The 2009-10 campaign delivered a nervy, relegation-threatened season for Sochaux as Les Lionceaux secured a vital 16th-place finish in Ligue 1, just a single point above the drop zone. Leading the charge was the veteran midfielder Stéphane Dalmat, whose 4 league goals top-scored for the club in a challenging campaign that also featured a determined run to the Coupe de France Quarter-finals. Overseen by manager Francis Gillot, it was a year defined by the grit needed for survival and the vital emergence of young talents like Ryad Boudebouz and Marvin Martin.