BFC 4-3 Lincoln City, Saturday 1st March 2025

‘We didn’t sign a striker. But it doesn’t matter Cos we’ve got Max Watters.’

Just over a week ago we were solid midtable, going nowhere fast. 8 days later, 3 wins in a row and we’ve given ourselves a chance of 8th. COYR! Today’s victory was an odd one. There were 7 goals but it was hardly a thriller. There was little jeopardy till the last 4 minutes, as we raced into a 3-0 and 4-1 lead before trying to give it away. Sorry, before Coach Clarke tried to give it away by hauling off the first team for the poorest bench in eons (one of whom actually scored!)

Yes, we were ahead within 12 minutes, as DKD darted inbetween two statuesque defenders to lob the keeper, himself stranded in no-mans land. Then, with the half hour up, we were away and cruising, as DKD played in Phillips to lash home, low. Honestly, what had happened to Lincoln? Last season, they came to Oakwell and tore us apart, 5-1. Now they looked on a par with Crawley Town.

Still, they had half-time to hope. Given our second half form this season, who didn’t expect us to collapse? Instead, their backline mess up and gift Georgie Gent on the backpost after good work from DKD and Humphreys. Georgie Gent! Finally paying off some of that 200k we spunked on him? Not so fast. An Impish ball to our backpost has Gent falling over himself and chesting it down for them to score. WTAF? If he wasn’t there, he’d have done a better job.

To be fair, the team tinkering had already begun. Why wouldn’t you start subbing players at two nil? Watters is on for Humphreys, while O’Keeffe was hauled for Lembikisa at half-time. The coup de grace is Benson for Beds (he’s seen enough of them) on for Phillips. Mind, all looks rosy again when Watters is played through on the halfway line. (Benson actually won the ball.) He strides forward to the edge of the box, bamboozles the defender, drops a shoulder, goes right, and drives the ball across the keeper into the far bottom corner. Absolutely superb.

Of course, the game is won now. Bob thinks it’s a chance to boost our goal difference. The coach thinks otherwise. Gent is off (injured). A chance for Conor Barrett to unimpress at right back, with Lembikisa to continue his awfulness on the opposite flank. Who are these people who think playing left back and right back are the same thing? Have they ever tried it? He also drags DKD for Rodrigues (‘the baguette munching Frenchman’). I am at least pleased for those who’ve never seen this bloke play before. Admit, it, you’ve forgotten what he was like already.

Within two minutes, the Imps make it 4-2. Barrett has yet to figure where he’s meant to be standing, and the ball is played into the space where a right wing back might normally be expected to be. An Imp runs onto it and leaves Earl for dead. Earl is running in treacle. He always is. Still, a smart finish from their player, burying it low off the far post. (I’ll get to the finishing later.)

With 6 mins (plus injury time) left, all the talk is whether we can throw this away, a la Ipshit all those years ago. I am weirdly confident. I must say though, I’m placing my faith in Lincoln’s inability rather than...

We are 2 minutes into the added time when Barrett inexplicably lets their player wriggle past him. PLEASE let this cameo be the first and last I see of this guy. He is TERRIBLE. (There’s a reason he can only sneak a rare place on the bench.) A mad scramble ends in the inevitable…a toe poke into our net...and FINALLY. Game on! Some jeopardy! Suddenly it’s all hands to the decks as a defence containing Barrett, Lembikisa, Earl and Roberts attempt to hang on, while all other outfielders are haring around like they CARE. And, if anything, we looked more likely to break and score. But we didn’t. Cos we’re still not good enough.

Onwards and upwards!

*** DKD. He’s on FIRE! Who’s betting he’ll still be here next season?
** Roberts. Won his challenges and remained composed. That’s two in a row.
* Russell. Another tidy performance linking up midfield and up top.

Official MOTM: Russell (I think).

Londontykes’ MOTM: 1. DKD 2. Roberts 3. Russell

Despatches:
Well done all concerned on the new flag. Looked great, though I’m not sure about ‘Barnsley FC – a rare delight’. Rare in what way? That there’s only one of them (Barnsley FC)? Or ‘rare’ in that they usually fail to deliver (especially at home)? Works both ways, I guess. Putting my sensible head on, I’d have gone ‘Spectamur Agendo’. Let us be judged by our acts. For you will be. Players, coaches, owners...Directors of Recruitment. And I guess someone already has Billy Casper giving it the two fingered salute for their own flag, otherwise I’d have that an’ all. But hey! Baby steps. (We’re a little away from Standard Liege having a banner for a returning player showing a fan having cut off said player’s head with a machete, blood dripping, head in one hand, machete in the other.)

