NFR: Sacre blimey, 5th tier Chambery knock out three Ligue1 teams in a row

[ImperialWhite]

http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=fr&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lequipe.fr%2FFootball%2Fbreves2011%2F20110202_161608_chambery-dans-l-histoire.html&act=url

Chambéry for le coupe!

Fifth tier Chambéry (CFA2D) knock out three Ligue 1 sides (Monaco, Brest, Sochaux) in succession in the Coupe De France, and are now in the quarter finals. Stick that up your derrière, Crawley Town!

Sacre blimey...

For what it's worth, the quality of French football may not be all that, but the gap between top and bottom (due to the FFF's strict finance rules) make it a much more even contest. Add to that the fan base is still predominently working class (cheap tickets help) and you get an atmosphere that would put even big European matches at Anfield (when they still had big European matches) to shame.

[MikeR]

Don't the rules of the Coupe De France call for the lower-ranked side to always play at home? Such a rule change is unlikely for cups of the FA, since it would preclude the minnow's dream of an Old Trafford fixture.

[HatterDon]

"sacre blimey," -- love it, IW; thanks!  :011: