I've racked my brains and checked my dictionary and books on proverbs and phrases, but I can't find any saying or phrase that matches your description of starting with 'The boys down...'
If you can find out the context in which it was said, and who said it, that might be of further help. Is it a sentence someone has actually said to you - if so how did that say it?
Of course, phrases don't translate well into other languages, even different forms of English! Here, a Englishman compares some sayings with their American equivalents:
