2023 Week Notes - Week 40

9 October 2023 2023-10-09T00:00:00.000Z

#Week Notes

Football in Marseille, and dreaming in colour.

I had one basketball session this week. A couple of weeks playing without a proper warm-up has come back to haunt me, as this week I lasted a couple of minutes before a pulled muscle in my right leg made things more challenging. Basketball Sussex released the fixtures for the men's league this season so I started to add those games to my calendar.

I only worked two days this week. I'd been looking forward to having a bit of a break as I hadn't really had any time off since the start of June.

On Wednesday, I started the journey to Marseille to watch Brighton draw 2-2 against Olympique Marseille, by flying to Toulouse. We stayed in Toulouse for the night before taking train the next morning to Marseille. The train was just over four hours, so instead of draining my phone's battery by playing games, I slept instead.

Once in Marseille, we had something to eat and a few drinks, collected our match tickets from a designated pick-up point and made our way to the Stade Velodrome on the buses that were provided for Brighton fans. A convoy consisting of those buses, police vans and police motorbikes, took us on a long tour of Marseille's dual carriageways as we made our way to the stadium. There was a lot of chanting and singing on the bus I was on, which received applause from some passers-by and middle fingers from most of the Marseille fans that had to pull their cars over to allow the police convoy to get our bus to the stadium.

The most noticeable thing about the Stade Velodrome was the amount of noise that the Marseille fans made. Armed with megaphones and lifeguard chairs, their singing sections made coordinated and continuous noise for 90 minutes. Amongst the 60,000 Marseille fans it was almost a surprise that the 3,000 Brighton fans could be heard in the TV coverage of the game. It was good game of football and the first point earned in a European competition.

My view of the Brighton vs Marseille football game at Stade Velodrome from the away end. Beyond some black netting that covers the away section, the players from Brighton, Marseille, and the match officals are all lined along the side of the pitch. The stand to the right of the stadium is covered in blue and white Marseille flags and the back of the stand is displaying a large tifo which reads 'Votre haine est notre fierté' (Your hatred is our pride). — First point in European competitions.

Friday involved more travelling. This time taking the train from Marseille back to Toulouse and then flying from Toulouse back the UK. I managed to get a lot of reading done in that time, finishing one book and starting another.

While travelling, a debate was sparked between my brother and my dad about whether or not they dream in colour. I wasn't sure I did, which has now made me more conscious about what I see when I dream.

On Sunday, I was at the American Express Stadium to watch Brighton draw 2-2 with Liverpool. Not a bad way to finish the week.