2015–16 Championnat de France Amateur

The 2015–16 Championnat de France Amateur is the 18th season of the fourth tier in the French football league system.

Championnat de France Amateur

Season	2015–16
Champions	Lyon-Duchère
Promoted	Lyon-Duchère Pau Concarneau Quevilly
Relegated	(11 teams - see "Season outcomes" section)
Top goalscorer	Damien Mayenga, Roye Noyon (18 goals)
Biggest home win	6–0 (Troyes (res) v L'Entente SSG, Round 8, 17 October 2015 Cholet v Fleury-Mérogis, Round 27, 7 May 2016)
Biggest away win	1–6 (Roye Noyon v Poissy, Round 3, 29 August 2015)
Highest scoring	8 goals (Stade Plabennécois v Lorient (res), Round 8, 17 October 2015 Sochaux (res) v Montceau, Round 11, 5 December 2015 Saint-Malo v Lorient (res), Round 30, 4 June 2016)
← 2014–15 2016–17 →

Teams

There were twelve teams promoted from Championnat de France amateur 2, while ten teams were relegated from the 2014–15 Championnat de France amateur. Two teams came from the 2014–15 Ligue 2 and 2014–15 Championnat National, which are AC Arles-Avignon and US Colomiers Football respectively. The original plan was to have CA Bastia, FC Istres and SAS Épinal also relegated from the Championnat National, but due to DNCG and/or FFF rulings, the following clubs were relegated to lower divisions: AC Arles-Avignon (demoted from Ligue 2),^[1] Vendée Poiré-sur-Vie Football (resigned to join CFA 2)^[2] and FC Istres (demoted to 6th level).^[3] Bastia and Épinal stayed in Championnat National.

Because of these vacancies, Hyères FC and Vendée Fontenay Foot remained in the CFA. Arles-Avignon was declared bankrupt in the middle of the season and subsequently relegated to the Mediterranean second tier or 7th tier overall.^[4] All results were invalidated and remaining games cancelled.

League tables

Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Quevilly-Rouen (C)	30	17	11	2	50	22	+28	92	Promotion to National
2	IC Croix	30	15	10	5	55	37	+18	85
3	Poissy	30	15	7	8	55	42	+13	82
4	L'Entente SSG	30	12	10	8	46	39	+7	76
5	Arras FA	30	11	8	11	43	43	0	71
6	AC Amiens	30	12	4	14	35	34	+1	70
7	Paris Saint-Germain (res)	30	11	7	12	35	40	−5	70
8	Mantes	30	11	6	13	31	38	−7	69
9	Calais RUFC	30	10	8	12	32	37	−5	68
10	Boulogne-Billancourt	30	10	8	12	43	40	+3	68
11	Dieppe	30	9	10	11	31	24	+7	67
12	Wasquehal[a]	30	12	10	8	44	41	+3	66
13	Lens (res)	30	9	9	12	37	45	−8	66
14	Troyes (res)[b] (R)	30	9	9	12	41	47	−6	65	Relegation to CFA 2
15	Aubervilliers (R)	30	4	12	14	27	47	−20	54
16	Roye Noyon[c] (R)	30	5	7	18	38	67	−29	51

Source: FFF.fr
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head results; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) goal difference; 5) number of goals scored; 6) fair play points; 7) draw
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:

1. On 5 January 2016, Wasquehal were handed an administrative demotion to CFA 2 for financial issues.^[5] On appeal, this was reduced to a deduction of 10 points on 25 May 2016.^[6]
2. Troyes reserves were penalised for fielding a suspended player in the game against Wasquehal on 12 March 2016. The match finished 4–0 to Wasquehal. The scoreline stood, but Troyes reserves had the 1 point for defeat withheld.^[7]
3. Roye Noyon were penalised when the game against Troyes reserves on 12 September 2015 was forced to be abandoned with Roye reduced to 7 men, due to three players being sent off and two players injured after all three substitutions had been made. The score at the time of abandonment was 3-0 to Troyes reserves. This scoreline stood, but Roye Noyon had the 1 point for defeat withheld.^[8]

