What is good with RC Lens is that there is a certain consistency: a festival on the ground purchased, a festival in the stands offered. Last episode of this symbiosis between players and spectators, the demonstration against Monaco. While Loïs Openda and others smashed the Rock into a thousand pieces (3-0), a real fireworks display broke out in the thirtieth minute of the match, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the KSO, the Kop Sang et Or.
The LFP Disciplinary Committee, which must have fainted seeing this animation, having not yet decided on sanctions against the RCL, the Marek stand, the lung of the Bollaert stadium, will be an additional asset in trying to bring down Marseille from its place of dolphin of the PSG, Saturday evening. Like Brice Samba, Seko Fofana or Florian Sotoca, she plays an important role in the good season of Blood and Gold.
“The heart of Lens beats through his kop”
While in the vast majority of clubs, the kops are in bends, behind the goals, the ultra Lensois groups are grouped together along the sideline, in this standing side stand, from where the Lensoise leave, before the start of the match, and the famous song snagsdear to Presnel Kimpembe, after each victory.
When I arrived [en 1988], there were not many people at the stadium, explains Gervais Martel, the former president of Lens. It took a lot of work to bring people back, first with affordable prices, for families, sections of supporters, works councils. From the moment we moved up to the first division, in 91-92, it was on, with the development of the Marek stand, as it still is today. Several presidents asked me at the time why I put my kop there and said to me: “Put it behind the goals you will sell more expensive places in the side.” That wasn’t the point. The subject is that the heart of Lens beats through his kop and that the kop must have a privileged situation. »
To beat, the heart of Lens therefore raced. And, for several years, it is necessary to arm oneself with courage to try to obtain a place in this famous platform. “A subscription in Marek, it’s been difficult to find one for fifteen years,” notes Norman Noisette, president of the Lens United supporters’ federation. It is a forum with 100% subscribers, and with 99% renewals. It is acquired from father to son, it is preempted. Each association has waiting lists. When we went up to L1, we had listed 900 people on the waiting list and we had explained to them that it might take twenty years for them to come to the end. »
Two meters from the players
The main advantage of the Marek remains the proximity to the field and the players. There is no goal barrier, billboards, space, as there may be in other stadiums. The supporters find themselves two meters from the field, almost in contact with the players. What really influences a match? “Clubs that have a kop behind the goal often attack towards it in the second period to put pressure on the goalkeeper, the defense, to make noise, if necessary to win or come back to score, says former Lensois Franck Queudrue . We, in Lens, we have constant pressure throughout the match. Having a kop in the side, it puts you directly in the intensity of the moment over the entire length of the field. »
I have wonderful memories of it, and the fact that the Marek is a side stand still gives something different, especially to me following a corridor player, confides Jonathan Clauss, who will return to Lens on Saturday with the OM jersey on the back. I loved having them a few feet away from me for entire periods of time. It’s a feeling that you don’t often find and that’s what makes this kop so special. »
For the opponent, does this change anything? Not really according to Nicolas Plestan, former player of Losc, the eternal rival, who was even rather fond of playing Bollaert. “Having a side kop never entered the game preparation discussions. When there is noise, whether for or against, we like it. Even if I played in Lille, Bollaert remains a spectacular atmosphere. When it was hostile, I loved it. Afterwards, yes, the sides had to eat a few sweet words. »
The former central defender of the Dogues thus recounts that Matthieu Chalmé or Grégory Tafforeau took a few balls of paper and insults when making a throw-in. “The side who find themselves on the Marek side, they hear the breath, confirms Norman Noisette. In terms of pressure and feel, it’s quite unique. Highly anticipated on Saturday, Matteo Guendouzi, who had chambered the Marek well with welcome gestures, and vice versa, should hear about the country.
A packet of fries on your head
“When he played at Quevilly Rouen, Jonathan Clauss told me that it was impressive to play on the Marek side, that they did not hear their coach and their teammates on the ground, indicates Charlotte”, supporter of the Sang et Or subscriber in Marek . For us, it’s easier to chamber the opponent during a throw-in or a corner. We are a rather funny and teasing public. “And not only with the adversary. In 2010, during a derby lost dryly by the Lensois, the touch referee close to the Marek had also taken the tide.
“He took a packet of fries on his head, remembers Norman Noisette. It fell apart, took three days from ITT. I’m not sure the fries were that gross, to the point of falling apart. Well, for us, it was still a very funny anecdote, not in the League, because we’ve never hurt someone with a packet of fries. Sometimes there is a little abuse in passion. “Like when dozens of spectators entered the lawn to protest against the poor results, in 2017.
Today, we are far from this dark period in L2. And, like the Louvre Lens or the slagheaps, the Marek has even become the place to be when you go to Artois. “You have tourists, people who watch their game on the phone, with a need to show off with TikTok fashion, it’s a real scourge,” says Charlotte. ” It has become the place to be the Marek, adds Norman Noisette. I am not a fan. We have people who told us that they were inconvenienced by the flags. “We advise everyone to avoid the Marek next season, with the return of the Champions League. It should be even more spectacular.