The new head coach Jean Vincent was tasked with winning more cup competitions, both domestic and European. The first step was to reshuffle the team, taking out some stars, and introducing youngsters from the academy like Loic Amisse Eric Pecout and Bruno Baronchelli. The team continued to use an extremely entertaining system of play. They was crowned champions in 1977, only the 4th time in the history of the team. The team in 1978 was second to Monaco however, European disappointments remained. In 1978 the club inaugurated its first state-of-the-art training facility La Joneliere (since changed to Jose Arribas Sporting Centre) one of the most advanced facilities in France in the time.
As of 1979, Jean-Claude Suaudeau was promoted to assistant manager. the club was able to flourish, winning their initial French Cup in 1979, and finishing 2nd on the table in league. In Europe the club had some success, and made it to finals for the Cup Winners Cup competition where they fell in the semi-finals to Spanish side Valencia. With Argentinian superstar player Enzo Trossero as well as youngsters in the academy like Jose Toure and William Ayache The club played unbeaten for 92 matches at home.
Jean Vincent left the club in 1981, having a difficult time trying to incorporate his superstar striker, Yugoslav Vahid Halilhodzic into the Nantes the system of play. Suaudeau was appointed the manager himself. Suaudeau was helped by a stellar defense, which included French international goalkeeper Jean Paul Bertrand-Demanes as well as center-backs Patrice Rio, and Maxime Bossis, as well as the full-backs Michel Bibard, Thierry Tusseau and William Ayache; Bruno Baronchelli continues to lead the charge in midfield, assisted by the academy's Seth Adonkor, who is a defensive defender and Winger Loic Amisse had an upswing in his final years, while the strikers Jose Toure (nicknamed 'the Brazilian') and particularly Vahid Halilhodzic had a fantastic partnership. The brand new La Beaujoire stadium, built to host in 1984's Euro competition, Nantes won the title in 1983 and then missed out on a double when they fell in their French Cup final to Paris Saint-Germain.
A number of other French clubs raised their budgets substantially And Nantes were unable to be competitive. The club had to part with Thierry Tusseau Bordeaux, William Ayache to PSG and Maxime Bossis to Matra Racing. Nantes was still one of the top clubs in France with players like Jorge Burruchaga (World Cup winner with Argentina in 1986) and was able finishing 6th place in the year 1984 as well as 2nd in 1985 and 2nd in 1986. Other expensive players such as Maurice Johnston and Eddie Vercauteren didn't work well and the results slowly declined. The continuous influx of academy players with talent like Didier Deschamps, and Marcel Desailly was not quite enough to make up for the loss and the progress that other clubs made. The club was ranked 13th in 1987, and 10th in 1988.