The biggest match in the history of US Bolbec will be relocated even further than expected. A time scheduled this Saturday, November 30, 2024 at the Lucien Lécuyer stadium in Pavilly (Seine-Maritime), north of Rouen, the match of the 8th round of the Coupe de France between the Seinomarine amateurs (Regional 1, i.e. the 6th French division) and SM Caen will finally be played in the Ligue 2 professional stadium, this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. A decision made this Wednesday, November 27, the latest in a series of laborious organization which gives a blow to the magic of the competition and its meetings between pros and amateurs, most often in the “little ones” stadium.
“We are stunned,” sighs Upper Normandy coach Locman Cakmak. “We are told that the match cannot be played in Seine-Maritime because of the rivalry between Caen, Le Havre and Rouen supporters. The authorities fear spillovers outside the stadium. We pay the price. » Bolbec dreamed of playing in his stadium, which was not approved. A fallback solution had been found in Pavilly. “The volunteers mobilized to do everything necessary, with the help of Havre AC employees, used to organizing this type of meeting. The federal specifications are very demanding. We were ready to mobilize security,” continues the coach. More than 300 places had already been taken and enthusiasm was building to fill the 1,400 places. The Seine-Maritime prefecture has decided otherwise.
To better understand, you need to take a map and observe the proximity between Bolbec and Le Havre, rival club of Stade Malherbe. The same fear of excesses between the supporters of the two clubs was the reason for the cancellation of the friendly match between Caen and Le Havre last summer, while the police were mobilized for the Olympics. By bringing the 8th round of the Coupe de France closer to Rouen, the red rag of possible disorders with the Rouen ultras was waved, the same which had caused travel restrictions for Caen supporters during matches at Quevilly-Rouen-Métropole in recent seasons in League 2.
In the circle of weed followers, it is assured that there were no reports of troublemakers in Pavilly. “We went there in cool mode. I hadn't heard anything with Rouen”, even if “some from Le Havre want to catch us. There is a risk,” explains a Caen supporter. The professional club, for its part, indicated that it was adapting to the decision, without further details.
“We will try to give them problems and make our supporters happy”
Despite this climate, the authorities' decision raises questions, starting with its timing: “Why not say from the start that the meeting had to be reversed? », asks Locman Cakmak. And continued: “We are organizing France-Israel with thousands of police officers and we are not capable of organizing an 8th round of the Coupe de France for 1,400 spectators? During the meetings, we felt that the prefecture did not want to mobilize a lot of resources for a small match. » The coach does not spare the French federation from his wrath: “If it is not possible for Caen to come and play in Seine-Maritime, as we seem to be told, why was Caen included in the same hat as us? in the draw? » The result of a geographical distribution, even if most of the Hauts-Normans were not in the same group for this draw.
The amateur club deplores being left unprepared by authorities which impose a heavy organization. The disillusionment of Bolbec calls for that of Vire who, in November 2022, had the astonishment to learn, 48 hours before the match, the postponement of their 8th round against… Caen, for a regulatory imbroglio on a provisional stand.
Bolbec and Caen therefore have three days to organize their match at the Michel d'Ornano stadium. The official reversal exempts Bolbec from rental costs for the enclosure, and the Hauts-Normands try to transport as many supporters as possible to Calvados. “At the prefecture, we were told that Caen was not far away, that it was easy to get there by car. Bolbec is a popular town, not everyone has transport and the round trip costs 50 to 60 euros,” the coach tenses. Five buses, or more, are expected to make the trip. The club hopes to save the party by allowing volunteers to enjoy an evening in a 20,000-seat stadium, but also its young licensees, who could set foot on the pitch.
Sportingly, the dream of an exploit has also taken a hit, analyzes the technician: “At home, we perhaps had a way of titillating them, with an audience close to the lawn, a smaller field. This is going to be very difficult. But we will try to give them problems and make our supporters happy. » In the self-proclaimed cup of “all possibilities”, it was in any case not possible to offer a party to the people of Bolbec at their home.
