When rival South Tyneside teams met in final of international football tournament

Three Boldon Juniors defenders move in to block Reyrolles centre forward.

Thanks to all of you who provided the answer to Tuesday's question as to why a team from France was playing in a junior football tournament on South Tyneside in 1979.

For as Dorothy Ramser and others explained, they were from the twin town of Epinay-sur-Seine.

Tim Gibbons actually played in goal for Boldon during the festival of football, which also featured a side from Wuppental, in Germany, along with others from Scotland and closer to home.

Boldon Juniors skipper with the runners-up trophy after losing 2-1 to Reyrolle in extra time.

“It was to do with the twinned town Wuppental,” said Tim.

“Teams from Germany, France and Scotland came here to play in the tournament. It was played over bank holiday weekend, I think, playing Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

“The English teams’ style of play was too much for the foreign teams.

“They were playing the sweeper system which was not what we were used to playing against.

In a hard-fought final, the Boldon winger puts in a fierce shot which goes just wide.

“Boldon and Reyrolles played in the JOC League and were fierce rivals, having played each other in most of the domestic cup finals that year.

“We won some, they won some, and we won league that year.

“However, Reyrolles beat us in the final after extra time by the golden goal, the match making it on to local TV news.”