XG today 0.82 v 1.65. What can it all mean? Well, it tells you that we outperformed our expected tally. It tells you that the shots we took don’t normally end up in goals, ie, they were either blinding finishes, or the keeper has messed up. It was the former, barring Gent nicking one from a panicky defence (and even that was a good finish, cutting in and finishing with his wrong foot). But, as ever, we’re relying on good hits. As were they.

No MdG today. We didn’t appeal his red card midweek, which tells me there was enough in it to give it. McCarthy stood in and we won again. Anyone would think it’s coincidence. Maybe it is. Connell was suspended too but Nwakali didn’t help himself, having his worst game yet, losing the ball in dangerous areas. Everyone agreed Lembikisa was as bad, if not worse, once he’d switched sides. Good job he was only on for 45. O’Keeffe was poor, Gent same. I thought Earl was average, which in his world, is above average. I’m not sure the keeper saved owt (remember: he turned their XG of 1.42 into 3!). Oh, hang on, he did, smothering a 1-on-1 at 3 or 4-1. Humphreys and Phillips had their moments, though the former is not a centre forward, even if you play him there.

And then there’s Max Watters. Nothing makes you appreciate a centre forward than not having one. That French bloke? The Orish wingback? Aidy Marsh? Honestly, Max Watters came back looking like a combo of Nat Lofthouse, Tommy Lawton and Alan Shearer. I imagine. Either way, he looks a class above the alternative, and I applaud him for it. (I’d still accept a refund in a heartbeat.) So good in fact, the Ponty were singing his name to the tune of Billy Joel’s ‘We didn’t start the fire’. It was always burning since the world’s been turning. (I used to love that song. Still do. Note to the PA: you;ve binned the dirge that is Hey Jude, replaced it with that whine about taking me home…let’s get the ground chanting Watters’ name!!!! I’ll get the petition for Billy Joel now!

Oh, and then I jetted off to see Fatdog in Manchester. I was a bit surprised, wearing my Reds shirt, to get a ‘YOOO REDDDS!’ from some young lad who wasn’t even born when said shirt was first worn. Fatdog were unbelievable too. File under ‘need to be seen to be believed’.

Drink du jour: House Party IPA in Spiral, Weihenstephaner (Sheffield Tap), Beavertown Neck Oil (Manchester Academy)

Away: 1,217 (11,914). A couple of da yoof got off the train, cans in hand, exited the railway station and instantly broke into a round of ‘Barnsley’s a sh*thole, I wanna go home.’ Listen kids. If you’ve not been before, you need to see a bit more of the place before coming to a fair judgement. And if you have been before…well, why’ve you come back? Kn*bheads.

The Damage:
£11 train
= £11

Lincoln City 1-2 BFC, Saturday 17th August 2024

‘Serenity now, serenity now.’

This is why we’re better off in division 3. Cathedral, cobbles and German wheat beer. Where are Washday traipsing this weekend? Sunderland. Ever been to Sunderland? As well as fantasy trips to Hull, Stoke, Middlesbrough...it’s a just a tour of this summer’s far right ‘troubles’ innit? You can chuck in Dirty L**ds too. Whereas we also get Shrewsbury, Exeter, Cambridge...Rotherham. Ok, I’ll stop there.

Plus we win more in division 3. Often while playing quite badly. And so it was today, as we nick 2 goals from the only efforts I remember on target (save for a Cotter shot blocked) while a commanding performance between the sticks from our league debutant (and Chelsea 8th choice) Slonina brought renewed optimism for our chances this season. Sign a striker and we might even finish top half!

As Nozzer said, it was a most pleasant day out. Nice Guy Chris and Mrs Nice Guy met us at the train station and pre-match was spent in last season’s craft ale house, BeerHeadz. Mind, I lost Reedy and Nozzer on the way up, as I appeared to know half the street. There were Reds here, there and everywhere. Problies had to get there early for Lincoln Pride. I must pass on my thanks to Googlemaps too, directing me around the entire circumference of the cathedral to get to Beerheadz. Lovely. (You don’t get this in Sunderland...it doesn’t have a cathedral.) People who know me, will, of course, blame my inability to use technology properly.

