Defunct clubs with traditions / successes / fanbase

[Lyonnais]

Some recent (and dreadful) examples in France

LE MANS UC

Le Mans who spent most oftheir years in L2 spent a couple of years in L1 from 2006 to 2010. A couple of great players played there (Drogba, Gervinho, Basa, Sessegnon, Maïga, ...). They even built a brand new 25,000 capacity stadium in 2011.
They went into bankrupcy and the club was finally liquidated in 2013.
The club changed its name into Le Mans FC and started at level 6 (Division d'Honneur) at amateur level. They are now playing at level 5 (CFA2)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Mans_FC

GRENOBLE FOOT 38

Grenoble - who had not much history in French football - was purchased by a Japanese company Index Corporation in 2004 who didn't put that much money in football but helped to structure the club. In their side the City built a brand new 20,000 Capacity stadium inaugurated in 2008 (now used by the rugby team) and the club was finally promoted to L1 in 2010. In the first season was rather good (13th), the second one was a nightmare with 12 defeats in the first 12 games. They lost most of their players (namely Sofiane Feghouli now playing for Valencia) and the following season was not better as they finished at the bottom of the L2.
With this new relegation professional football was not sustainable anymore, the club went into bakrupcy and they started the season 2011-12 at level 5 (CFA2) with an amateur status. They are now playing at level 4 (CFA).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grenoble_Foot_38

RC STRASBOURG

If Le mans and Grenoble have a modest contribution in the history of the french professional football, the RC Strasbourg is a much more significant club as they were champion once (1979) and won 3 times the Cup. Strasbourg was also a host city for the Euro 1984 played in France. Among their notable former players, World Champions Youri Djorkaeff and Franck Leboeuf played for Strasbourg in the 90s.
Strasbourg played for the last time in L1 in the season 2007-08. They played in L2 the following season (2008-09) but missed the promotion in the final games. The following season was a nightmare with a big management crisis within the club (the club has always been very unstable in the last 30 years) and the club was relegated to National (level 3). They however kept their professional status but again missed the promotion in the final games. Their business plan however requested them to get an immediate promotion and they were first administratively relegated into level 4 by the regulatory body of the French football (DNCG) before being liquidated in summer 2011 as no investors wanted to take over the club.
The club with an amateur status started back at level 5 and got their promotion with a nice average attendance of 6,500 - which is obviously the all-time record in France at that level. The club was purchased by local investors led by the former professional player Marc Keller and they are now playing at level 3 (National).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RC_Strasbourg_Alsace


There are other examples such as Arles-Avignon who played in L1 recently and who had just been liquidated

[abzpablo]

Rangers have done a Fiorentina so don't count.

Gretna did a Fiorentina too. !

Both the phoenix versions are new clubs.

Of course in Scotland it doesn’t suit commercial or media agendas to suggest otherwise, but liquidation is the end.
Some of the backtracking from newspapers that ran the RIP stories is amusing and hypocritical, as they realised who actually reads the tabloids most in Scotland.

Other clubs went into administration, but cut a deal with their creditors, took a points penalty and were thus saved.

Still - good luck to Gretna 2008.....