City low on numbers but high on entertainment.

 

I know we’re supposed to dismiss the Papa Johns Trophy but my friend Stewart and I rather enjoy the relaxed experience the games provide, particularly when the quality on offer is so high.

I’m always reminded of the days when we ran to a reserve side and could see the players skills for what they were untroubled relatively by the over zealous attention of burly defenders. It always occurred to me that the talent on offer was actually not that far removed from top level players but of course the difference was those at a more exalted level could display those skills in pressured play but our more humble players could not or at least could only do it in small doses.

Were we seeing the stars of the future in the Man U side? I doubt it personally but you never know. I recall watching a young slip of a lad on loan to Preston North End in a strip that was far too big for him, in a game at Sincil Bank, I can call it that because it still was. I think even I could tell that young David Beckham was destined for great things.

The thing is, these young players are taught to play in a certain way and I suppose the ethos is to allow them to develop free from the desperate need for points that they will feel in their professional career but, pretty though it was City totally dominated Man U for most of this game with passing every bit as good, as well they might you could say, but with attacking verve and purpose which led to a three-nil lead which, as has become the norm, City managed to surrender leading to a proper battle for the points at the end.

I hesitate to criticise the manager and I’m not doing really but right from the moment this fixture was announced, with not much notice, the big Apple signified his displeasure at having to play it and we thought that distain led to the selection, certainly as regards the bench of a minimum number of bodies available. City came unstuck as first Scully went off, in what we now realise was very much a pre emptive move with Saturdays game at Oxford in mind. Of rather more concern was Dan N’Lundulu’s unscheduled departure which looked more serious. This left City a man short. Appleton said he had no more academy scholars ready to come on but I bet the contempories of Billy Brooks would have loved to come on in front of 3500 and run around a bit even if they wouldn’t have a sniff of the ball.

Talking of the size of the crowd, that surprised us. To get a gate that some clubs even in league one would be pleased with shows that many of our fans, like us, want to come out and see Lincoln City, regardless of the competition.