The 1997-98 campaign delivered a tense, dramatic survival for Toulouse as Les Pitchouns, newly promoted as Division 2 runners-up, clung onto their top-flight status with a crucial 15th-place finish. Spearheading the attack under manager Alain Giresse was the experienced Ivorian international Joël Tiéhi, whose 10 goals proved vital in a campaign built on sheer grit that saw them finish just one point clear of the relegation zone. It was a stressful but defining year that successfully marked the club's hard-fought return to the French elite.