Lincoln
City v Coventry City, Nov 18, 2017
Almost 36 years to the day before this game
I was watching the same home team, Lincoln City, in the same stadium, Sincil
Bank. I was on my own, and standing on a long since demolished section of
terrace close to the player’s tunnel. I’d never stood there before and I never
stood there again, but when the final whistle went I moved close to the tunnel
to take a closer look at my heroes as they left the field following a 2-1
victory.
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| A game I was at just 36 years ago. |
You’d think the fans would have been happy
at the result, and I believe that most of them were. One man was genuinely furious,
though. As the three referees approached the tunnel, I could see him jumping up
and down in anticipation. As they walked down the tunnel he yelled, “Bloody
disgraceful, referee, you’re an absolute bloody disgrace.”
The referee’s performance had been entirely
unremarkable.
Fast forward three dozen years and I’m
standing at almost exactly the same spot, except on the other side of the
tunnel - it’s the first time I’ve been this close since that game in 1981. This
time Lincoln have deservedly lost 2-1, but myself and several fans are
applauding them off the field for their effort, and because they played their
part in a fast and entertaining game of football.
