Pictures: Paris St Germain v Warrington Wolves, June 22, 1996

While in recent times it has seemed perfectly natural for The Wire and their barmy army of supporters to head over the Channel to watch a rugby league match, back then it was almost revolutionary as the sport made its switch from a winter season to a summer one.

That was the year Super League was born and clubs became franchises, with the flawed PSG arrival enabling a boast of a European competition rather than a British or even English one.

With supporters having until then been accustomed to mainly watching matches along the M62 corridor, the sudden opportunity to support The Wire during a weekend break in Paris tempted thousands to make the historic trip.

While some did choose to fly into the French capital, most made their way a day or two before the game via ferry or the Channel Tunnel which had opened two years earlier.

Unlike with future Wire matches against Catalans Dragons in the south of France, with Paris being such a vast city there was no obvious place for all the travelling support to congregate until the match day itself when it became clear around the stadium that thousands had made the trip for the Saturday evening kick-off.

Earlier in the day people enjoyed sightseeing, or finding cafe bars to watch England football team progress against Spain in Euro 96, while some even jumped on a train to spend a good chunk of the day at Euro Disney, which had opened four years earlier.

The Wire fans certainly created a carnival atmosphere inside the 20,000-capacity multi-use Charléty Stadium that is the current home of Paris FC who compete in Ligue 2, the second division of professional French football.

A mini pitch invasion occurred after the final hooter sounded on a game which John Dorahy's Wire side won 26-24 against opposition that won only three games all season.

Centre Jon Roper scored two tries, with the others being touched down by hooker Kris Watson, scrum-half Willie Swann and loose-forward Paul Sculthorpe, while full-back Iestyn Harris kicked three conversions.

Warrington team: Iestyn Harris; Mark Forster, Chris Rudd, Jon Roper, Richard Henare; Toa Kohe-Love, Willie Swann; Mark Jones, Kris Watson, Mark Hilton, Paul Hulme, Paul Cullen, Paul Sculthorpe. Subs: Lee Penny, Paul Barrow, Andy Bennett, Ian Knott.

The PSG adventure lasted just two seasons, with the French club folding in 1997.

Warrington ended up only playing in Paris on the one occasion, as their 1997 away game was played 'on the road' in Bayonne in the south of France.