By rights, Amiens have little place in Ligue 1. They had the smallest budget in Ligue 2 last term when they won promotion and had the smalled budget in the top flight this term, though that did not prevent them attaining what was, in the end, a comfortable finish away from the relegation zone.
They were masterminded by Christopher Pellissier, who is a head coach who has shown a knack for working successfully on tiny budgets, but this may have been his most impressive achievement yet.
Certainly, the work that Amiens did in the transfer window last summer helped. Gael Kakuta was brought in on loan from the Chinese Super League and, while there is little certainty that the former Chelsea youth will remain at Stade de la Licorne, he has played his part in keeping them in the top flight this term.
Moussa Konate, however, was the key signing. In 27 starts he has notched 12 goals, which have been crucial in a team that is otherwise a little short of firepower. That he is under contract for another three seasons after this one bodes well for the seasons ahead.
The season was not without its problems, though. After three weeks of the campaign, Amiens were both pointless and goalless, though a 3-0 home win over Nice finally allowed Pellissier’s side to acclimatise to life in the top flight.
After another three-game losing streak in which they failed to score, Amiens went seven in all competitions undefeated, including a home draw against Monaco, hauling themselves into the top half of the table by the beginning of December.
Pellissier’s men, though, continued their patchy form into the beginning of 2018 and two months later were in the relegation playoff spot after a home draw with Toulouse. That acted as a spur to Amiens, who thereafter lost only three matches before the end of the campaign.
They were particularly good in their direct relegation confrontations, securing maximum points in all the games that mattered towards the end of the season, not to mention draws against Monaco and PSG.
They were an underdog that had a bite.
