Football Travel: Red Star FC, Paris

In this guest post, Matthew Glossop-Freebody describes his experience at historic Parisian club, Red Star FC.

The History of Red Star FC

Red Star Football Club is the oldest league football club in Paris. Formed in 1897 by Jules Rimet, its name believed to have been a homage to the famous ocean passenger Red Star Line at the end of the 19th century.

In its 123-year history, the club has only spent 19 seasons in the top-flight – Ligue 1 – despite being one of the league’s founding members. Its last stint in Ligue 1 was way back in the 1970s. Despite not possessing the glamour of Paris Saint Germain’s 49-year history, Red Star certainly has an identity.

One that is excellently covered in the following video by AC Joe back in 2018:

I was inspired by Joe’s video to go and attend a Red Star game for myself. I was especially intrigued by former Manchester United and Sunderland striker David Bellion’s role at the club as Creative Director. He took the role after finishing his playing career at Red Star with his goals helping the club win promotion to Ligue 2 in the 2014/2015 campaign.

This article by The Guardian is a great read on his post-retirement role at the club and his summary on what they are all about: “Red Star is an underground, romantic, popular football club where there is absolutely no social status. People love it because it still has that old-school football vibe. The club was not built for just victory and winning. It is a very powerful symbol of freedom and creativity. Not a lot of clubs have that natural credibility.”

If you were to visit the club’s official website it looks like no other. It’s clear to see that the first team is not the sole agenda and instead looks like a hip urban e-zine rather than a football club’s homepage.

The Red Star Lab is a particular highlight which is a community project for young people to attend at Stade de Paris (Stade Bauer) that teaches life skills as well as helping them discover passions other than football through various artistic endeavours like music, photography, drama, acting and much more.

This may be a new initiative set-up since 2016 but it harks back to 1897 when Jules Rimet set the objective to offer young people cultural training in addition to sports by adding a library in the stadium.

The Experience at Red Star FC

As I turn the corner onto Rue du Dr. Bauer, I start to see Red Star fans walking ahead of me as well as spilling out of the bars along the way with beer or wine glasses in one hand and a cigarette in the other. The traffic is busy, it’s already 5.30 pm and there’s a mix of rush-hour commuting and a local football game about to start.

I spot L’Olympique – the famous bar where fans meet before and after games. I decide to go into the stadium opposite and find my bearings, feeling apprehensive but excited about another football game abroad.

There only appears to be one entrance for fans which opens up to a long private driveway running parallel to one side of the stadiums stand which is split into five sections. As I walk in and out of each one – it reminds me of non-league football where you are not regimented to one section and seat. This is how attending football games should be.

I walk over to the stalls opposite the back entrance to the stand. There’s a stall selling merch, another selling beer and one for food. I make my way to the merch stall…

Bonjour, mon Français est mauvais. Parlez-vous Anglais? – luckily they do.

I purchase the replica home jersey and a scarf before buying two beers. They tell me I can take them into the stand, which delights me and I make my way to the Premiere Est section where the ultras gather not before walking past one section that sounds like a nightclub is in full swing.

Once on the terrace of Premiere Est I place down the two beers and take in my surroundings. The middle sections have seats but Premiere Est is an old-fashioned terrace of two different level rows of concrete blocks descending down to a large fence before the pitch.

Directly opposite, I notice a gathering of about 60 away fans from today’s visitors Pau – which is still impressive given the kick-off time and distance they have travelled. The terrace behind the nearest goal is desolate but also houses the tunnel from where the dressing rooms are. At the opposite end of the pitch, there is no stand but a large residential estate who must love or hate match days like this.

I stand at the back of the terrace as the game kicks off with fans starting to flood in. One fan is handing out fliers – which is all in French so I ask if he can explain it in English – luckily, he does! He tells me passionately that they will be having a silent protest for the first 30 minutes of the game because of the 6pm kick-off time. Kick-off times are typically 8pm on a Friday for the Championnat National but for television rights, games are moved to 6pm. Fans find it hard to attend due to work commitments.

