As Le Ballon season three rolls out of training and into glamour tie after grudge match, we caught up with those living and breathing the league, to get a re-cap from the first round of fixtures. Big games, fresh faces and a chance to dance again.
Le Ballon Football League got their third season underway on a cold, windy, Tuesday night in Stoke….Saint-Ouen. The historic Stade-Bauer, home of Red Star FC, plays host to the Parisian league of artists, designers and wannabe-footballers. Under a partially floodlight sky (one of the lights is bust), the Season began in earnest with a few surprises in store. 
River Dubplate and 75ers got the ball, ahem, rolling in the sideways rain and it wasn’t long before 75ers had established their ascendancy. Dubplate centre-half, Jack Whelan cleared two off the line before spooning one into his own net from less than a yard out. The first goal of LBFL Season 3 being of the kind of quality you would expect… Meanwhile, last year’s champions Les 300 were on the end of the most almighty shellacking from last year’s wooden spooners, Bled FC. 9-1 the final score - Izi does it. River rallied, then shot themselves in the foot, eventually going down 2-1 to a far superior breed of pigeon. 
In the second round of matches, Atletico Paris continued where they left off and demonstrated their title-winning credentials by thumping Pub FC 4-0. John Demurger scoring what can only be described as a thunderbastard. Despite the defeat, the boys from the Pub absolutely hammered Atletico in the after-match refreshments… On the other side, the Big Cat derby between Foot Tang Clan and new-boys Glory Hunters FC was a tight affair, ultimately finishing 2-0 to FTC. Clearly, Foot Tang Clan (and their balaclava wearing, smoke-flare waving Ultras) ain’t nuthin' ta f&@k wit. 
So, Season 3 is off and running on a glorious, grim night in the north-east of Paris. Tune in to the next one, filmed and broadcast live (in glorious, unwatchable Instagram live!) on the 21st of March. If you’re in the area, come have a watch - you’ve probably not laughed so hard in a long time.
Photography by THOMVSFRS
