For whom the bell tolls.

 

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?