a bigger club like Paris Saint-Germain. Troyes In July 1976, Mahut joined Troyes (whose head coach was then René Cédolin), initially signing a contract as a semi-professional. On 24 September 1976, he made his Division 1 debut at the Stade de l'Aube against Angers. Mahut played 28 league matches in his first season at Troyes, and the club finished the 1976–77 French Division 1 season in 15th position. After having signed a contract as a full-fledged professional for the first time in his football career, he played 26 leagues matches in his second and final season at Troyes, at the end of which they were relegated to Division 2. While Mahut was a player of the club, he was called up to the France national under-21 football team. Metz Not wanting to play in Division 2 in the 1978–79 season, Mahut decided to leave Troyes and join Metz, which had offered him a contract. Metz was planning to assemble a team that was capable of finishing above mid-table in Division 1. He was to play for the club for four years (1978–1982). It was at Metz where he played the greatest number of matches – 152 in all competitions – in his nineteen-year, senior club career. He was promoted to club captain there when he was 25 years old. He scored the first league (Division 1 or Division 2) goal of his senior club career in his final season at Metz. Metz, who had appointed Marc Rastoll - one of their former players - as their head coach at the start of the 1978-1979 season, won their first four league matches of the 1978–79 French Division 1 season. It managed to remain in the top positions of the Division 1 table throughout the entire season. It eventually finished 5th in the Division 1 table and one position below Monaco (because it had a better goal difference than Metz), which thus clinched the second of France's two 1979–80 UEFA Cup spots at Metz's expense. In his first season at the club, Mahut integrated well into the team, formed a centre-back partnership with Wim Suurbier and made 32 league appearances. In contrast to the 1978–79 season, Metz struggled to stay above the relegation zone throughout the 1979–80 French Division 1 season. It narrowly avoided relegation by finishing 17th in the league standings. In his second season at the club, Mahut played in