Editing Lille OSC (section)

===Reconstruction and reorganization (1978–2000)===
[[File:LilleOSC197980.jpg|thumb|Lille squad for [[1979–80 French Division 1]] season]]
After years of back and forth, Lille finally returned to the top tier of French football at the end of the [[1977–78 French Division 1|1977–78 season]]. Until 1997, the club remained in the first division, becoming a perennial member of the Division 1. In the [[1978–79 French Division 1|1978–79]], the Mastiffs had a good run and ended at 6th place, nearly qualifying for European competitions while being promoted. The following year, in July 1980, Lille was the first French club to opt for the status of a [[Mixed economy|mixed economy company]] (SAEMS), of which the city of Lille became the majority shareholder and turned the club into a public-controlled enterprise.<ref>{{cite web |language=fr |url=http://droguebierecomplotlosc.unblog.fr/2020/05/31/le-losc-pionnier-des-societes-deconomie-mixte |title=Le LOSC, pionnier des sociétés d'économie mixte |date=31 May 2020 |work=DBC LOSC |access-date=22 December 2023 |archive-date=22 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231222081334/http://droguebierecomplotlosc.unblog.fr/2020/05/31/le-losc-pionnier-des-societes-deconomie-mixte/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The new financial sustainability allows the club's sporting stabilization in the elite division. LOSC then achieved some success stories in the decade, reaching the Coupe de France semi-finals in 1983 and 1985.<ref name="MemoirePHJV"/>

However, presidents Jacques Amyot, Roger Deschodt and Jacques Dewailly all struggled to compete with the top teams in the country and saw Lille staying in the familiar surroundings of mid-table. In 1991, Lille then-coached by Jacques Santini finished in sixth place, just two points from the European places; this is the club's only appearance in the league table top half in the 1990s. After financial problems, Bernard Lecomte took over as president of the club in 1994 and saved it from administrative relegation the following year by negotiating with the governing bodies. During this period of austerity where the National Football League prohibited the club from recruiting, LOSC had to part ways with its star players, such as [[Antoine Sibierski]] or [[Miladin Bečanović]], and chose to develop its youth academy. Yet another economic crisis brought the club to the brink of bankruptcy and led to relegation to the second division in 1997.<ref name="MemoirePHJV"/><ref name="PHJV2"/>

While being in Division 2, the club was privatised and purchased in 1999 by {{ill|Luc Dayan|fr|Luc Dayan}} and [[Francis Graille]]. The team then trained by Bosnian coach [[Vahid Halilhodžić]] reconnected with success. Lille quickly recovered as Lille were head and shoulders over the other clubs during the [[1999–2000 French Division 2|1999–2000 Division 2 season]], the club dominated the championship thanks to excellent defense and finished champion with sixteen points ahead of its runner-up, being promoted back to the top.<ref name="MemoirePHJV"/><ref name="PHJV2"/>