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Quarter past five on a Friday afternoon the North London Lions started gathering at St Pancras International Station for what would turn out to be a very memorable trip.
From the Pigs Ass sausages to someone getting mugged by two members of the CDA, it all kind went a little something like this..
After battling tiresly to fill places on the trip we managed to scrape together a crew of guys who remembered they had put here hand up for a trip. Clarence isn't certain as to how someone can say yes and then fail to tell the good Lion they have something else on that weekend, however all things aside 18 blokes looking sharp in dark suit and ties made the Euro Star bar carriage home for two and a half-hours. They then proceeded to drink like it was going out of fashion, get to know one another, and become best buddies by the end of the train ride.
On arrival in Paris we made our way to the Garden Hotel via Taxi where Bobcat thought it was customary in France, after paying for your Cab, you give the driver your wallet and Phone. Silly Bobcat, too many shandies for you.
Once bags were put away we all took a knee to listen and watch Cootsey draw out a plan on his bed spread. The plan was (of course) for how we were going to storm Paris, just after meeting up at the corner pub for a few more beers to get us on our way again. When Old French Lion JP turned up (who if you don't
remember is the smaller of the Frenchy's, and the one who's Misses has the big jugs) took us all out on a night on the tiles French style.
Saturday morning a few were a little worse for wear, but none knew about the luck that was to be bestowed upon us. As Craig Stevens had organised a two hour, no sunlight, French Underground walking and tube tour, taking in many of the tube lines and a stupid load of stairs to walk up and down underneath the city of Paris.
After a breathtaking 2 hours we arrived at the Eiffel Tower, on what was a glorious day for our Pre-season team photo and also picked up a couple of German ass bandits who ended up playing for the Lions that Afternoon.
Directions by the Surrender Monkeys were a little vague, and trying to get 18 guys in a foreign country from point A to B is like trying to herd cats. Everybody goes everywhere. But we made it to the ground, everybody still together, and turned our brains to football mode.
We knew this game wasn't going to be easy and the Frenchy's sure did serve it up to us. We definitely knew we had a game on our hands.
The first quarter was a little scrappy with a few blokes still shaking off hangovers. Young fella Keysey got a lot of the ball around the packs, and Benny Sars was giving good drive from the center. Red Rooster Chicken was providing some good options up forward, but wayward kicking let us down in a the first quarter which should have left us with a handy lead.
The second quarter was a tight encounter, and our neue freunden aus Deutschland (new friends from Germany) Evil and Ramon were taking to the game like flies to a crap pig sausage. Cam Nugent seemed to be everywhere and have it on a string,
getting the ball into our forward line. Once again poor kicking let us down. Veteran Paul Nicol who seems to be getting better with age (like a good wine), held the back line together and wasn't giving an inch to the opposition. We went into half break level pegging with the boys who only wash once a week.
The third quarter was all Lions, but our poor kicking was not to laugh at and really let the team down. Coach Trav Fernee missed a sitter right in front, and Occa the Pigeon ran in and missed from ten meters out. Benny Sars took a great hanger in the goal square, and The Spaniard Loiuse started to get into the game
which was great to see. I think he really enjoyed himself picking up a few possessions.
Ricky at Full Back was the rock of Gibraltar and kept the Lions in the game, but by the third quarter break the French boys had capitalised on our wasted opportunities with some great plays and went into the last quarter leading by a few points.
Changes were made, hard man Hadj into the guts and Mick from Sydney on the back flank. Cam Nugent went to full forward because of a limp (he wasn't too sure which leg). Finger licking good Chicken gave us first use of the ball out of the guts and we actually took advantage of this, with money stealing Gav giving
an option on half forward. We started to run over the French boys in the last, but there were some tense moments (thanks to the skills of Occa) and we were lucky with the free kicks from Craig the umpire.
Cam Nugent played his best footy on one leg kicking two in the last and the German boys finally learned how to handball and take a few grabs. In the end we got away with win and held our heads high.
Well done to all he boys who played and for Cootsey not once running water.
Best Players. Sars, Keysy, Paul Nicol, Cajun Chicken, Ricky
Goals. Cam Nugent 2, Sars 2, Spicy Chicken 15 Points, Keysy 1
Mark of the Day. Sars's hanger in the goal square in the third quarter
Play of the Day. Occa running into an open goal and missing from ten out.
Saturday night was spent like most Saturday nights around the world:
A fine French Restaurant
A few drinks before dinner
A couple of laughs
A plate of Pig's Ass made into sausages: Priceless!
The trip home was like most return trips:
A few people feeling sore and sorry for what they had done. Thinking about loved ones, and how you treat them. A few who didn%uFFFDt give a toss. And a few who just made the weekend keep on going until they spewed or got crap poured all over them while they slept
Great trip,
See ya next time
Clarence the friendly Lion
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