Group B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Lyon-Duchère (C)	30	18	8	4	44	19	+25	92	Promotion to National
2	Grenoble	30	17	8	5	40	19	+21	89
3	Auxerre (res)	30	14	7	9	39	27	+12	79
4	Lyon (res)	30	14	5	11	39	41	−2	77
5	Villefranche	30	11	10	9	37	30	+7	73
6	Jura Sud[a]	30	11	11	8	41	34	+7	73
7	Drancy	30	10	11	9	33	29	+4	71
8	St-Louis Neuweg	30	11	7	12	30	30	0	70
9	Monts d'Or	30	8	14	8	26	32	−6	68
10	Mulhouse	30	10	7	13	33	36	−3	67
11	Yzeure	30	8	12	10	27	29	−2	66
12	Le Puy Foot	30	8	8	14	27	35	−8	62
13	Montceau	30	8	8	14	28	50	−22	62
14	Sarre-Union (R)	30	6	10	14	34	41	−7	58	Relegation to CFA 2
15	Sochaux (res) (R)	30	5	9	16	23	42	−19	54
16	Moulins[b] (X)	30	9	9	12	34	41	−7	0	Relegated and points expunged in June 2016, see notes.

Updated to match(es) played on 4 June 2016. Source: FFF.fr
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head results; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) goal difference; 5) number of goals scored; 6) fair play points; 7) draw
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated; (X) Relegated and points expunged
Notes:

1. Jura Sud were penalised for fielding a suspended player in the match against Villefranche on 2 April 2016. The original scoreline was 1–0 in favour of Jura Sud. The match was awarded as a 3–0 victory to Villefranche, and the point due to Jura Sud in defeat was withheld ^[9]
2. Moulins forfeited the game against St-Louis Neuweg on 28 May 2016, when their players refused to play after the club's board declined to take forward a merger with Yzeure for the following season.^[10][11] Moulins also did not present for the game against Sarre-Union, the final game of the season, on 4 June 2016. They are to file for bankruptcy and be administratively relegated at the end of the season, and are therefore placed at the bottom of the table by the FFF.^[12]

Group C

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Pau (C)	28	17	7	4	38	19	+19	86	Promotion to National
2	Colomiers	28	14	6	8	32	27	+5	76
3	Monaco (res)[a]	28	14	5	9	52	35	+17	74
4	Nice (res)	28	13	6	9	42	36	+6	73
5	Stade Montois	28	12	7	9	33	30	+3	71
6	Marignane	28	10	7	11	32	39	−7	65
7	Martigues	28	9	10	9	25	29	−4	65
8	Hyères	28	9	9	10	32	29	+3	64
9	Marseille (res)	28	7	13	8	33	33	0	62
10	Tarbes	28	9	7	12	28	36	−8	62
11	Toulon-Le Las	28	7	13	8	27	34	−7	62
12	Le Pontet	28	9	7	12	38	40	−2	62
13	Sète	28	7	11	10	23	26	−3	60
14	Rodez	28	8	7	13	25	27	−2	59
15	Bayonne (R)	28	5	5	18	23	43	−20	48	Relegation to CFA 2
16	Arles[b] (D)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Club dissolved

Source: FFF.fr
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head results; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) goal difference; 5) number of goals scored; 6) fair play points; 7) draw
(C) Champions; (D) Record expunged due to dissolution.; (R) Relegated
Notes:

1. Monaco reserves were penalised for fielding an ineligible player in the game against Sète on 9 January 2016. The game finished 3-3, but Sète were awarded a 3–0 victory, and Monaco reserves had the point due for defeat withheld.^[13]
2. Arles were dissolved during the season, and their record thus expunged.^[14]

