Paying tribute in photos to the oldest supporters of Valenciennes and to the volunteers of the surrounding amateur clubs, this is the concept of the exhibition of Old stadium which takes place from November 12 to 19 at the L’Imaginaire cultural center in Douchy-Les-Mines. At the origin of the project, the Dynamo de l’Escaut association, created in 2019, which brings together fans of social and popular football.
“It all came from the play on words between the Gods of the stadium and the Elders of the stadium. We quickly saw that it would be a bit daring to have them pose quite naked (laughs). Suddenly, we said to ourselves that it would be nice to do an exhibition around our elders, our “old people”, a term that we use with a lot of respect. We wanted to put them in the spotlight because they are the soul of the club. Without them, the club is nothing ”, assures Antoine Clipet, socio of the Dynamo de l’Escaut and initiator of the project.
“The players, coaches and presidents come and go but the supporters stay”
“We really want to promote this popular passion with old people who have been subscribing to VA for more than fifty years. It proves that the players, the coaches and the presidents pass but the supporters remain ”, testifies Mehdi Rouiti, the general secretary of Dynamo de l’Escaut.
To find the models, the members of the association made an advertisement in the press but also relied on their knowledge. In total, 18 “old” supporters, aged 60 to 95, were chosen and photographed by Nicolas Delfort, artistic director of the Losange Noir association.
No support from the Valenciennes club
“Each time, I would chat with them for an hour before taking a picture of them. . There are a lot of differences between them but also a big common point: football education. Many of them have discovered football through their father or their grandfather. They all have a desire to pass on this passion, ”says the photographer.
And each portrait tells a story like that of the former goalkeeper of the Nungesser stadium or the couple who met in the stands of the legendary Valencian wall, which has now disappeared. The organizers’ only regret: not having succeeded in obtaining the support of both the city of Valenciennes and the VAFC who did not wish to host the exhibition.
But nothing to discourage the Dynamo de l’Escaut which wishes to make Old stadium an evolving and traveling exhibition. “Why not develop it at the regional level by going to see other clubs. Everything is open ”, recognizes Antoine Clipet, already launched on the third part of the exhibition: photographing the former glory of the VAFC more than ten years after the end of their career. A new way of perpetuating the social, sporting and cultural heritage of football.
