The trajectories of Grégory Thil and RC Lens had often approached when the striker born in Creil collected goals. They had never met, however. It is now done. After putting an end to his career this summer at the age of 40, the emblematic striker of Boulogne-sur-Mer (119 goals for 297 National, L2, L1 games in 9 seasons) is a recruiter for the Sang et Or, in the game center of France. At a time when he started a new career, he remembers the Oise, where it all started for him, between Balagny, the little club he started off, and Beauvais, where he signed his first professional contract.
Between Beauvais and Boulogne, to name a few, you have more than 250 matches and 69 pro goals. Did you imagine such a career?
GREGORY THIL. To evolve for so long as a young amateur, at a rather low level, then to succeed in entering the professional world, it was unexpected. But it did. Like what you always have to believe in it. With a lot of work and a little talent, we can do it. That’s a beautiful story.
A story that began in the small club of Balagny …
I started football there, in my father’s footsteps. I have a lot of memories, whether at Balagny, where I played until I was 18, or then at Mouy under the direction of Rachid Kaouachi, who is now a coach at Balagny.
It was with Mouy that you won the Coupe de l’Oise in June 2000 under the watchful eye of Jacky Bonnevay, then Beauvais coach, promoted to D2. A match that changed a lot of things …
It was at the Pierre-Brisson stadium in front of 4,000 people, a flagship competition at the time. We win 3-2 (Editor’s note: facing Chevrières), I scored 2 goals. The following year, Jacky Bonnevay asked me to train with them while I was playing Mouy. Every Wednesday, I went to train in the morning with the pros of Asbo. I arrived with my green socks from the US Mouy. I denoted a little (laughs). At the end of the season, he suggested that I join Asbo. In June, I was still playing in DH with Mouy and I was an educator in a college. On July 10, I resumed training with the Beauvais reserve, and on August 11, I signed my first professional contract.
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Were you more interested in a career as a teacher?
I liked sports, I had started doing Staps. Obviously, when you play in District or League, you don’t tell yourself that you’re going to become a pro! Afterwards, the planets aligned. With hard work and determination. It is a question of opportunities that must be seized. We must not give up either because there were difficult times too. I have known unemployment. Football is going fast.
That is to say ?
My first pro season was when Beauvais almost made it to L1. It would have been nice for the Oise, one of the only departments in France that has never experienced L1. The club unfortunately experienced two consecutive descents, until CFA (N 2 now), with the loss of pro status. I have remained faithful to Beauvais. If this season in CFA (Editor’s note: 2004-2005, under the direction of Bruno Roux) hadn’t gone well, there might not even have been a pro career behind it.
No record for the fastest goal in Ligue 2 …
It was in Caen (Editor’s note: March 22, 2002, 33rd day). Commitment from Caen, they lose the ball, David De Freitas recovers it and immediately throws me from an outside foot. I go in depth and deceive Jean-Marie Aubry. My very first pro goal, and after 14 seconds of play. It was a great moment. On the way back, the bus had stopped at Hérouville, the hold remained open. I had my bag stolen. Something improbable. First pro goal, the record, stolen bag, funny story… My goal was for a long time the fastest in the division. He was beaten in 2009 by a former Beauvais teammate, Rémi Maréval (Editor’s note: with Nantes against Nîmes on September 26, after 8 seconds).
Does the match you played with your father at Balagny hold a special place in your career?
It’s a beautiful memory, it’s not easy to play with your father when you are 28 years of age difference. It was against Marseille-en-Beauvaisis if I remember correctly. I think he entered at half-time. He was going at 2000 per hour, it was a phenomenon. He was faster than me at the same age. Even at 40, my father was still going super fast, taking little youngsters at speed. He played on the left wing, has long been on the field.
Like you elsewhere …
At a level a little higher than my father (laughs). I was still in good shape, it must be in the genes. At the end of last season (10 goals in 18 games with Besançon in N3), I had proposals. Even there, not long ago, clubs called me because they didn’t know… I could have continued, but I’m 40 years old, enjoyed it a lot, and Lens was a great opportunity. It’s a small death when you stop playing, but you also have to keep moving forward and think about your retraining.
How do you see Chambly and Beauvais today?
I followed the Beauvais course which went up to N2 but it is difficult. Given the structures, I hope the club will be able to move up the hierarchy. As for Chambly, it’s incredible. It remains an improbable story. When I was 20, it was a departmental club, today he is in L2! It was unimaginable that they managed to reach the pro level. The Luzi family did something crazy.
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