Welcome! Season 2 is in full flow here in eastern France as Mulhouse look to make a move towards Ligue 1. Things got off to a bit of a ropey start last week as we kicked season two off, but events seem steadier now and we’re only looking up. Here’s a reminder of how the table looks in November 1998:

We are holding off a host of clubs for that third promotion slot and we visit one of those right now. Martigues will fancy their chances with that miserly defence and their confidence looks well placed as they go 1-0 up. But half time changes everything and by the time left back Gautier has equalised most fans are still re-taking their seats. A tense second half sees both sides exchange blows but Larry David pops up with the winner 6 minutes from time. A huge result!

That could be a defining moment as we look to get a grip on the promotion places. Lorient at home is a tough nut to crack but we do it thanks to the front two and Larry adding a third.

Charleville are not very good and once again the front two score. The French media are calling them the new Yorke and Cole which is odd considering that hasn’t happened in real life yet.

Chateauroux are greedy for vowels and Vareille helps himself to a hat-trick. We’re in the groove, there’s no stopping us now…

Unless you are Nimes, in which case you will stop us. They are 4th in fairness and although it’s a pity as long as it’s a rare defeat, I think we’ll be ok.

Kav makes us feel good at home to Toulouse. A nervous last half hour is on the cards but we hold firm to get ourselves back on track.

Fun fact for you – this away day stalemate in Caen is the first time we have failed to score all season. It’s Boxing Day.

Away to newly promoted Saint-Denis/Saint something else and yes, that is Southampton legend Hassan Kachloul. Legend might be pushing it. He scores twice but so do we as we scrape an unconvincing point.

The Coupe de France has seen us drawn at home to a non-league side called Bourges. To celebrate, we score 10 times including the novelty of Blake getting the 7th. A very small number of you will get that reference but we got the 10th in the 66th minute then seemingly stopped.

Red Star are now big Jack-less and have tumbled off the top. They’re still decent and give us a scare before Pennyfather, the finest gent in all of France, nabs a late equaliser and celebrates with a pot of tea.

The win over Toulon puts us top of the table. OOOOOH MY.

Vandecasteele sounds like one of those surnames people make up when they mash their two surnames together. It looks like we’ll have to settle for a draw in Nice but Vareille scores yet another late goal and Pennyfather heads in a third. This team.

Rennes are a league higher than us but Natigol doesn’t care. He rips them a new stimpy and Rennes can’t handle it at all. Our most impressive win to date.

It’ll be non-league opposition in the next round too. It’s all coming together.

Laval are the next to be brushed aside by our juggernaut. The front two, as usual, do the damage and I’m starting to feel confident of promotion.

Le Mans 24 hours etc. I’ve made that joke four times now. The big story here is that Pennyfather nets a hat-trick. This guy. Monocles all round, tally-ho and skip skip. Something about Mary Poppins. I think I’ve gone insane.

Wasquehal were once a promotion rival but they now sit 6th. They are the latest team who can’t cope with us and although we can’t ever shake them off, it’s yet another win under our belts.

That leaves the table looking very healthy indeed. A 7 point cushion to play with but 15 games still to play.

We’ll have the cup games to. Let’s just take a moment to reflect on how we’ve turned this around.

Firstly, the front two. What a pair of lads. Vareille is interesting Marseille though so we’ll enjoy him whilst we can.

 

Goals were never really a problem but stopping them definitely was. Prunea has helped a little

But the real star has been Matthew Bound. He’s partnered 17 year old Maraval and kept Andrew Duncan out of the team.

It’s been very impressive all round…

The only question now is, can we see it through? There’s still a third of the season to go so it could all change but we’ve got the momentum, the goal scorers, the form and Glenn Pennyfather.

So pacey. See you next week for the season two finale!