“You will be seeing a diet version of Red Star ultras tonight, but please no noise until the 30th minute.”

For the first ten minutes, the crowd is just talking amongst itself, not reacting to anything on the pitch. In the faint distance, Pau fans are singing their hearts out but then a late challenge from a Pau midfielder gets a few Red Star fans angry before being hushed by the masses.

This happens a couple of more times until the 25th minute when Mehdi Chahiri fires the home side in front. The crowd erupts for about 10 seconds before being reminded of the silent protest. “Shussshhhh” sounds start to develop and it goes back to silent and gentle conversations.

As I had anticipated, on the 30th minute, the Premiere Est section of Stade Bauer goes absolutely mental. Several fireworks just exploded – what felt like right under the rickety tin roof of the old stand overhead. I have a panicked expression on my face for a few seconds but as the collective singing began into a beautiful passionate rhythm I start to join in. This may be Paris but there’s no Neymar or billionaire Qatari owners. This is Red Star Football Club, the heart and soul of football in the French capital.

I’m surprised to see the half-time whistle go and the ultras remain singing and standing. I decide to grab a half-time pint and come back to see the junior girls’ team doing shooting practice at the nearest goal. The ultras are still singing in part, encouraging each shot, dribble, skill, goal or save. Their coach sends them over to our direction where they perform a knee slide celebration before taking a group picture in front of the ultras who applaud them off.

There appear to be even more fans in the terrace for the second half, presumably, those who have only just finished work and the Red Star chants are consistent with a different song every time. What is happening on the pitch almost feels secondary at times and that is most noticeable when Pau grab an equaliser on the 58th minute.

Just several minutes later, Pau take the lead that sends them to the top of the table and Red Star back to fourth. A few shouts of “MERDE!” from the fans but the majority of fans keep singing, even louder. It’s quite remarkable given the circumstance of this game between two promotion rivals.

Despite a few chances in stoppage time, Red Star cannot find a way back into the game and suffer a 1-2 defeat. A few fans head for the exit but most stay standing and singing. I make my way down to the front row and soak up the atmosphere some more before making my way into the city for some late-night sightseeing of Paris with the chants of “Red Star” ringing in my ears.

Red Star FC – My Conclusions

Four days later I’m circling around the outside of the Millerntor Stadion, home of FC St. Pauli in Hamburg. I’ve unfortunately missed the pre-booked stadium tour thanks to rail disruptions from Storm Sabine, but I’ve always wanted to visit this iconic club.

It did make me wonder if Red Star FC are tapping into the same ‘Culture Club’ profile as St. Pauli whether consciously or not. I had originally planned to visit the St. Pauli game for the same weekend but purchasing a match ticket seemed extremely difficult, if not impossible for a first-time visitor. In contrast, visiting a Red Star game was a breeze.

There were noticeably a few groups of fellow Englishmen at the stadium in Paris and judging from the reception of staff, it was not uncommon for outsiders to visit. I was certainly made to feel very welcome. However, it still feels quite raw at Red Star FC and comparisons to St. Pauli are at a stretch with the only direct comparison being their left-wing political fan base.

I explained to someone I met in Amsterdam on part of my journey up to Hamburg that I had attended a football game in Paris and he could not understand that it was not PSG.

(Dutch accent) “So, it’s like underground music? You prefer going to the football games that are not well known, with romance and story?”

I hadn’t really thought about it that way but he was right. It also aligns with the quote from David Bellion mentioned earlier. Back home I watch my local non-league team Hendon pretty regularly and enjoy the freedom of watching football at that level. Red Star were alluring because of the fan base and what the club is trying to do – and that’s showing that football is not just about winning and money.

Allez, Allez, Allez! Red Star FC!

Matt G-Freebody

(Footnote: A huge thank you to AC Joe for putting me in touch with Red Star fan Wilfrid AKA Thedreadstar and Paul the Red Star communications manager for arranging my matchday ticket.)