My son Sam and I set off from home at 11:00 on Friday morning and had a largely stress-free trip down to Folkestone, across on Le Shuttle and then approximately an hour’s drive to Lens. We arrived at our apartment around 18:00, dropped the bags and went straight out in search of adventure (beer).
On the way in, we’d spotted The Irish Tavern, so we headed that way. In conversation with two fellow Mackems, Kev and Josh, we managed to put the world to rights and sort out any tactical problems ahead of
the game. If either UNICEF or Régis Le Bris want to give us a call, we’d be glad to help. Lovely fellas, telling stories of working abroad for a Japanese company over the years.
While we were chatting, a woman on her own asked if we minded if she joined us. She introduced herself as Susan Proudfoot and declared that this would be her first ever live game! Having followed The Lads by virtue of being born in Washington, she’d chosen this particular game due to the significant mining connection. Particularly keen on attending a commemoration ceremony before kick-off and bringing red roses to lay in honour of her father and grandfather, the match itself was more of an incidental.
There had been discussion of another nice bar, Le Loco, so off we went in search of Guinness with a head and fewer floaters. And someone who knew how to pour it.
Le Loco was the bar of choice for pre-match drinks, marketing itself as an RC Lens bar, with most of the staff in football shirts and memorabilia everywhere. A flag was draped between the trees in front, and we got chatting to the owner, Andy Mackley.
During further discussions on where and how to best clone Nordi Mukiele, a group of French lads walked past and stole the flag. Going unnoticed for a few minutes allowed them to make their escape, but obviously it upset a few. About 15 minutes later, a car pulled up and a lovely chap held the flag out for us to retrieve. What had happened to it in the intervening period, we can only speculate, but Andy was understandably delighted to get it back.
All in all, a wonderful, fun, beery, laughter-filled day which served to highlight a few things for us. What a smorgasbord of people we chatted with, all with a common interest in Sunderland AFC. Different backgrounds, different reasons to attend, different life stories. Great times, and the match hasn’t even happened yet.
Saturday morning, we took a walk out to get breakfast and ended up at the same bar again. Some lads from Kent were already there, beers in hand. We ended up having some sort of long burger for breakfast; at the risk of sounding too British, it was no fry-up.
We did have a conversation with a lad in the nearby hotel who had managed to convince his mate he could get bacon and eggs just by asking the receptionist. Obviously, you can’t, but that didn’t stop him trying to mime bacon and eggs to her for five minutes.
As we were sitting there, a coach arrived from the North East. The coach had departed Sunderland at 20:00 last night and was tipping its very weary, in some cases quite drunk, occupants out in front of us. It took about five minutes, but all 50 passengers headed straight for the bar and, before you know it, the party was in full swing – not quite at ten in the morning.
After a shower and a change of Sunderland shirt, off we went back out. We sat at a table with some of the coach inhabitants. Kelly Dormand told us they were getting straight back on said bus immediately after the match and heading back, overnight again.
God only knows what time they would get back home, but as it took 13 hours outbound, you’d have to assume they’d arrive back in Sunderland around 7 on Sunday morning. Dedication to the cause, right there.
Kelly, her brother Scott and their mate Michael Corbett all came on the bus to meet up with their mate Paul, who had already arrived.
Paul Scrafton is the representative for the Disabled Supporters Branch and is a wheelchair user himself. He was sitting with Cath Reid, secretary to the Sunderland AFC Branch Liaison Council (BLC). The BLC coordinates all of the different supporters’ branches all over the world, as well as communicating all issues raised back to the club hierarchy.
They organise things like International Fans’ Day, to name just one. Seemed like we were among supporting royalty. Lynn, Paul’s sister, and her husband, Rich, are there. We’re all sitting in the sun having a great time.
Family is what bonds us all; it’s a non-negotiable, and the whole fan base is like family too.
A few more Stellas and it was time to head to the Stadium, so off we went on our 15-minute walk.
You will have seen by now that the turnout was excellent, an almost full house with no less than 1,500 Sunderland fans in attendance. Quite incredible support for a pre-season friendly in another country.
The game detail has been covered elsewhere on the site, but suffice to say we enjoyed watching an almost full-strength team dominate our Champions League opponents. Two goals are the icing on the cake; it’s the goal celebrations that make the whole trip even more worthwhile.
Stood, as we were, right by the goal and right down the front, we had an excellent view of both goals.
We bumped into Susan again on the terraces. She’d been to the commemoration and was thoroughly enjoying her first ever experience of a live match.
After the game, we headed back into town and resumed where we left off. What an amazing weekend. We met so many lovely people, and I’m so proud to be a Sunderland fan.
The people of Lens have been so friendly and accommodating, no hint of any trouble (maybe the flag incident?), but having been in the bar with a mixed crowd before the match, trading songs in turn with each other was brilliant.
This was our first trip abroad with the travelling support, and I’ve loved every minute. What a credit to the club they are, and although this was the first trip, it won’t be the last.
So, for everyone mentioned here and those we spoke to but didn’t get named, thank you.
