My Dad used to go and watch Portsmouth. All the Navy chaps stationed
there did. A friend who was also a Navy
man told me they’d all go and buy a rosette from a man stationed outside the
stadium, for who ever Pompey were playing, and cheer them to the rafters.
Pompey were First Division then, a big team. Mind you to
read some of the reports in the Sunday papers you’d think they still were. One
I saw, in a paper I shouldn’t admit to reading, got all the way to the bottom
of the “report” before they mentioned Lincoln City at all.
Way back, when City got into the old third division courtesy
of the Graham Taylor team, the Lincolnshire Echo, in the days when you had to
wait for the paper to come out to learn anything, described Pompey as “the first
indication this season that City are in higher company."
I still get that feeling, of playing a team that should be
bigger and better, yet for my money there seemed little difference between the
sides, as borne out by the result. The reason City are able to compete
admittedly as the poor relations, was illustrated at the LNER stadium yesterday
as our American investors were welcomed to the game against Portsmouth. I hope
they enjoyed the game and felt that their investment was bearing fruit. It’s
down to them and their fellow investors that City enjoy their present status
and we, the fans get to see the likes of Portsmouth, Derby County, Charlton Athletic
and Sheffield Wednesday. I know a lot is said about the feeling of entitlement
of some of our supporters who perhaps haven’t lived through the years of
torment that some of us have but personally, at these big games particularly
with a sell out home crowd, I have to pinch myself to believe what I’m watching
Nothing’s ever certain in football of course, even some
supposedly mighty, invincible clubs, find themselves on the slippery slope but,
in the hope that I’m not tempting providence, these days for Imps fans there’s
not that here today gone tomorrow feeling that used to accompany our brief appearances
at higher levels and the club today at least gives the impression of a more
secure future in the division and maybe one day may even make further progess?
Success, for City could be equated as failure for the likes
of Pompey. I’m sure there will be lots of “I’ve been a supporter for forty
years and never thought we’d be dropping points to the likes of these tin pot
outfits we have to play” comments. Well, you’d better get promoted or you’ll be
playing the likes of us for some time yet.
As mentioned, I thought it was an entertaining afternoon,
that irritating bell aside. There again people probably moan about our siren. I’m
sure the bell was around in Dads time. The last time he and I saw Pompey
together we got stuffed four one and we got totally soaked standing on the
Sincil Bank terracing in the pouring rain. Yet still we believe. It’s a grand
life isn’t it?
