Footy On The Med

Footy on the Med is back! With a bang! Two games for the price of one! Yes, we’re a bit late but we make no

For Monaco v St Etienne at the Stade Louis II on 17 August 2024, witnessed by Alex, his daughter Maud and their friends Jean-Philippe Thomas and family, noise was the order of the day. A lot of noise.

For John and London ‘Rory Egan-Thomas’ French at Menton v Cannes La Bocca on 22 September

Enjoy both games and listen out for more in the coming years.

It's the final league game of the season for Cannes FC. It's also the Cannes Film Festival. Alex has to be at the latter for work. He'd like to be at the former for fun. How does he solve this quandary? By being at the first half and giving the reins to London French for the second. En route the pair meet Carlos, a young player with Cannes, and enjoy a decent match in balmy weather. Well, London French enjoyed all of it (and did a fine job). As is Alex's way, he enjoyed one half of it. Cannes 2 Thonon Evian 1 was recorded at the Stade Pierre Courbetin on Saturday 18 May 2024.

This week John meets up with Young Trafford in their hometown of Menton, to watch Rapid Omnisport de Menton take on Entente Sportive Cannet Rocheville 2, or ESCR 2 for short. Menton run away with the game and score six while only conceding one. Rapid Menton V ESCR was recorded at Stade Lucien Rhein on Sunday, May 12th 2024.

John ventures up the inside channel of the A8, past the back four, and visits one of his favourite towns, Valbonne, all on his lonesome. US Valbonne hosted Club des Jeunes d'Antibes Juan Les Pins, (which must be the longest name of a team featured on Footy On The Med). The game ended Valbonne 0 Antibes 1 thanks to an early goal from Bensouici Hamza. US Valbonne Vs CDJ Antibes was recorded at Stade Leon Chabert on Sunday, May 5th 2024.

Footy on the Med journeys to North America and, for

Footy on the Med had a great day out in Monaco recently, with Alex happening upon FMC Elite and the woman behind its emergence as one of the best training academies in Europe. Step forward, Helen Dunne, articulate, passionate and dedicated to bringing on young football talent. Helen spoke to Alex about the academy she set up with husband Richard – yes, he of Everton, Manchester City, Aston Villa and Alex’s beloved QPR (not to mention Ireland, for whom Monsieur Dunne bagged a tidy 80 caps). Who knew of the Dunne’s passion for the south of France? Not Footy on the Med. We do now – enjoy and if you have a talented youngster, look no further than a course with FMC Elite.

John and Alex sit on their favourite bench to give the definitive Footy On The Med Five-Minute Guide to AS Monaco. Turns out the bench has magical properties, and

Stan Bowles, arguably the greatest player ever to wear the blue and white hoops of Queens Park Rangers, died just over a month ago on 24 February 2024. It’s no secret that QPR, and Bowles, have a special place in the FOTM universe – hence not just Alex’s A Season on the Med but one of our special, not-really-on-the-Med editions in the form of QPR v West Brom. Alex was there for a match that as poignant as it was action-packed, but this week’s episode sees him in more reflective mode. Listen for musings on the Meaning of Stan, and whether 58 is ‘old’, as John puts the questions amid the tranquil 80 (or is it 400?) boats in the Port du Garavan, Menton.

Revisit the sparkling Serie D clash between Sanremese and Asti from March 2022.  Condensed down into just ten minutes, it becomes obvious that the game was all about the ref's bravery in sticking to his rather bizarre decisions. Recorded at the Stadio Communale, Sanremo.