Le premier fois

As a novice, it’s all to play for. Does le renard perdue connais what elle is letting herself in for?

As a debutante, it’s slightly unnerving (even with the all powerful lurid pink cagoule dans mes mains), thanks to the whole Marseille nastiness. But if Iceland can do it so can TLF.

And Iceland didn’t have the chance meet up with the tournament pere et fils machine that is Malcolm and Louis. So TLF is quids…sorry Euros in.

And that’s how I find myself in a hotel bar next to Le Stade Metropole Lille, drinking biere (yes the whole alcohol ban is an interesting theory and perhaps I should have protested about this flouting of the rules….but having been in France for deux heures and teetotal to that point, needs must), surrounded by seemingly cheerful Slovaks and Russians. It doesn’t matter where you go – the power of St Albans City FC will see you through.

These guys are veterans of the whole tournament thing and TLF was tres grateful to be in their company. And I imagine Gordon Strachan would have been too. He looked tres bewildered a la gare when I saw him….if he’s a pundit, his TV company is NOT looking after him.

They are also very cheerful. When I last saw them at Clarence Park they didn’t have tickets for the England Wales game….and now they do. A perfect surprise gift from Beth, Louis’s girlfriend. Or GOTY (girlfriend of the year) as I think she should now be known.

Slovakia-Russia wouldn’t be everyone’s choix for their first EVER competitive football international but to be honest it was great. The stadium roof est ferme, my seat is 10 rows from the half way line and eastern european anthems are belted out. C’est ne pas mal! A bit like Slovakia’s goals, the second of which has me high-cinquing the elderly and slightly tearful Slovakia fan sat in front of me.

I still don’t know the Slovakian for
SHOOOOT!
CLEAR IT!
or
PUSH OUUUUUUT!!

But I’m sure I heard it.

One first I didn’t bother with was the 0.5% beer on sale in the stadium. A bargain at €6.50!!!!

I would tell you about the other games. But to be honest the adrenalin, the Heineken and the probably very sensible promise to everyone in Blighty to be careful meant a debuis de nuit pour TLF. But I do remember they weren’t as good as MY game.

More memorable was the West Ham supporting American who was booting the ball around our hotel garden. He missed a few (small goal to be fair), he wasn’t sober, but he was nice and he’d just flown in from JFK.

Fixtures aujourd’hui
England v Wales 2pm
Ukraine v Northern Ireland 5pm
Germany v Poland 8pm

Results
Russia 1 v 2 Slovakia
Romania 1 v 1 Switzerland
France 2 v 0 Albania

Manger ou Boire?
In honour of TLS’s trip to Lens (train strikes, morons and French polis permitting) a local speciality for the carnivores amongst you – Potjevleesch.
http://www.delicioza.com/recipe/Potjevleesch

Le website au jour
Well it’s not the website, it’s more the article, clearly based on Nike’s irony free press release that accompanied the new England shirt…It’s just fookin football kit boys!

https://www.jocksandnerds.com/articles/nike-england-football-kit

Fox of Arc
The Maid of St Albans