IT’S PARTY TIME IN FRANCE!
THE French city of Bordeaux turned Welsh for a day as thousands of supporters filled the centre ahead of Wales’ clash with Slovakia yesterday. Fans from every corner of Wales flocked to the city to watch their Euro journey get off to a dream-like start after Wales’ 2-1 win over Slovakia at the Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux.
The city was transformed into a sea of red, with fans’ football shirts of various eras being the designated dress code for the entire tournament – and the colour was as overflowing as the wine in the French region.
After 58 long years of waiting to compete in a major tournament, Wales were certainly wasting no time in turning Bordeaux into one big party, seeming to get along swimmingly with both French locals and Slovakia visitors.
More than 20,000 Welsh fans were expected in Bordeaux on match day, and it’s safe to say they did their best to soak up the atmosphere and take in every moment.
On Friday, hundreds of Wales fans brought a Bordeaux street to a standstill with a stunning rendition of the Welsh national anthem and the stirring footage, shot by Guto Aaron, was just another example of how Welsh fans have been relishing every moment of Euro 2016 and seeming to be having the time of their lives.
In a city known as La Belle Au Bois Dormant – France’s Sleeping Beauty – the red army certainly did a good job of waking it up.
As it became a little corner of Wales, scores of pictures and videos emerged on social media of fans dancing in the street, singing Tom Jones’ Delilah at the top of their voices and there were even reports of fans trying to teach French residents how to dance like Joe Ledley.
Footage emerged of dozens of Welsh and French fans draped in flags singing football songs together on the streets, while a French local could also be seen standing on a table belting out the anthem with Wales fans.
Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau was also sung as fans took packed trams to the stadium to relish the day they’d all been waiting for, while Wales fans flooding a street were seen applauding, congratulating and posing for pictures with a couple who had just got married.
Ahead of the event itself, the red army was out in force as they made their way in convoy to the Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux.
Spectators said it was as if the inside of the stadium had turned into a venue in Wales – with red shirts filling the seats and songs almost deafening those in the ground.
One way in which Bordeaux was turned Welsh for the fixture was a spell of rain that Wales fans seemed to bring with them, but it certainly didn’t dampen their spirits.
Welsh flags, red shirts and a smile are what every Wales fan seems to have packed for the holiday, journey and experience of a lifetime.
After Wales’ win, fans could be seen congratulating and embracing with Slovakia visitors as they exited the stadium, displaying both the good-natured and jubilant atmosphere they seem to be creating in their masses.
It’s safe to say Wales fans are in for the time of their lives, and it’s set to continue when Wales take on England in Lens on Thursday at 2pm.
AFANZONE set up in Cardiff to screen Wales’ Euro games was a massive hit, as hundreds of supporters came to support Bale and the boys. A carnival atmosphere swept through Bute Park ahead of the Wales v Slovakia match yesterday, with ba r s , food , live music and a funfair keeping the punters happy. But the most important thing was the football – and the fans delivered, with chanting, singing and dancing throughout the game – with a Wales victory the icing on the cake. The fanzone was the brain- child of Mark Jones, from Blackwood, who set up a petition calling on Cardiff council and other parts of the country to host the events in a similar vein to those set up during the Rugby World Cup.
Speaking before the game, he said he felt “overwhelmed” that his campaign had succeeded in bringing the fans together.
Mark added: “It’s really emotional because we wouldn’t have been here if I hadn’t written that petition.
“We wouldn’t have had this chance to come together and support the team.
“I’m feeling anxious because I didn’t want to invite all these people down here to see us lose.
“All these hundreds of people and the city and the country wouldn’t have come together if we hadn’t started this campaign.”
Fans from the whole of Wales
flocked to the fanzone in Cardiff to cheer on the Dragons.
Leon Dennis, 31, from Morriston, Swansea, said he was absolutely ecstatic about the game.
He added: “I drove back from London this morning and had Five Live on and they were talking about Wales.
“We’re quite a patriotic bunch and I could feel myself welling up, just this passion running through me.
“I sat in the car with that overwhelming sense of pride.
“If we can get through the group stage then we will have achieved something special.”
Flora Jones, 24, from Cardiff said: “We went to the Rugby World Cup fanzone and that was amazing, so it’s great they’ve done the same for the football.
“It still doesn’t feel real. I have been going to games since I was three years old and it’s finally happened.
“I want them to do well but we just have to go out there and do the best we can.”
“Everyone says we have lost the couple of matches before the tournament but our best team wasn’t out, we’ll prove them wrong.”
Leon Jones, 33, from Rhondda, was “gutted” when there were no initial plans for a fanzone but was pleased the council had changed its mind.
He added: “It’s nice to be somewhere where there’s an open space.
“I’ve watched them since I was a young kid and I never thought we’d qualify. We had so many near misses and it’s great because we’re a rugby nation but we’re coming together over football.”
His mate James Baker, 27, from Cardiff, said: “It’s nice the council have done something for the football.
“We’re just here for the experience.”
Tom Dinwoodie, 22, from Llan- drindod Wells, made the trip to the fanzone from Swansea University to watch the match.
He said: “It’s never happened in my lifetime before, so it’s weird. We’re totally excited.
“If we win this it will be a great start.”
With the fanzone in Bute Park also opening for Wales’ fixtures against England on Thursday and against Russia on June 20, it’s promising to be a grand celebration of football in Wales – and the fans deserve it.