There was bad news for me as I would have to find a new way of watching Lens games because the club had stopped their practice of charging fans to watch the games on delay. Unfortunately I had to resort to an internet betting site because they promised to show Ligue 2 games live on their streaming service. This cost me the princely sum of £10 placed in their coffers: Was I selling my soul to the devil? Probably.
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| The route |
August 2010: Nancy (h)
Despite being further north than usual the weather stayed relatively warm, but there there was a certain amount of disappointment at the lack of swimming pools at either of the campsites we had visited. A feeling grew amongst my loved ones that this had been a bit of a dad stitch-up job when I managed to fit a holiday around something I wanted to do. I was hoping that more Lens atmospheres and victories would soften the blow...
I had promised my vegetarian loving wife we would get her a proper meal before the match but because we were late the only thing we had time for was....a visit to MacDonalds. She kept a brave face as she stomached the only thing on the menu she fancied...a fillet of fish but I knew I was in the dog house.
Things didn't improve as Lens struggled against a defensive Nancy team that managed to sneak the win late on 2-1. There was a brief moment of joy when Sebastien Roudet finished smartly but apart from that it wasn't a happy 61km journey back to Ypres.
Apart from a brief few days of warmth in Luxembourg, when the children took the opportunity to inadvertently sail in their rubber dinghy from Luxembourg to Germany, the weather didn't do me any favours. From the moment we entered Alsace Lorraine to the penultimate day, it rained constantly. There was a short break for my birthday when I received these fantastic slippers: the completely proud dad: Lens style! I had become that sad...
August 2010 Monaco (h)
The return visit to Lens looked to be passing in a similar manner to the first. We searched for that elusive nice place to eat and failed (nowhere opened until after the match had started at 7pmand by the time it was all over the girls would be too tired to eat). MacDonalds again. Next, Monaco raced into a 2-0 lead: both shots going in via the woodwork. It was all too much for Odessa to stomach especially since she had had to have yet another fillet of fish: MacDonalds 2 Odessa 0.
The return visit to Lens looked to be passing in a similar manner to the first. We searched for that elusive nice place to eat and failed (nowhere opened until after the match had started at 7pmand by the time it was all over the girls would be too tired to eat). MacDonalds again. Next, Monaco raced into a 2-0 lead: both shots going in via the woodwork. It was all too much for Odessa to stomach especially since she had had to have yet another fillet of fish: MacDonalds 2 Odessa 0.
However in my mind, everything worked out well in the end. First an own goal then a Roudet blast into the corner of the net snatched the draw. Afterwards there was even a party-type atmosphere as we left the Delacourt with les Mexicains du Nord performing for the benefit of the leaping fans. Their accomplished medley of Lens songs was accompanied by much singing and flag-waving. Their performance and eventual parade out of the stadium even lifted Odessa's mood but I knew that it would be quite some time before I could get away with a similar double Lens -match family trip.
Before we left France, with the girls relaxing on the campsite, I went with Jeff to see the reserve team play the following day, taking Jasmine's Lens shirt to get signed. It was amazing how friendly all the players and staff were. Lots of the first team players had turned up to watch them play and were more than happy to chat, have photos taken and sign autographs. Their manner was relaxed and open: a complete difference to the Premier League where players were only ever seen on the pitch or swanky nightclubs and restaurants. This was replicated by the manager: Jean Guy Wallemme who, when I introduced myself as an English Lens supporter, immediately asked if I would appear in a video talking about my fascination with Lens. He chatted freely in English because he had played at Coventry for a while and seemed genuinely pleased to meet me. I was beside myself with excitement as I made my way back to the girls and Jas was thrilled with her shirt. Brownie points!
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| Les Mexicains du Nord |
October 2010 Nice (h)
I once travelled on an overnight bus from Newcastle to Southampton in 1989 for a match that was lost 1-0 in the last minute. Afterwards I travelled straight back up North getting home the following morning. The match and result were a complete write off and Newcastle were relegated at the end of the season. Today I was in a familiar situation. Lens were second bottom and struggling, the same had been true of Newcastle - I hoped for better luck on this longer trip.
Apart from the cross channel winds that almost threatened the trip before it started everything, went swimmingly in a manner of speaking.
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| Jeff my English host. |
Jeff, who had kindly agreed to let me stay at his house for the weekend, picked me up from a wet and windy Calais ferry port before taking me to Lens where Debbie met us. I had managed to get the seat in front of them in the Trannin end and we all sat back in our seats enjoying some exceedingly large portions of chips and sausage (on my part). They certainly hadn't scrimped on anything and in the cold Northern French night it warmed us all up: which is certainly more than the match did. For 90 minutes both teams went out of their way to avoid having a shot on goal and my memories of that similar trip to Southampton flooded back. Nice looked to be getting on top as the crowd became more and more restless and discontented.There didn't seem to be anything Lens could do about it. Just like Newcastle had been, they were clueless. All this way...
