Former goalkeeper Daniel Bernard, who played for Stade Rennais and Stade Brestois in the 70s and 80s, died on Wednesday night at the age of 70.









Daniel Bernard, the former goalkeeper, died in the night of Wednesday to Thursday at the hospital in Brest following a long illness. The professional footballer, who played at the Stade Rennais, Paris-Saint-Germain, Stade Brestois and Monaco, turned 70 in September.





















"He lived a lot for the Stade Brestois and the Stade Rennais".

"He has lived a lot for the Stade Brestois and the Stade Rennais," says Christine Bernard, his ex-wife, with great emotion. Daniel Bernard was part of the Finnish squad for the 1979 and 1981 Division 1 campaigns, and in May 1975 he was even called up for the French national team for a Euro 1976 qualifier but did not play in the game.





In 2007, Daniel Bernard recounted his recollections in our columns: "I remember the club's first move up to D1 in 1979 (the 1981 move was more natural). I arrived in the summer of '78 in the company of Letemahulu, Martet and Justier and I only knew Floch and Lenoir here. I came from Paris SG and D1 in a club that had almost gone down shortly before in D3, with the project to prepare my reconversion. I was a salesman during that season, where our climb was not planned. We often played in a full or very full stadium, like in the return match against Lens (3-1). There was a great deal of enthusiasm and satisfaction on a personal level, for the club and for the public.









In 2009, part of the team that built the Stade Brestois in 1979 returned to Francis-Le-Blé. Daniel Bernard is on the left.

In 2009, part of the team that built the Stade Brestois in 1979 returned to Francis-Le-Blé. Daniel Bernard is on the left. (Photo Yvan Breton)

"One of the pillars of the team"

A former sports journalist for the Télégramme, Yvon Joncour remembers "a very good goalkeeper who would come out quickly at the feet of the forwards. He was one of the fastest in the squad. He was good on his line and had authority. He was, along with Loulou Floc'h and Patrick Martet in particular, one of the pillars of the team that came together in 1979.