Had a lovely walk along the river to the ground, too. Well, we would’ve done, were it not for the police barring any Reds fans from the pleasure. We got to admire the - ahem – characterful local housing instead. I hate being bullied. (It was the same afterwards.) Surely we Barnsley fans have an impeccable reputation, and are not the sort to destroy brand new toilets later on at the ground (rumour had it). To be fair, they could do with new toilets. As folk queued 5 deep for the urinals, fans simply p***ed in the sinks. And that was the Ladies. What was I saying about the appeal of division 3?

We had good seats, so much so we didn’t use them. High up, but not too central, so avoided the idiots (adjacent company excepted). Besides, from where we were, we could keep an eye on Chris, who’d rather sit near the front so he can’t see owt at the far end. (I should talk; even now people are telling me Roberts grabbed our winner, when I know full well it was Cosgrove heading home. Do we have too many blond Adonides? It seems we do; if Connell wasn’t so one-footed, I wouldn’t know the difference between him and Craig in centre-mid either). Anyway, that goal was at the far end. It’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.

Roberts’ goal was also early enough in the second half that many fans missed it. I know that feeling. But far away as it was, I detected a fine cross from B. Cotter. Love you Bazza! That put us two up, Cosgrove scoring after 13 with a beautiful pass into the far corner from just inside the box following immaculate control. Piece of cake this division.

I couldn’t see Lincoln getting back into it. Slonina had saved a one-on-one in the first half and commanded his area like no Reds keeper within immediate memory. However, his kicking was very much of the Adam Davies variety. Yet I’m sure I read he was good with his feet. Maybe he’s a dancer? Anyway, between him and defensive giants Pines and Roberts, nevermind MdG, Earl and Cotter...and big lads up top in Cosgrove and Watters...every time Lincoln got a corner, I told Andy ‘we’re not gonna concede from a set piece THIS SEASON.’ So we conceded from a set piece, as a corner was half cleared and a bloke with the glorious name of House swivelled and half volleyed into the far corner. ‘Who in the Reds team would score THAT?’ ‘Nobody.’ ‘House hits home’ the Lincoln Gazette confusingly headlines. Probably.

From that point on, we sat back and soaked up what barely constituted pressure. A couple of soft headers straight to Slonina, the closest other time we came to conceding was when Roberts chopped the right winger as he crossed it in. It was undoubtedly a foul. The only question was whether it was in the box. The ref had a great view of it…and ignored it completely. Good man. Oh, and a miscommunication between keeper and MdG. But I wasn’t worried. I wasn’t.

Last week: bottom of the table. This week: top of the bottom half.

Onwards and upwards!

*** Slonina. Remember that name. This kid will go far. (So he should, I hear he cost Chelsea 10 mill.) USA! USA!
** . Cotter. Raided the right wing, didn’t let the ball go under his foot for a throw once...and set up what turned out to be the winner.
* Pines. Dominant and composed.

Londontykes’ POTY: 1. Slonina 2. Cosgrove 3= Pines/Cotter

Despatches:
I’m liking this new manager – he tells it like it is. ‘The fans were 10/10, we were 3/10.’ One of the big problems with Neill Collins last season was his continuous inability to call a spade a spade. The football would be terrible and yet we’d ‘played well’ or ‘controlled the game’. Fans aren’t stupid. Sorry, all fans aren’t stupid.

Can I rewind? I know the best chance they had of scoring. Marc Roberts. What a liability he looked with the ball was at his feet. Gave it away almost as much as Phillips, but in much more dangerous areas. I’d rather he DIDN’T have to fling himself about trying (often succeeding) in winning the ball back. Just bl**dy control the ball and pass it simple. Simple. He’s like a s*** Chris Morgan. Obviously lucky not to concede a penalty, he also gave away a cheap corner despite being in control of the ball, being outwitted by an opponent whose IQ is in double figures. Unfortunately, Roberts is of an age where he won’t/can’t learn. Then there’s the fans, chanting ‘we all dream of a team of Marc Roberts’. I spent half the second half picturing what that would look like. It’s not pretty. Thanks for the winner tho.

Phillips was dire. Not as anonymous as last week (good) cos he kept giving the ball away (bad). Not even a wild hoof into the crowd this week, that’s how bad he was. If it’s true we’re after Keilor-Dunn, I’d take the money on Phillips and run. And Earl. What’s the point of him? We’re playing with wingbacks but he’s NOT A WINGBACK. Basically offered nothing going forward down the left. I can only imagine the manager is trying to make us the BIGGEST TEAM IN THE LEAGUE, so we don’t concede from set pieces...blah blah blah. MdG? Never noticed him till a(nother) misunderstanding with the goalkeeper nearly led to his backpass dribbling into an empty net.

