Angers can clinch the final promotion spot to France's Ligue 1 this weekend, and thereby join second-flight champions Troyes and the Corsican minnows Gazelec Ajaccio, who move into the top flight as runners up.

In-and-out of the top division Troyes have previously spent 15 seasons in Ligue 1 while tiny Gazalec's 2,885-seater Ange-Casanova Stadium will be extended to 5,000 this summer to meet minimum requirements.

Now Angers, who last played in the French first division 21 seasons ago are on the brink of return with just a point needed against Nimes for the Western French side to complete their long slog through the wilderness that included a drop into the third tier.

The club spent 23 seasons in the top flight and once featured the great Raymond Kopa. But any slip up and either Dijon or Nancy, where Michel Platini cut his teeth, could go up instead of them.

For champions Troyes it is the third time, iconic coach Jean-Marc Furlan, has taken the club up after previous stints saw him promote them in 2005 and 2012.

Furlan had a clear out last season, getting rid of nine players with the full backing of President Daniel Masoni, who extended his contract to 2017 back in 2012.

Club captain Benjamin Nivet described the promotion as "a magical scenario and nothing less than we deserve." While Furlan explained it had been the culmination of many years work.

For Gazelec Ajaccio this will is their first promotion to the top flight in their history and is their fourth promotion from a lower league in five years.

It is a huge exploit for the club who were plying their trade in the third division last season with a budget of just 4.5 million euros ($5.1m).

Their budget for next season, estimated at 12 million euros, will be 40 times less than big-spending champions Paris Saint-Germain.

To put that into perspective Ligue 1's rock bottom relegated side Lens had a budget of 46 million euros last season, while the two other unfortunates taking the drop are Metz and Evian.