IT IS NOT VERY OFTEN that the
'house full' boards are erected outside Easter Road these days, but they
will be on June 1st - and there won't be a football in sight. That is
the day when the stadium plays host to a unique event, and Hibs fans who
have so loved the style and flair of Franck Sauzee will pay a final
tribute to the man who took the club so much to his own heart and soul.
For Sauzee it will be a difficult
afternoon, returning as he will to the stadium for the first time since
his sacking as manager of the club. The bitter taste may have
diminished somewhat, but will not quite have vanished just yet. However
this is about the fans, and Sauzee has agreed to this final farewell as
much as his own tribute to the Hibernian support as it is for the
fans
to pay homage to one of the most talented footballers to pull on a green
and white shirt. While fans of other clubs may scoff at the strong bond
between Sauzee and the Hibs support, even they have to admit that in
these cynical days it can't be a bad thing that football
fans can still
afford a little time for sentiment.
In happier days - Sauzee receives a small gift from
Hibs.net shortly
after his appointment as manager
June 1st is all about Sauzee and the
fans; there will be a few well known faces around for sure, but they
will be there in only one capacity, as fans themselves who appreciated
just what Sauzee brought to Easter Road in his all-too short time as
both player and in particular manager. Nobody will ever know now just
what the future could have held for Hibernian had Sauzee remained, it is
something that must be consigned to history, his sacking a bitter moment
but one that must never be allowed to cloud the good times, the great
memories Hibs fans will have of a player who will certainly be regarded
as a legend in years to come. The sad thing is that not every Hibee who
wished to attend this farewell to Sauzee can do so.
Tickets for the event sold out
quickly, and those lucky enough to grab them have no intention of
letting them go. The group responsible for organising the event, the
Franck Sauzee Appreciation Society, will cease to exist shortly after
June 1st. This was a one-off, the Society formed primarily through the
pages of Hibs.net with just one aim in mind, to ensure that
Sauzee did not return to France without knowing the truly high regard in
which he will always be held by supporters of Hibernian Football Club.
The evening has another purpose, with a raffle being held to raise funds
for the Sick Children's charity. The main prize in the raffle will be
one sought after by every Hibs fan - Sauzee's own shirt from the
Scottish Cup Final.
Hibs.net will be represented on
June 1st, bringing interviews and reports from what is already being
billed as the event of the year. Tickets for the raffle, priced at £1,
are available from the FSAS or on the night.
