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.

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.