The first 8th round of the Coupe de France in the history of Neuilly-sur-Marne SFC (N 3) is already ruined. The Seine-Saint-Denis club will have to go on Saturday to the Hainaut stadium in Valenciennes, 8th in the National, to play a qualification for the 32nd finals (synonymous with the entry into the running of Ligue 1 clubs) instead of receiving the 'poster.
Last week, the French Football Federation informed the 93 club by mail that its Georges Foulon stadium would not be approved to host Valenciennes. Determined to “go all the way”, President Frédéric Mallefond decided to appeal and responded in a letter with strong sentences. “What disgusts us most is the lack of empathy and consideration you show us. This is a real misunderstanding of amateur football and having no respect for all volunteers/patrons like me and many of us,” it reads.
“You’ve already ruined the party for us. Wasted every other week organizing this match. Wasted the receipts for entries and refreshments necessary for a small club. But, more annoying, disgusted with the Coupe de France,” the president also indicates.
Meeting this Monday, November 25, the higher appeal commission remained deaf to the arguments of Neuilly-sur-Marne and therefore confirmed the first decision, highlighting security reasons. The Georges Foulon stadium had in fact been suspended (four matches including two closed) for a bottle throwing during the first day of National 3 on August 24.
“We received a notification from the FFF at 3:47 p.m. telling us that we had to find a fallback site before 5:30 p.m. otherwise we would have to travel to Valenciennes,” explains Frédéric Mallefond, contacted this Tuesday afternoon. How to find a place of refuge in less than two hours? I am disgusted and even angry. It's a lack of respect. I won't go to Valenciennes but the players will go there. We had imagined a party for all our licensees, but it is clearly ruined. »
The meeting will therefore take place this Saturday, probably at 1:30 p.m. The 93 team is hoping for a later kick-off so as not to have to get up at dawn on Saturday morning. If Valenciennes had offered travel support last week, this should no longer be the case. Because it is the FFF which fixed this inversion in the absence of a fallback area.