Then, out of the blue, youngster David Pollet started trying to attack the Nice defence. He fizzed the ball across the goal below us. This was met by a flick from Jemaa and Lens were ahead. Delirium gripped all around us as the whole crowd roared the struggling heroes on. From then onwards every Lens touch of the ball was a panicked clearance or a misplaced pass. Our piece of good fortune looked like being for nothing as the referee refused to blow the final whistle. Like two shattered boxers the two teams seemed to be clinging onto each other though. Lens desperate not to give away the equaliser and Nice unable to mount a meaningful attack. Then finally it happened: he ended the contest that should have been ended the minute Jemaa scored. Scarves were raised and for the first time at home that season the home fans were able to celebrate, celebrate the scappiest of wins, but a win nonetheless.
This trip held one more golden moment as we were walking though the car park. A drunken fan jumped out in front of us and shouted:
"Qu'est ce que vous chantez?"
Jeff and Debbie just stared at him but I had the presence of mind to reply "Et nous chantons Lens allez!" At which point we both embraced and Jeff and Debbie breathed a sigh of relief at the prospect of ont having to fend off a potential mugger. I had finally arrived as a Lens fan: I had been accepted by a drunken Frenchman!
"Qu'est ce que vous chantez?"
Jeff and Debbie just stared at him but I had the presence of mind to reply "Et nous chantons Lens allez!" At which point we both embraced and Jeff and Debbie breathed a sigh of relief at the prospect of ont having to fend off a potential mugger. I had finally arrived as a Lens fan: I had been accepted by a drunken Frenchman!
April 2011 - Brest (h)
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| László Bölöni: looked the part. |
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| Jean guy: nice guy! |
His place was taken by László Bölöni, a Romanian who had managed a number of French teams and had recently left Arab Emirates team Al-Wahda. He was the opposite of Jean-Guy: he had the suit, tie and club jacket and appeared more down-to-Earth... but boring. He had overseen a short recovery with two wins but then the team had slipped into their previous poor form. As I ate my enormous sausage sandwich and chips in the lower section of the Delacourt it was quite obvious that there was a doomed atmosphere around the club. Although still in touch with safety, they had to win games and that was a difficult thing for them to do.
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| Facing the inevitable! |
On the plus side young defender Raphael Varane was performing miracles at the back alongside Yahia but there was very little going on up front. Monnet Paquet and Boukari had left to Rennes and Lorient respectively and Brazilian Eduardo and Jemaa were finding life tough.
The game itself was another non-event as Lens managed to snatch the lead in the first half but Brest equalised in the second. After that there was stalemate and this time no 89th minute winner for Lens.
Although the fans sang til the end it was almost as if they knew what was about to happen.
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| Happy days visiting the reserves with Jeff. |
Jeff and Debbie had kindly agreed to put me up again and as I met them outside their expressions could be seen a mile off. Debbie didn't mince her words and attracted quite a few inquisitive looks as she raged about the apathy she had witnessed: the home fans unfamiliar with a Southeast of England accent raging about their club.
The following day, Jeff and I made our usual trek to see the reserves . Unsurprisingly there was no sign of Boloni but we were delighted to meet up with Lens, Boro and Fulham legend Franck Queudrue. Once again his friendliness took us aback as he posed for photos and to sign Jasmine's shirt. As we chatted though it was unsettling to hear that even though he had won the League Cup and appeared in the UEFA cup final with Middlesbrough (moments that are engrained into Stephenson family history), it was his time at Fulham he remembered more fondly. He went down in my estimation when he said that. Jeff was chuffed though.
Relegation
The inevitable did happen and it was a sad but accepted end to Lens' short Ligue 1 career. There had been only one player signed for a transfer fee (Eduardo's €1.5 million fee to Guincamp) since being promoted and many of the youngsters had left. Something was not right at the club. Varane, the 17 year old wonder boy attracted a €9 million fee from Real Madrid but somehow you knew he wouldn't be the only departure in a bid to balance the books. Bölöni left also, having brought little to the club and instead Martel looked for the manager of Ligue 2 outfit Angers, who had managed them to sixth in Ligue 2 on a tight budget: the forward for once mighty Lens.
However one thing was certain - the fans would still be there in force....in Ligue 2.
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| The man....the legend! |
Relegation
The inevitable did happen and it was a sad but accepted end to Lens' short Ligue 1 career. There had been only one player signed for a transfer fee (Eduardo's €1.5 million fee to Guincamp) since being promoted and many of the youngsters had left. Something was not right at the club. Varane, the 17 year old wonder boy attracted a €9 million fee from Real Madrid but somehow you knew he wouldn't be the only departure in a bid to balance the books. Bölöni left also, having brought little to the club and instead Martel looked for the manager of Ligue 2 outfit Angers, who had managed them to sixth in Ligue 2 on a tight budget: the forward for once mighty Lens.
However one thing was certain - the fans would still be there in force....in Ligue 2.
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