This week, it is dream time in Sedan. Where? In Sedan, the small industrial Ardennes town that is home to the side currently leading the way in the French First Division.
Not many of us, I imagine, could point out the exact location of Sedan on a map of France. Fewer still could name the club coach (Alex Dupont) or the side's Belgian international striker (Toni Brogno), scorer of two of Sedan's goals in a 3-0 win on Saturday night against Guingamp which took the team to the top of the table.
This is, of course, the time of year for dreaming - that happy autumnal period when some unlikely clubs achieve their quarter-hour of Warhol fame as they ride the top of Europe's most prestigious leagues. Remember that this time last year little Rayo Vallecano were out on top on in Spain. Recall too, that around this time five seasons ago, Vicenza were out on top in Italy's Serie A. Once upon a time, Newcastle United led the Premiership of an autumn.
This week sees sides such as Hertha Berlin in Germany, Valencia in Spain, Udinese in Italy and Vitesse Arnhem in Holland all showing the way in their domestic leagues. While many would not expect these clubs to be doing as well next June, their current position is not entirely unexpected. Valencia, after all, were beaten Champions League finalists last season whilst Udinese, Hertha and Vitesse have been consistently reliable UEFA Cup (if not Champions League) qualifiers.
Sedan, however, are different. Back in Division One for the second consecutive season, they are nothing if not a minnow. As all club officials and players keep on repeating throughout their current good run, staying up, ensuring First Division survival ("le maintien") is the club's major seasonal objective.
It could hardly be otherwise for a club which had a modest overall budget of £7 million last season and one whose average home gate registers 4,000 spectators. CSSA (Club Sportif Sedan-Ardennes) are nobody's idea of the European elite, yet after 14 games they are currently out in front on 25 points, one clear of Paris Saint Germain (PSG).
Although they may be little known outside France and though their time at the top will inevitably prove short-lived, Sedan can boast a surprisingly successful club record. Winners of the French Cup in 1956 and 1961, they also finished third in Division One in 1963. Two seasons ago, they again made it to the French Cup final, losing 1-0 to Nantes at the Stade de France through a hotly disputed penalty.
A look through the club's "family album" is revealing, suggesting that, to some extent at least, Sedan are an expression of the coal-mining Ardennes industrial hinterland. Fading photos of the first Sedan team, shortly after the club's foundation in 1920, show the players gathered together in front of what looks suspiciously like a mine shaft. Other black and white pictures of the side receiving a civic celebration after winning the French Cup in May 1961 show the players paraded in front of a building described simply as "the Factory".
Incidentally, present at that latter celebration, at the age of 18 months, was future French tennis champion Yannick Noah. His father was a member of the side that had just brought home the trophy. Another revealing photo from the club album refers to a popular goalkeeper from the 1950s, Alex Rozek, shown in his work overalls doing his shift at the factory. The caption tells us that Alex was famous for keeping his cap on when he kept goal and points out that he is still wearing it even during his shift at work. In those days, Sedan were an entirely amateur team.
The modest fighting tradition of this latest footballing David will ensure that Sedan continue to cause problems for their more fancied rivals from here to the end of the season. The fact they managed a highly respectable sixth-placed finish on their return to Division One last season has already made the point.
Speaking after their 3-0 win against Guingamp, club goalkeeper Nicolas Sachy (without cap) commented: "It's unbelievable to be on top, but if we're there it's because we deserve to be there. The strongest clubs are up on top, while the others are behind. You get what you deserve in football. If you go out there and don't perform, then you lose. But that is not our case."
Perhaps a more apt assessment of the current French leaders came from the beaten Guingamp coach, Guy Lacombe: "You need guts to play Sedan."
