50 years of MHSC: Fleury Di Nallo Little Prince of Gerland becomes first star of La Mosson

Star of Olympique Lyonnais, 187 goals in L1 to his name, the international striker had made Louis Nicollin dream in his youth. The Montpellier president made him the first star of "his" Paillade by signing him in 1975.

A Midi Libre special issue of 84 pages

Condensing half a century of history into 84 pages. This is the challenge taken up by the sports editorial team of Midi Libre in this special edition on the 50th anniversary of the MHSC. Available on newsstands on December 11 for just 5 euros, this glossy magazine will allow you to relive the great moments in the history of the Montpellier club through our “50” who made the MHSC. Players, coaches and builders, of course, at start with this “Nicollin Saga”, told by Laurent and Colette, the wife of the late Loulou, but also Georges Frêche, the mayor who became a friend. A special edition full of anecdotes and unpublished photos with an exclusive interview with Olivier Giroud.

A special 84-page magazine available on newsstands starting December 11. Midi Libre

It's Louis Nicollin's first childhood dream. As he piles up jerseys and figurines in his museum at Mas Saint-Gabriel, the founding president of Montpellier Paillade Sport Club has collected stars in the club's souvenir gallery. Long before Valderrama, Cantona or Bruno Martini, there was Fleury Di Nallo.

Loulou and Di Nallo euphoric during a historic victory in the Coupe de France in Alès, against Marseille. MHSC

Bringing the Little Prince of Gerland – 187 goals in D1 – to the La Mosson pitch was a way for Loulou to draw a link between the OL football that rocked his childhood and that of La Paillade, which would punctuate his adult life. Having made friends with the Lyon star through Robert Nouzaret had obviously made things easier.

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“Loulou captivated me, as usual”

A contract signed on the bonnet of a car on a motorway service station in Montélimar with Bernard Gasset and there it was that in the summer of 1975, Di Nallo, after a difficult end to the season with Red Star, was coming down several floors for an adventure starting in DH with MPSC.

Di Nallo, here at the Parc des Princes during the Coupe de France final won by Lyon against Nantes. Two years later, he signed for Montpellier. MAXPPP – ARCHIVES LE PROGRES

“We spent part of our youth drinking and talking about the world and football with Loulou, says the Lyon native. When he called me to come to Montpellier, the challenge seemed crazy but he convinced me, captivated me as usual. What was funniest for me was finding myself with a president who was my age!”

Read also: 50 years of the MHSC: Louis Nicollin, the incredible saga of a pack leader turned triumphant patriarch

Carried in triumph for the rise in D3

Di Nallo takes a studio and commutes between Lyon and La Paillade. 23 games and 21 goals later, he propelled Montpellier into D3 by falling into the arms of Louis Nicollin, carried in triumph in front of 3,000 spectators.

Read also: 50 years of MHSC: Georges Frêche, first patron and essential builder who became Loulou's friend

“We were 16 ex-D1 players in the squad remembers the scorer, which was very special because there wasn't much in terms of infrastructure yet. But we were a bunch of friends.”

Fleury Di Nallo worked for a long time at the club at the training center and then as a recruiter. MAXPPP – Stephane Guiochon

Totally adopted, the former Gerland star will later participate (from 1988 to 2003) in the supervision of the training center and the detection of future talents.

Read also: 50 years of MHSC: Bernard Gasset, co-founder of the club, like a soul brother for Louis Nicollin

Read also: 50 years of MHSC: “He was more Camargue that the Camargue”, Colette Nicollin reveals her intimate Loulou

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