We played Troyes, Le Havre and Red Star Paris in a pre-season tour.
Did anyone go?
My Dad did, sadly no longer with us. Missed the game in Paris cos they went to the wrong ground.
Thatâs what happens you go on the lash in Le TouquetâŚ.. 
Here is a match report from Paris:
I can pretty much guarantee his break in France would have been centered around drinking alcoholic beverages. I think he was miffed that the game at Paris was the only one we scored in though!
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I donât recall a tour of France but did both Scotland tours with sir Ray. So many happy memories of those two trips and have spent 25 years waiting for the next tour of a UK area so can do it all again with my lad.
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I went with my Dad. We did all 3 matches and had to rely on the Express & Star reporter to tell us where we were going, as back then there was no internet or Saddlers forum!
Red Star Paris was in this really rough part of the city - and not joking, there was a sign saying it was twinned with Salford!
Troyes was much nicer - a lovely part of France, but quite a trek so I think we were the only Walsall fans who made it. We were standing outside their ground when the Walsall coach turned up and the team got off. Ray Graydon saw my Walsall shirt and couldnât believe weâd travelled to see the match. He asked if we had tickets - and when we said no, he told us to wait outside while he sorted the team out, and then heâd come and collect us. True to his word, he came outside and took us in through the players entrance - much to the annoyance of the Troyes stadium staff and officials. As they tried to stop us, Ray just waved them away saying âles physiotherapists, les physiotherapists..â! He took us right through to the pitch - and then went through the team sheet with us explaining who was playing where!
Being a ferry terminal and easily reachable, Le Havre was fairly well attended by Walsall fans - easily 50 to 100 people. The only problem was the match wasnât played at their stadium, it was out at their training ground which was a lengthy taxi ride out of the city. This caught a lot of fans out and I got roped in to phoning taxis after the match and persuading them they come out and collect all these lairy, funny speaking Black Country folk!
Great memories and all facilitated by my Dadâs fantastic continental driving skills.
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What a great âWalsall FCâ story. Sir Ray was a genuine man who really connected with the ordinary folk of Walsall. This is why he is so revered. Thanks for posting. Reminds me of those happy days as a Walsall fan. Wishing we can have some of that again.
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Slight diversion but the BBC Red Button has a huge load of friendly fixtures listed and one that caught my eye was FC Andorra v Stevenage. If they can do a trip like that surely we can!
Typo mate - it should be:
FC Andover v Stevenage
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Shut that door!
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Ha! It is Andorra but being played in Murcia.
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He certainly was - I think he was shocked to see Saddlers fans all that way into France - nearly 400km from Calais.
It was a very sincere gesture he made. He was genuinely interested in what we were doing - and it is a real mark of what a great man he is - and just one of the reasons why Walsall fans love him like they do. It was also great to have him taking us through the stadium shooing away French officialdom like he did!
What a brilliant story, thanks for sharing.