Auxerre

Why Auxerre

Here is the argument for Auxerre: France, France Ligue 1, and a ground called Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps. A second team should give you something your first one cannot, and this is a different country's whole weather system.

• Old enough to matter

  1905 is the founding date, old enough that the club has survived a war, a rebuild and at least one financial scare, young enough that the good years are still in living memory.

• Loaded cabinet

  8 distinct honours on record, including Ligue 1. Adopt them and you inherit expectation, which is more fun than it sounds when the trophies keep coming.

• Close to the pitch

  Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps holds about 18,541. You can hear the defenders shouting at each other, which is the single best argument for lower-capacity football.

• You get a nickname

  Known as Les Ajaïstes. That is your new shorthand, your search term and your excuse for buying a scarf.