Monaco Part Three – Thursday Pre Match

So it’s off down to town for the match. A crowd turned up in the underpass – ‘Oh Miguel’

Saints fans were all over the place. The Cafe du Paris in Casino Square was a swathe of blue and yellow with almost every table filled with Saints fan bathing in the sunshine and getting well lubricated. By 4 pm we started drifting over to Place du Canton (halfway between the ground and the Station) This was soon to become the focal point for 1000 or so Saints fans and an amazing sing song.

Canton Square around 4pm – quite sedate but you could feel the atmosphere building. Notice the 2 polis on the balcony. They stayed there most of the time before the game. Even moved a bit to get a look at two kilted fans mooning from another balcony. (Yours truly failed to get a pic of that!- but then it is meant to be family report – yes really)

The large supermarket next door provided nice cheap carry-outs – funny, I thought he was our ace striker!

Remember these 3 from Vaasa – all the 9’s, Roddy, Legend and Grant, feeling the strain from the night before.

Livening up now with the singing starting and the drinking continuing

Flags were going up everywhere.

Even up the main flagpoles

The view from the top on the massed supporters

By 6pm the crowd had swelled to a packed arena.

The noise was deafening. Even the players in the coach heard the crowd in the tunnel before they reached the square. We were loud.

Best songs were:
‘In your Monaco slum’
and
‘You’re only tax dodging bastards’
‘You’re only tax dodging bastards’

Also the usual
‘Sit down if you hate Dundee etc’

Richard (temple) and Sarah turned up and we saw Paula. Richard was drinking water!!!!! – must have been nice in nice (sorry, nice in Nice). Must admit though, it was hot 25C ish and water was needed – no wonder the players suffered later in the game.

So half sevenish – time to go to the ground. Again the pipers led the way.
Only a short walk but very loud.

‘Oh when the Saints, go marching in….’

We tried the usual ‘Sit down if you hate Dundee’ just outside the ground on the main road and were amazed when the Polis jumped on us and dragged us away. It looked serious. A minute later we realised why – Prince Rainier’s car followed by a car full of bodyguards sped past. Oooops!!

So there we were a the ground – or was it an apartment block. Read on for the next installment (match report).