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Lille 2020 - Tournament Cancelled

The 23rd Tournoi Super-Vétérans Jacques Lévy was due to run from Friday, March 13th to Sunday, March 15th, 2020 at the LUC Ronchin Hockey Club. 1pm start on Friday 13th. Unfortunately, because of the Covid-19 measures adopted in France, the tournament was cancelled at short notice on 13 March with the teams already present at the venue. The Italian team had already withdrawn from the tournament because of the lock down imposed in Italy.

Thistles Blues and Whites played in an 'informal' International Tournament in Lille over the weekend due to the French Government not sanctioning this event at the last minute. However, the Club at La Ronchin allowed the organisers of the overseas teams to use the pitch facilities and set-up an alternative 'Tournament'.

The French National Over 65 side also decided to play one game against the Blues and to get around the restriction called this a 'training game'! This was by far the hardest game over the weekend that Blues played in however.

Blues had a very strong side this year beating England LX over 70 min 5:1, France Over 65s National side 2:0, Thistles Whites only by the odd goal at the end of a hard game and then beating the Welsh Dragons 2:0. For the first time in all the years this tournament has been taking place (since 2003), a Scottish team won and Captain Mike McInally was presented with the winners trophy. Missing from the Blues photo are Pete Burns and John Candlin who had to leave early on the Saturday.

Keith Raper captained Thistles Whites this year and the team finished in third equal place with a dramatic win from a short corner against Welsh Dragons after the final whistle had blown. Rob Campbell, the scorer from a rebound shot, was given the accolade of player of the tournament by Thistles and will proudly wear the 'fooshia' when hockey starts again in September we hope.

Mike McInally

Squads and partners

Thistles: Blue

Scottish Thistles Blue Lille March 2020

Peter Burns (Friday only), John Candlin (Friday only), Ian Chitty, Paul & Linda Docherty, Gurdial Duhre, Paul Finch GK, Martin Fuller (Saturday only), Chris Heeps, Steve Laux, John Lees, Iain Lynch,Clifford Martin, Ian McCreath, Mike McInally (Captain).

Thistles: White

Scottish Thistles White Lille March 2020

Ernie Brittain-Dodd, Brian & Mairi de Mattos, Graham Dick, Donald Dunbar, Martin Fuller (Friday only), Peter Haines, Rob Houston-Campbell, Neil MacKenzie, Alan & Jackie Parker, Ian Pett, Paul Quinn GK, Keith Raper (Captain), John Smith, Tony Walker