A Real Proper Football Match

Immensely looking forward to the match on Saturday between Tranmere Rovers and my beloved Lincoln City. This is the type of game that I have been longing for over the past 6 or 7 seasons. Two real football teams playing one another in a proper stadium at the top end of the league table. Yes it may only be top of the Vanarama National League but that is where both these historic football clubs find themselves at the moment. Two such clubs meeting at this level is somewhat sad but still it is a game to look forward too especially in a stadium such as Prenton Park a stadium to rival Sincil Bank, probably to surpass it if the truth be stated!

Second against third separated by just a point. Early in the season I know but a really juicy fixture to look forward too.

Can The Imps get anything out of the game, take the spoils or a share of the spoils? One would like to think so but it is going to be a terrifically difficult game. For me it would be the icing on the cake to take a point or three. To be there and be a part of this game is what I am truly looking forward to. Keeping my fingers firmly crossed for a good result though! Up The Imps.

Lincoln City FC - Reinstate the Stacey West Please!

Now. I am not a fan of locating myself in the Stacey West stand at Sincil Bank. For me the view is not what I am looking for but for many that is not the case.

The Stacey West Stand pre-match

The Stacey West, remember it is named after Bill Stacey and Jim West two life-long Imps fans who tragically lost their lives in the horrific Bradford fire, has always been viewed as a "home-stand" and should be regarded as just that. In my mind it has always been a rather perverse idea that it should be used for away fans and I know that I am far from alone in that belief.

When the decision to give the stand to the "away fans" was made the major effect was to move the "617 Squadron" into the upper tier of the Co-Op despite the resistance of many to the decision. "617" have never really sat, or should I say stood, comfortably there and there have been problems. Thankfully, these problems have been overcome but the feeling still remains that the Co-Op is not their proper home. Love them or not they are the noise generators and the atmosphere generators in the ground and having them tucked away in their present location does detract from their efforts, in my opinion. I am certain that if they were given the opportunity to return "home" to the Stacey West then hands would be bitten off!

There should be little difficulty housing away fans somewhere else within Sincil Bank, especially given the very small numbers in the majority of cases, that teams in the National League bring with them. The song fondly sung by "617" "You should have come in a taxi", bares witness to that. Do we really need the whole of the Stacey West to house, with very few exceptions, 30 or 50 away fans?

"617 Sqn" in full cry

My understanding of the decision to change the use of the stand was financial. It would save money on stewarding costs. When that decision was made I personally accepted it because of the financial position of the club which was, let us say, fairly fragile but that is no longer the case.

With the arrival of our new management duo there appears to be an uplift in positivity around the club and there is expected to be an uplift in attendance figures at the ground, which admittedly, have been less than one would like to see over the last few seasons. A deal of positivity would be added to the upswell if the Stacey West was returned to its natural use.

There seems to be little reason for the Stacey West not to be returned to the home fans, so come on Lincoln City. Let's see a sensible decision that will please a majority of your supporters, especially among the younger element who are the lifeblood of the club going forward.

"STACEY WEST FOR HOME SUPPORTERS IN 2016/17"

Football Supporters Are Really Quite Mad!

Now for those of you who are amongst the uninitiated out there I need to provide some information. As most will know I am a supporter of The Mighty Imps otherwise known as Lincoln City Football Club. Now, we have a lovely bloke playing up front for us by the name of Matt Rhead. Rheady, as he is known to his adoring legion of fans, is a big lad whose stamina far outshines his speed. As kind a description as I can provide.

The Man Himself!

He is a real pain in the arse irritant in the sides of opposing teams and also happens to be banging in the goals way beyond anyone's expectations. He battles, grapples, pushes and shoves with the best of them and receives exactly the same treatment from the opposing teams defenders. To put it mildly he is the fans favourite as the cries of "Rheady, Rheady" that ring out from the crowd will testify.

Recently, Lincoln City played Tranmere Rovers in a very important National League fixture, which Lincoln won 1-0. During the game, Rheady and the defenders were "at it" as normal when, after one particularly close and rugged coming together, Rheady emerged with a badly torn shirt. Now we are getting to the crux of this article and the title of it.

Rheady's shirt, the match worn, badly ripped shirt, has been put on Ebay to raise money for the Future Imps Fund, to provide finance for the youth system at Lincoln City. People are actually looking to buy it! Honest! After 15 bids, at the time of going to press, the shirt has reached £51. £51!! You can buy a brand new one from the club shop for under £40!

The Actual Shirt

Not only does this show that Football Supporters Are Really Quite Mad, especially Lincoln City supporters, but just how much they love their club. Fantastic effort really!

If you wish to be a part of this madness then the shirt can be found on Ebay by following this link: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262148410144?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649

Must Be A Woolyback Word - But No! Sick Innit?

Went to Birkenhead yesterday to watch the mighty Lincoln City Football Club against Tranmere Rovers. Excellent day out and not a bad result Nil - Nil against them in the FA Cup. Replay on Tuesday at Sincil Bank. However I digress.

