1), Division 1 GW9 (76’, 1-1)
- 12 - 05/10/74, Red Star - Rennes (0-2), Division 1 GW11 (81’, 0-2)
- 13 - 18/10/74, Rennes - Nîmes (2-1), Division 1 GW12 (3’, 1-0)
- 14 - 29/10/74, Rennes - Saint-Étienne (3-1), Division 1 GW14 (47’, 2-1)
- 15 - 09/11/74, Rennes - Strasbourg (5-1), Division 1 GW16 (44’, 2-0)
- 16 - 09/11/74, Rennes - Strasbourg (5-1), Division 1 GW16 (56’, 3-0)
- 17 - 09/11/74, Rennes - Strasbourg (5-1), Division 1 GW16 (84’, 5-0)
- 18 - 20/11/74, Sochaux - Rennes (2-1), Division 1 GW17 (82’, 2-1)
- 19 - 24/11/74, Rennes - Lille (3-0), Division 1 GW18 (61’, 3-0)
- 20 - 26/01/75, Rennes - Paris SG (2-1), Division 1 GW25 (60’, 2-0)
- 21 - 02/02/75, Rennes - Aulnoye (1-0), 1/32 of French Cup
- 22 - 09/02/75, Marseille - Rennes (3-1), Division 1 GW26 (63’, 3-1)
- 23 - 30/05/75, Rennes - Reims (2-2), Division 1 GW37 (60’, 1-1)
- 24 - 23/08/75, Boulogne - Rennes (1-2), Division 2, GW1
- 25 - 29/08/75, Rennes - Rouen (5-0), Division 2 GW2
- 26 - 29/08/75, Rennes - Rouen (5-0), Division 2 GW2
- 27 - 29/08/75, Rennes - Rouen (5-0), Division 2 GW2
- 28 - 29/08/75, Rennes - Rouen (5-0), Division 2 GW2
- 29 - 13/09/75, Rennes - Tours (5-1), Division 2 GW4
- 30 - 13/09/75, Rennes - Tours (5-1), Division 2 GW4
- 31 - 27/09/75, Rennes - Amiens (6-1), Division 2 GW6
- 32 - 27/09/75, Rennes - Amiens (6-1), Division 2 GW6
- 33 - 27/09/75, Rennes - Amiens (6-1), Division 2 GW6
- 34 - 04/10/75, Paris FC - Rennes (1-4), Division 2 GW7
- 35 - 04/10/75, Paris FC - Rennes (1-4), Division 2 GW7
- 36 - 11/10/75, Rennes - Angoulême (3-1), Division 2 GW8
- 37 - 18/10/75, Caen - Rennes (2-2), Division 2 GW9
- 38 - 25/10/75, Rennes - Sedan (3-0), Division 2 GW10
- 39 - 25/10/75, Rennes - Sedan (3-0), Division 2 GW10
- 40 - 31/10/75, Brest - Rennes (0-6), Division 2 GW11
- 41 - 02/04/77, Marseille - Rennes (3-2), Division 1 GW29 (73’, 2-2)
- 42 - 16/04/77, Rennes - Troyes (2-2), Division 1 GW30 (17’, 1-0)
- 43 - 16/04/77, Rennes - Troyes (2-2), Division 1 GW30 (67’, 2-2)
- 44 - 03/05/77, Rennes - Bastia (1-1), Division 1 GW32 (23’, 1-0)
- 45 - 07/05/77, Lille - Rennes (2-2), Division 1 GW33 (37’, 1-2)
- 46 - 27/05/77, Rennes - Angers (4-2), Division 1 GW35 (86’, 4-2)
- 47 - 14/10/78, Rennes - Rouen (2-2), Division 2 GW10
- 48 - 21/10/78, Lucé - Rennes (0-1), Division 2 GW11
- 49 - 25/11/78, Boulogne - Rennes (0-1), Division 2 GW16
- 50 - 09/12/78, Rennes - Blois (8-0), Division 2 GW17
- 51 - 09/12/78, Rennes - Blois (8-0), Division 2 GW17
- 52 - 09/12/78, Rennes - Blois (8-0), Division 2 GW17
Summary:
- 34 goals scored at home, 16 away, 2 on neutral ground
- 1 quadruple, 3 hat trick et 5 doubles
- Photo : srfc.frenchwill.fr
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