Football Fusion: La Turballe and Saint-Molf Clubs Merge to Secure Future of Local Game
SAINT-MOLF, France - Facing dwindling player numbers, the football clubs of La Turballe and Saint-Molf have officially merged to form the ESPB (Entente Sportive Pays de Brière), a new entity aiming to revitalize the sport in the region.The consolidation,announced this week,represents a notable shift for both historically independent clubs and a proactive response to challenges impacting grassroots football participation.
The merger comes during a period of organizational restructuring,with officials focused on establishing consistent operations across multiple grounds. “We are in a year of transition, of setting up the structure, organizations, referees and activities on the different grounds,” explained joël Guimard, current vice-president of the ESPB and former president of US Saint-Molf. The ESPB’s ambition is to return to the senior D2 division, and at least finish in the top half of the table – a level both La Turballe and Saint-Molf previously competed at before recent championship reorganizations.
Practical considerations also drove the decision. Training schedules will alternate between La Turballe’s synthetic field – utilized during winter months when Saint-Molf’s grass roche Blanche field lacks lighting – and Saint-Molf itself from mid-April to late May and again from August to late September. Ongoing improvements to the Mendulphin field in Saint-Molf, including a completed initial decompacting phase and a planned deeper sandblasting in December 2025, aim to enhance water infiltration and playability. Saint-Molf will continue to host home cup and senior championship matches once a month.
Despite the potential for initial resistance, Guimard expressed optimism about retaining and attracting players.”We hope to keep our players and recover others in the offseason,” he stated. Addressing concerns about a loss of identity among some supporters, he added, “There have been some defections who feel the merger as a loss of identity. We encourage them to come back and then, La Turballe is only 8 km away. They will come back.”
The ESPB is actively seeking sponsorship opportunities, offering representation on grounds in La Turballe, Piriac, and Saint-Molf through panels, banners, and jersey sets, with partnership renewals scheduled for January 2026.
The newly formed club will debut with its first matches on Sunday, October 26th in Saint-Molf: Team B will compete in D4 at 12:30 p.m., followed by Team A in D3 at 3 p.m.
