Many moons ago I was in conversation with my fellow
students, many of whom were from big cities, talking about football and we
stated who our teams were. Normally when you say you are from Lincoln people
know the city but don’t know where it is and it’s a bit difficult. I think a
lot of people would say, well it’s quite near Nottingham but, certainly the
sort of people I went to college with weren’t all that sure where that city is
either.
Anyway, there was a recognition of the name as we were all
football fans and City were known about because, at that time we’d had quite a
decent run in the third division as it then was and people had heard of us. I
remember thinking, yes, we’re a third division outfit now.
Of course, City being City that situation didn’t last long
and you don’t need me to tell you what followed on but I sort of had that
notion on Saturday watching the game. Yes, the Imps are relative minnows compared
with the likes of Sheffield Wednesday but here we are doing battle with them
and the other so-called giants in the division but we're in league one and
here as of right, not some here today gone tomorrow flash in the pan like last
time.
Furthermore, things are gradually changing. I don’t know
whether you saw that article on our manager in the Irish Times but Mark Kennedy
made reference to the fact that, behind the team management is a polished,
professional and highly ambitious board and governing set up committed to, at
the very least, maintaining City’s place in the hierarchy. We didn’t have that
before. Kennedy went so far as to say if he hadn’t got the job he would have
thanked the club for the opportunity of applying for the post, such was the respect
the club is now afforded.
Did you notice also the attendance - it’s always nice when
it’s over 10000, was the biggest in the division? Admittedly in the absence of any
of the big hitters being at home. So it was a proper big match atmosphere as
the game kicked off and I said so to my friend, the Boston United supporter who
must have been getting ready for his game and by the time he replied it was “good
luck for the second half”. Good luck indeed as City appeared to be very much
against it with Wednesday looking impressive although thinking back it was very
much the Barry Bannan show. I know I shouldn’t but I really enjoyed Bannan’s
performance and, being as I’m in a nostalgic mood it reminded me very much of a
City midfielder called Dennis Booth who was a pivotal player for us very much
in the, if you’re in trouble, give the ball to Dennis mode.
In terms of the game given that, whilst the figure for possession
was massively in Owls favour as were the shots but in terms of shots on target
the two teams were identical.
That, for me was the story of the game. Wednesday, the
glamour boys backed noisily and in great numbers but when it came down to it,
profligate in front of goal and in the final reckoning, the stat that matters
equals. Wednesday might not like it, but we are.
For some reason I felt particularly at ease at the game.
Maybe the expectation that City almost certainly were going to lose, so might
as well sit back and enjoy it but maybe it dawned on me that Wednesday were a
bit of a one trick pony, in the form of Bannan and City, particularly in the
second half, as they rapidly levelled, they had every chance of getting at
least a point.
Teams like Sheffield Wednesday are always going to look
better than us but I do wonder, what with City’s reputation of bringing on
young players, either our own or a loan, in terms of quality, albeit at the beginning of careers rather than the
finished product, we’re not actually seeing players of at least the
same or better than these so called big clubs. Certainly the standard compared
to the last time the Imps were at this level is at least a division higher, if
not more.