Stuck on the wall of the stand was this sign:

Now that was a word I have never seen before. Vomitory. Thought it really had to be a Woolyback word. For the reader not acquainted with the term Woolyback (or Wools), it is a word used by Scousers, those born within Liverpool, for those that sound like Scousers and sometimes calling themselves Scousers who are actually from one of the towns surrounding Liverpool, such as Birkenhead. Still with me? Good oh.

So back to this word Vomitory. What does it actually mean? Is it to do with vomiting? Well yes and no from my investigations.

Apparently the term is derived from a Vomitoriom, which for some strange reason, is a Roman word for a passageway or alleyway which connects the outside to a row of seats. In the case of Tranmere Rovers, according to one of the stewards who should know, their vomitory or is that vomitori in the plural, are the stairwells leading down from the seating in the stands to the space underneath which houses the bar and the food outlets. Talkng of food and drinks, this leads me to another savoury tidbit, sorry about that, from my investigations. Apparently the vomitorium became a place where the ancient Romans went to vomit up the food they had already eaten to make way for some more. Delightful no? Does that mean they were all bulimic?

In the vernacular Sick innit mate?

Life, as they say, is a classroom every day.

I hope all of that was as educational for you as it was for me.

Valeat quantum valere potest.

Off The Booze

Been off the booze now for exactly a week. Sad to say I have found it very difficult to do. I suppose having had a drink, alcoholic, virtually every day for the last 40 years has a lot to do with that. Having said that I can't remember the last time that I was "boozed up" as that is not something that I do. I just like a drink with my dinner and a couple of beers. Wine is really my thing. There is no such thing as left-over wine in my house!

Strangely, I didn't set out to do this. It just sort of happened. One of the benefits is that I have lost half a stone in weight in the week but one of the worse things is when you get up in the morning you know that is the best you are going to feel all day!

As I say I didn't set out to not drink so I am not sure how long this will go on for. If I don't have a pint or two before the Lincoln City V Grimsby Town game on Saturday then I think I must have gone teetotal! Likely? Probably not.

We shall see. Toodle ooh!

Gawd. It's A Saturday Again!

Saturdays in summer. What a waste of a day. Nothing to do and to make it worse it's raining cats and dogs. This should not be allowed; having Saturdays in summer. Surely they could remove Saturdays from the calendar from the middle of May until the middle of July. That way the middle of July would come round a lot quicker. Why should I wish for that to happen? Simple.

THE FOOTBALL SEASON STARTS

Yes indeedy. THE FOOTBALL SEASON. The chance to go and sit out in the cold and watch 22 men chase after a ball. The chance to go and share the tribal passions of the like-minded who, in a very considered way, support their team. Travelling hour upon hour and thousands of miles to watch 90 minutes of action. Always with the distinct possibility that they will come away disappointed because their heroes have not done the business. Picking the bones out of every kick of the ball. Identifying those heroes that have become rubbish. Bemoaning the fact that the manager has no idea what he is actually doing! Being convinced about something that they have known all their lives. Yes, the referee was rubbish! 

But oh the glory, the heart-warming feeling when their heroes persevere against all the odds and achieve that which is the sole aim. VICTORY!!!! The garnering of another precious three points in the never-ending pursuit of success. Reliving every wondrous move, every delightful pass and every thunderous 30 yard screamer that just about burst the net. Oh yes it is all worthwhile.

Meanwhile Saturdays in the summer! Oh dear. 

Bradford Fire - Bantamtrek 2015

Just been highlighted to me by a friend who is a Bantam supporter that the Barnsley City kitman John Duckworth is walking from Sincil Bank to Bradford's Valley Parade to raise money for the Bradford Burns Unit in memory of the 56 that died in the Bradford tragedy and the survivors who were treated at the unit. 

For more information on the Bradford Tragedy please see my earlier blog http://steveodare.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/bradford-fire-remembered.html.

John Duckworth Bradford CIty Kitman

You can give to this great cause in one of two ways: 

https://www.justgiving.com/Bantamstrek2015/ 

or by texting BANT56 with the amount to 70070. 

If you can, please give. The guy is walking 73.6 miles in aid of this worthy cause and deserves all the support we can give him. 

Many thanks. 

Steve

Bradford Fire Remembered

We have now reached the 30th anniversary of the horrendous Bradford City fire in which 56 football fans met their end in terrible circumstances. 54 from Bradford City and 2 from Lincoln City. On what should have been a day of celebration for the Bantams fans 11th May 1985, the day when they received the league trophy, there was nothing but horror and despair. The horrors still live within many people who were present on that day.

Yesterday, there was a minutes silence before Lincoln City's game against Eastleigh to pay tribute to those that lost their lives and those that were affected by it. It was impeccably observed by all in the ground both Lincoln and Eastleigh supporters.

You really could have heard the proverbial pin drop. The depth of feeling relating to this tragedy was evident as there were several supporters near me in tears.

The 56 will never be forgotten along with all other football supporters who set out from home to watch a match and never return to the bosom of their families.