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One of the most important moments for ceasing to be an expat and becoming a resident is to begin to take up an active involvement in some kind of local community activity. And for me, of course, that can only mean one thing.
FOOTY!
Pionsat has a football club that has three teams competing in the Puy-de-Dome League.
The first team competes in Division 1 pool A of the league. They've been slowly improving over the last couple of years since I've been watching them and last season finished as runners-up in their pool. In fact at one time they were in front but they couldn't keep the momentum going. Their attack is excellent but the defence has a tendencey to be a little shaky at times. A long series of injuries didn't help matters.
The second team competed in Division 2 pool A last season. They were promoted from Division 3 at the end of season 2008-09 thanks to a lightning-quick attack that compensated for a sometimes-sleepy defence. They found Division 2 much harder-going and suffered a couple of heavy defeats, and their cause wasn't helped by losing a few key players to reinforce the 1st XI. The defence is rather too lightweight at this level of football - they are skilful enough but they are too easily bustled off the ball, and they didn't offer too much in attack. The season 2010-11 was a struggle from start to finish and it was no real surprise to find them relegated back to Division 3.
The 3rd XI is the "ugly duckling" of the club and competes in Division 4, which is basically Sunday-morning pub-league football. It's made up mainly of the veterans, and only those who are available once the 1st and 2nd XIs have chosen their teams. They were often short of players for matches and played for almost all of the season without a recognised goalkeeper. As a result, it was a long, hard season. But a nice gesture of goodwill from two or three players from the other teams who helped out when unavailable for their own team, and one or two dogged and determined performances, they ended up in a reasonable lower-mid-table position. If they can sign a recognised goalkeeper from somewhere and turn out with a full complement of 14 players for each match then there's no reason why they could not have any reasonable expectations.
It's a nice, sociable atmosphere down at the club on matchdays and of course there is the nice bunch of beautiful girls in the pie hut. if you want to get out and about and meet a bunch of friendly local people and spend Saturday evening (or the odd Sunday afternoon) in an exciting atmosphere, then come down and watch the games. With an average gate of 30 if they are lucky, it won't take long to be noticed and to become part of the local support.
If you have or have had any pretensions to club football, no matter how long ago, then come along to a 3rd team match and talk to the trainer. I'm certain that he'll be able to fit you up for a game. You don't need to be particularly fit as these matches are played with rolling substitutions so you can go off for a breather at any time. Age is no barrier either. One player who turns out regularly for Montel-Villosanges is 77 years old! And he has his place on merit as well, but whether that says more about him or more about his colleagues I'll leave you to decide.
SEASON 2011-12 |
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| DATE | HOME TEAM | RESULT | AWAY TEAM | |
| 11/09/2011 - 15:00 | CHANAT | 2-0 | 1st XI | |
| 10/09/2011 - 20:00 | 2nd XI | 0-1 | US LAPEYROUSE | |
| 11/09/2011 - 15:00 | SAURET BESSERVE | 3-0 | 3rd XI | |
| 18/09/2011 | NEUF EGLISE | 0-4 | CUP MATCH | |
| 24/09/2011 - 20:30 | 1st XI | 4-2 | ST PRIEST | |
| 25/09/2011 - 13:00 | ESV MALAUZAT | 0-3 | 2nd XI | |
| 24/09/2011 - 18:30 | 3rd XI | forfait | NEUF EGLISE | |
| 02/10/2011 - 15:00 | CUP MATCH | (5)4-4(4) | ST GEORGES LES ANCIZES | |
| 09/10/2011 - 15:00 | AS ROYAT | 3-2 | 1st XI | |
| 08/10/2011 - 20:00 | 2nd XI | 2-1 | AIGUEPERSE | |
| 09/10/2011 - 13:00 | ES ST ANGEL | 0-3 | 3rd XI | |
| 16/10/2011 - 15:00 | CUP MATCH | 3-1 | NORD COMBRAILLE | |
| 22/10/2011 - 20:30 | 1st XI | 2-1 | CLERMONT FONTAINE | |
| 23/10/2011 - 13:00 | US MENETROL | 4-1 | 2nd XI | |
| 22/10/2011 - 18:30 | 3rd XI | forfait | AS MARCILLAT | |
| 29/10/2011 - 20:00 | CUP MATCH | 4-5 | CLERMONT FONTAINE | |
| 06/11/2011 - 15:00 | ESV MALAUZAT | 1-2 | 1st XI | |
| 05/11/2011 - 20:00 | 2nd XI | 3-4 | ES LE QUARTIER | |
| 06/11/2011 - TBA | ST MAURICE - BIOLLET | 2-1 | 3rd XI | |
| 12/11/2011 - 20:30 | 1st XI | 1-2 | US MENETROL | |
| 13/11/2011 - 15:00 | US LOUBEYRAT | 3-0 | 2nd XI | |
| 12/11/2011 - 18:30 | 3rd XI | postponed | BLOT L'EGLISE | |
| 20/11/2011 - 15:00 | MONTEL VILLOSANGES | 2-2 | 1st XI | |
| 19/11/2011 - 20:00 | 2nd XI | postponed | US GERZAT | |
| 20/11/2011 - 13:00 | MONTEL VILLOSANGES | 1-0 | 3rd XI | |
| 27/11/2011 - 15:00 | OLBY CEYSSAT | 0-4 | 1st XI | |
| 26/11/2011 - 20:00 | 2nd XI | 2-4 | CLERMONT FRANCO-ALGERIENS | |
| 27/11/2011 - 13:00 | US COMBRONDE | postponed | 3rd XI | |
| 03/12/2011 - 20:30 | 1st XI | v | CLERMONT PORTUGAL | |
| 04/12/2011 - tba | NORD COMBRAILLE | v | 2nd XI | |
| 03/12/2011 - 18:30 | 3rd XI | v | CS TEILHET | |
| 10/12/2011 | to be announced | |||
| 17/12/2011 | to be announced | |||
| 24/12/2011 | to be announced | |||
| 31/12/2011 | to be announced | |||
| 07/01/2012 | to be announced | |||
| 14/01/2012 | to be announced | |||
| 21/01/2012 | to be announced | |||
PLEASE NOTE - dates and times of matches are subject to change without notice |
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One thing that I have to say is that reading through my reports of the matches you might think that I have a tendency to be ...er... somewhat over-critical of the players and officials on occasion, so perhaps I ought to explain.
Back in the past I had certain connections elsewhere with a Football League that was probably at level 4 of the equivalent English football pyramid, where all of the players and most of the officials were either full-time or semi-professional and where crowds could be in three or four figures. Given that kind of environment and that standard of football it's quite easy to lose sight of the fact that people here are taking part in sport for fun and amusement and not on account of any skill that they might or might not have, and that it is entertainment. In the Puy-de-Dome League no-one is paid.
And as for any criticism of the referees it has to be said that without anyone willing to referee the matches or run the lines there would be no football at all. I've been on a refereeing course and as a result I see things much differently now than I did before and I think that a few other people would benefit from taking the courses too before they shout too loudly. I've also tried my hand at refereeing and I will tell you now that whoever picks up the whistle and goes out to referee a match, and then goes out willingly to do it a second time is a braver man than I am.
So if anyone is upset by any remarks that I have made, I would like you to know that I am grateful none-the-less for the effort that you have put in, doing your best to provide entertainment for all of us on a Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon in this isolated part of the world, rather than leaving us sitting at home with nothing better to do.
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