Pierre Flamion, one of the pillars of the Reims side of the mid-1950s which lost to Real Madrid in two of the first four Champions Cup finals, has died aged 79.
Flamion was born in Mohon, Ardennes, like outstanding leftback Roger Marche whose early career steps he followed to Reims.
An inside or outside left, Flamion scored 120 top division goals for Reims and struck eight goals in 17 games for France between 1948 and 1953. In 1949 he helped Reims win the league and in 1950 the cup.
He then followed coach Henri Roessler to Marseille and ultimately wound down his career with Lyon, Troyes and Limoges – where he became player-coach and inspired the young Guy Roux (later long-serving boss of Auxerre).
Flamion subsequently managed Chaumont, Metz and Troyes before returning to his first love, Reims, in 1974. In 1977 he guided them to the cup final where they led Saint-Etienne 1-0 with five minutes to go, only to lose 2-1.