Group D

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Concarneau (C)	30	15	11	4	41	24	+17	86	Promotion to National
2	Saint-Malo	30	16	7	7	57	32	+25	85
3	Romorantin	30	16	6	8	54	44	+10	84
4	Bergerac	30	15	7	8	36	33	+3	82
5	Cholet	30	12	8	10	36	28	+8	74
6	Lorient (res)	30	11	11	8	40	31	+9	74
7	Châteaubriant	30	11	10	9	46	41	+5	73
8	Fleury-Mérogis	30	9	14	7	32	35	−3	71
9	Trélissac	30	9	12	9	38	32	+6	69
10	Vendée Fontenay	30	7	14	9	40	45	−5	65
11	Nantes (res)	30	9	8	13	37	38	−1	65
12	Stade Plabennécois	30	8	10	12	34	49	−15	64
13	Viry	30	6	13	11	26	34	−8	61
14	Vitré	30	7	9	14	33	46	−13	60
15	Stade Bordelais (R)	30	5	10	15	22	37	−15	55	Relegation to CFA 2
16	Bordeaux (res) (R)	30	4	10	16	23	46	−23	52

Source: FFF.fr
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head results; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) goal difference; 5) number of goals scored; 6) fair play points; 7) draw
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

Season outcomes

Outcomes below are provisional and subject to ratification by the FFF.

Champions and promotion

Lyon-Duchère, Pau, Concarneau and Quevilly-Rouen are promoted to National.

Lyon-Duchère are Champions of 2015–16 Championnat de France amateur, due to having the best record of the four promoted sides against the teams finishing in 2nd to 6th in their respective groups.^[15]

Relegation

Troyes (res), Aubervilliers, Roye Noyon, Sochaux (res) , Sarre-Union, Moulins,^[a] Bayonne, Rodez, Bordeaux (res), Stade Bordelais and Vitré were provisionally relegated to CFA2, subject to reprieves.

1. Montceau originally finished in the relegation places, but Moulins were placed 16th in the Group B table by the FFF due to filing for bankruptcy, meaning Montceau were elevated to 13th

Reprieves

On 8 June, the FFF confirmed that Luçon would be administratively relegated from 2015–16 Championnat National to the regional Division d'Honneur.^[16] This results in a reprieve for Rodez.^[17]

On 31 May, the FFF confirmed that Colmar would be administratively relegated, in addition to their sporting relegation from 2015–16 Championnat National, resulting in Vitré being reprieved.^[17] Colmar subsequently filed for bankruptcy, and will reform in the regional Division d'Honneur.^[18]

If any further administrative events lead to teams from outside the relegation places being relegated, already relegated teams will be reprieved in the following order:

Best 14th placed teams

Based on record against the teams finishing in 9th to 13th place in their respective groups.

Pos	Team	Pld	Pts	GD
1	Rodez	10	25	2	Reprieved
2	Vitré	10	25	-2	Reprieved
3	Sarre-Union	10	23	3
4	Troyes (res)	10	21	-6

Best 15th placed teams

Based on record against the teams finishing in 10th to 14th place in their respective groups

Pos	Team	Pld	Pts	GD
1	Stade Bordelais	10	21	-6
2	Sochaux (res)	10	20	-1
3	Bayonne	10	19	-6
4	Aubervilliers	10	17	-9

Top scorers

As of end of season ^[19]

Rank	Player	Club	Goals
1	Damien Mayenga	Roye Noyon	19
	Ilyes Chaïbi	Monaco (res)
3	Abou Maiga	Saint-Malo	18
	Yannick Mamilonne	Poissy
5	Tony Do Pilar Patrao	Jura Sud	17
6	Mehdy Guezoui	Quevilly-Rouen	16
	Malik Rouag	Poissy
	Rémi Laurent	Vitré
9	Patrick Etshini Kindenge	L'Entente SSG	15
10	Jeremy Bekhechi	IC Croix	13
	Rémi Souyeux	Romorantin