Last Tango in Birmingham.

Dance till Dawn, New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham.

It’s tempting to describe this show as another vehicle for the talents of Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace of Strictly fame but the reality is, this would be a terrific show without them. With them it was a triumph.

Yes, missing a City home game I know but it was off to Brum for a weekend away and an evenings entertainment. Birmingham is, how can I put this politely? Not a lovely city but it’s big, very big and there’s lots going on and it’s a lot cheaper than London and only an hour and a half away by car.

The New Alexandra Theatre is large, at least as large as the West End Theatres if not larger and it was full to capacity for this the last show at the venue so there was a lively atmosphere as we took our seats. There was a very excited audience awaiting the performers and they were not disappointed, it was electric. If you’re not a fan of Strictly it’s not a problem as this production is nothing like it.
Anyone wondering, like me, how they were going to fit in ballroom and Latin dancing into what is basically a musical would soon be enlightened as the show set off at a gallop and the stars were soon in action and what action, they are superb, it was breath taking to be honest the highlight being a moment when Flavia launched backwards off quite a high step ladder into the arms of waiting male dancers. That had the audience gasping but not so much as the finale, an Argentine Tango so fast and so technically accomplished it was no wonder most of the audience were on their feet.

The singing was good, the girls were gorgeous, the fellas were handsome, the story was believable so a good night by any reckoning.
The Imps as we all know lost their unbeaten home record so all in all, right place right time as they say.

The show moves on and if I’ve whetted any appetites Leeds and Hull are coming up. Keep Dancing!

City aim to put their dismal away form and a dismal week behind them.

With all that’s been going on I applaud anyone making the trip to Bristol tomorrow. I’ve been a couple of times and its difficult place to find success particularly after the week we’ve all had.

Grant Brown has been hinting to the Echo of a change of direction tactically for away fixtures, starting with conceding less. It’s not rocket science really. It’s often said in football you’ve got to earn the right to play and thinking about it logically City may have been far too gung ho from the start and need to feel their way in to a game before launching all-out attack, much though we like that approach.

There’s also the small matter of the Imps abysmal disciplinary record :-
"We have conceded a few goals on the road recently," admitted Brown.
"However, those games have seen situations where players have been sent off and such.
"We do need to look at how we are playing and the win over Dover showed that we can grind out results.
"If we want to get promotion then we need to show we can play a different style.
"It is good that we can play attacking football and have scored some goals, but you need that other side of your game as well”

It’s nice to have some football to talk about after this most depressing week and we have to hope the players have managed to isolate themselves from off field matters.

I’m going to tempt providence and say I’d be amazed if City return to Lincoln with any points but we could certainly do with a boost.

Save the Imps #2

Imps followers wishing to assist the club in its current unforeseen dilemma are advised to consult the club. I understand there are various ways we can help. For those able to invest in a major way the club will be issuing bonds which will offer a very competitive rate of interest for fans and others with the city in their hearts with £1000 plus to put in.

The club has also stated that share applications are always welcome. I think this is probably the road I will go down.

For fans wishing to contribute more modest sums, which after all is as much as the majority of us can afford, a fund raising web site has been set up at http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/save-the-imps-1.

Finally, and obviously, the more fans at home games the better so if you are a lapsed Imp or for any reason stopped going to Sincil Bank please consider attending the remaining games this season. Unless fans vote with their feet it could be the clubs last.

Knock me down, why don’t you?

Just when things were looking up for those of an Impish persuasion along come the Coop Bank, proud owners of City’s overdraft, to say that’s it, take your business elsewhere. How we could have done with being Cambridge United last night at Old Trafford.
Bob Dorrian has written to shareholders asking for help in the face of demands from the Coop to sell assets to reduce the amount owed to them. He told the Echo:-
“We do not wish to sell Club assets as this would leave us in a very precarious financial position, i.e if we did, the Co-op Bank would get its money back and we would still be faced with raising a further £300k/£400k on top of what we owe the bank to use as working capital , effectively placing the Club in dire financial straits.”

We’re probably no worse than many other clubs but you do wonder if someone up there doesn’t like us. Maybe we should be ditching that Imp.

A grand day out.

We have a very civilised tradition in my office. For the last half hour of the working week we senior chaps (No girls) meet in one of our offices (the one with the fridge) and enjoy a beer together discussing politics, the weather, women, whatever takes our fancy. It finishes the week off nicely and if the truth be told if you want to influence company policy, bring it up at the soiree.

It was a natural progression to organise an outing and the chance came up to obtain tickets for us all for the rugby at Leicester Tigers for the cup game v Northampton Saints so a derby to boot. I decided from the off I would travel by train and the rest of the contingent decided to follow suit and come over to Hykeham to travel together so bacon rolls were provided and off we all went.

Apart from an occasional visit to the Lindum this was my first experience of rugby and, as I was missing a City home game, it was inevitable that my mind mused on the similarities between watching the two sports. It’s an unfair comparison as Leicester are at the absolute top of the rugby pyramid and Lincoln City aren’t and never will be at the top of theirs although the top players were not in evidence as they are all in the midst of preparations or already playing in internationals.

Leaving aside the relative skills and the fact that the game was a 24000 sell out I felt that a trip to Sincil Bank could prove a more exciting spectacle although of course I am not a die hard rugby fan, the round ball is my passion. However, and I’m going to sound really old fashioned here, if I was taking my wife and daughter to a game rugby is a far safer option. That’s not to say Sincil Bank is a bearpit because it’s not, particularly if you sit as I do in the Echo stand but nevertherless in terms of crowd behaviour, sporting attitude and general orderliness rugby wins hands down. The crowd are not segregated, no police in evidence and considering virtually everyone had a drink in their hands and got through more than a few (how City could do with those bar takings) then the lack of any unpleasantness at all made a very nice change.

Of course that very policy of allowing fans home and away to mingle did rather detract from the atmosphere and the sad fact that football fans are not permitted to mingle does increase the possibility of organised singing and chanting that is so much a part of British football. It was pleasant though to be in such a large crowd, inebriated as some of them were and to experience such a friendly and sporting ambience. For all our lowly existence at present though Association Football can still be the beautiful game and frequently is so I will be sticking to my Imps allegiance, in the blood as it is.

All of which brings us on to matters Lincoln and my interest in the home fixture v Dover had to be satisfied via the smart phone but it’s a lot easier to follow the fortunes of your team when on your travels these day than it was so I left Welford Road fully up to speed with City’s latest home victory although I can’t on this occasion describe how it was achieved. The fact that the 1.0 victory was achieved cannot be overstated as Dover were a very tough nut to crack. The legendary Dean Walling said in his weekly column in the Echo that City could not be described as promotion or even play off chasing material as they did not occupy a top five league position. I don’t agree with that. I think if you are in a position to be in the top five by the end of the regular season then you are in the chase and can be described as such. In any event, as I said previously if City can overcome their away blues and come away from Alfreton on Tuesday with three points everyone, and that includes Mr Walling will have to sit up and take notice. I’m sure having always read his comments in the paper with interest and knowing that in his heart he is an Imp still, nothing will please him more.