Paris Saint Germain

Scroll down below & you will see photos of the Parc des Princes that I took back in 2007. I returned on Sunday 1st March 2009 for a briliiant French First Division match versus Nancy. A quality 4-1 demolition, full of flair & atacking. Exciting to watch, despite two fairly early goals knocking out the stuffing of the visitors somewhat. A bonus was PSG now issue a glossy large four page programme, although only avaialablr from the club shop, and not at the turnstiles! The atmosphere was excellent, support superb, even though one song was sung to the tune of 'Flower of Scotland'!
These snaps complement the ones further down, as the new ones are clearer, as it was still daylight at kick off time.



Outside the stadium a coachload of visitors disembarks.



Plenty of police on duty!



The famous French warercannon. We don't have these back home!



Lokking down from the concourse there is this 'mini athletics stadium' tucked behind the Boulogne End. I know nothing about this track.



The emblem of the infamous 'Boulogne Boys'



Looking down as the crowd wait to be searched.



This is my great friend from Belgium Nicolas, with his younger sister.



In the ground now, I'm in the same spot as last time, at the front of the upper tier, towards the corner of the Boulogne End. This group appear to be some sort of 'breakaway' group of ultras.



The ground is very similar all the way round, this is the touchline to my right.



And the opposite curve in the Boulogne End, showing the lower section.



And down the left hand side.



And looking across the pitch, to the far end.



To my right, at the bottom, this banner caught my eye. Cool! ;-)



Chelsea reject, Chelsea reject!



Flags fluttering as the far end are in full voice. Note the group of fans in the lower section, at the far left of the picture. That is the away supporters' section.



Thr players come onto the pitch, the upper sections there look empty, but there were around 39,000 people at the match.



Looking down the pitch during the game.



Here is the upper tiers of the Boulogne End, to my left.



Game over, cracking match! I didn't want the final whistle to go!



I'd never taken any interest in Paris Saint Germain. My chosen Parisien side are Red Star 93. But in May 2005 I met Nicolas Lucas, who runs the Belgian branch of the PSG supporters' club, in a tournament in Liege, which the Dulwich Hamlet Supporters' Team were playing in. He has since become a very good friend of mine, & in January 2007 we visited Paris to play them at the actual PSG training ground, before watching the 'big boys' take on Socheaux in the evening at the Parc des Princes. Red Star will always be the French team in my heart, but thanks to Nicolas there is always room for PSG too!

We were in Paris for a few days, so I took the opportunity to take photos from outside the stadium in daylight. This is what appears to be the main entrance & the club shop.



Here is a shot from up on a bridge, as you approach the ground.



Jules Rimet still gleaming!



One of the turnstile blocks into the stadium.



Nicolas arranged tickets for a few of us behind the goal, immediately to the right of the feared Boulogne Boys! This is the view down the side to the right of us.



And looking over to the left, & the far end.



Here is a glimpse of the upper sections of our end.



And looking down to the lower tier, with the big screen in the corner.



Here are the upper sections to ur right, some more of the Hamlet fans were in the section immediately past the blue partition.



Just before kick off...



The fans warm up...



Another look across the Parc des Princes.



Another look down the side to the right



These fans are all from Belgium!



Not the clearest of pictures, this was the section immediately below us.



A last look at the scoreboard, yes to was nil nil, but apparently one of the better PSG performances at the time.