▁prop elled ▁the ▁club ▁to ▁the ▁Champion nat ▁de ▁France ▁amateur , ▁France ' s ▁highest ▁division ▁of ▁amateur ▁football . ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁season , ▁L aval ▁surprising ly ▁won ▁the ▁league ▁in ▁its ▁debut ▁season . ▁With ▁the ▁club ▁height ening ▁its ▁amb itions , ▁new ▁asp ir ations ▁came ▁about ▁and ▁L aval ▁named ▁former ▁club ▁player ▁and ▁Bre ton ▁Michel ▁Le ▁Mil inaire ▁manager . ▁He ▁was ▁assist ed ▁by ▁Henri ▁B isson . ▁T ogether , ▁the ▁two ▁made ▁L aval ▁into ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁clubs ▁in ▁France . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁L aval ▁reached ▁the ▁top ▁division ▁of ▁French ▁football , ▁thus ▁becoming ▁a ▁professional ▁team ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁the ▁club ' s ▁history . ▁Despite ▁being ▁class ed ▁as ▁out s iders , ▁the ▁club ▁managed ▁to ▁stay ▁in ▁the ▁top - fl ight ▁division , ▁even ▁qual ifying ▁for ▁the ▁UEFA ▁Cup ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁after ▁finishing ▁a ▁comm end able ▁fifth ▁in ▁the ▁league . ▁In ▁L aval ' s ▁first ▁season ▁in ▁Europe , ▁it ▁knock ed ▁Dynam o ▁Ky iv ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁competition , ▁before ▁being ▁knock ed ▁out ▁by ▁Austria ▁Wien . ▁This ▁would ▁prove ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁club ' s ▁only ▁European ▁experience . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁the ▁club ▁was ▁re leg ated ▁to ▁the ▁second ▁division , ▁after ▁ 1 3 ▁years ▁in ▁the ▁el ite ▁division . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5