Connell and Craig looked tidy, but didn’t do a lot, while Cosgrove and Watters...well, the former scored at least. We need a striker.

Oh, and the highlight of the day? On the train back, watching a drunk, middle aged, bald, Reds fan hammer on the door of the toilet for 10 solid minutes...before the train guard opened the door to tell him it wasn’t the toilet. Reedy is still cackling.

Drink du jour: Flotzinger Weissbier in BerrHeadz, Cloudwater Fuzzy in The Strait and Narrow.

Away: 1,845 (sellout).

The Damage:
£39 train (inc two together card)
£8 petrol
£25 ent
= £72

BFC 1-5 Lincoln City, Saturday 9th March 2024

‘No-one saw that coming!’

Before the match I was chatting to Nozzer. ‘We never beat these.’ ‘What do you mean?’ I asked. ‘We beat them 4-2 at their place in the 90s, Vat of Lard scored.’ ‘Ok then, we never beat them in the league.’ I’ve just looked it up. We haven’t beaten them in the league since I WAS BORN. Who cares that we’ve only played them 10 times since (Lincoln: 7 wins), but still. That’s incredible. Add on Lincoln’s recent form, 10 unbeaten in the league, and there was something almost inevitable about Satdy’s result...but still.

FIVE ONE. Five bloody one. And the one only came once the game was gone. We were absolutely destroyed whilst ‘enjoying’ 67% possession. I guess there’s only so many times you can play triangles, or rectangles (there were usually 4 of them) on the halfway line before the opposition get bored and show you how it’s done. They open the scoring when a super 50 yard reverse crossfield ball (eat yer heart out, Herbie Kane!) finds the right winger in space and he lays it across for the centre forward to fire in from 10 yards. Great goal. Direct, at pace, each player in tune with what the other player was going to do. It’s almost as if they practice. Cheats.

What does our 67% come up with? Well, Cadden bundles his way through a couple of times, but his centre forward has gone missing (as he has done since January; still, you can’t blame the club for not selling Cole if no-one offered to buy him), while Phillips drives a cross in from the right, but the centre forward has gone missing...etc. Phillips also hits a 30 yarder from a free kick, but the keeper saves, bottom corner. Still, no keeper gets beaten from there (see later).

It’s 0-1 at half-time but Oakwell is a morgue. We’ve come back from a goal down how many times this season? How many times this past month? But there was something in the air (tonite), a collective resignation. How fortunate that my friend Anna Marie could compare the (lack of) atmosphere with her 2 previous games...Arsenal beating Liverpoo (yes, even The Library has an atmosphere sometimes) and Argentinian no-marks River Plate (!) She doesn’t even like football. (A prerequisite for a Reds fan, some might say.)

Coach Collins sends the same side out. Why not? We’ve dominated possession, and looked vaguely dangerous down the flanks. He gives it 8 minutes. Kane and McAtee are hauled, the latter to the bafflement of the crowd. Do we want to win this? Obviously not. Cosgrove is on, though surely Grant is an improvement on Kane. Within 5 minutes we are losing three nil. A cheeky Imp runs BETWEEN 2 of our players (with the ball, WTF?) before planting it into the corner. The 3rd is worse (or better, if you’re a Lincoln fan). We lose the ball on the halfway line, they break, and an Imp beats one...two...three...four players in red shirts before putting it in the far corner. I hadn’t realised they’d signed Messi. God give me strength. (Difficult. He doesn’t exist. Sorry to be the bearer...etc.)

Coach Collins gives it another 6 minutes, then says ‘f*** it, the game’s gone’ and takes off Cadden (and Cole, apparently he was playing too). O’Keefe and Marsh are on. What? Are we a charity? Marsh’s sole contribution is to get in Cosgrove’s way, preventing the latter scoring a certain header. The changes make a difference though, as Lincoln score another, a 30 yard shot which bounced in front of a diving keeper and in. (Note to Phillips: make it bounce!) Still, there’s no way a keeper gets beat from there. Not a good one. The crowd leaves. Sorry, MORE of the crowd leave. (Not La Famille Jones, I can still them in the Ponty, crying.)

Then IT HAPPENS. We have a real life attack and score a real life actual GOAL. Credit to Cosgrove for completely missing the spherical object for an open goal, thereby allowing the ball to be picked up on the left and crossed back in for Phillips to crash into the top corner from 10 yards. Some fans still won’t forgive him though for his part in the balls-up at 0-1 where we were 2 on 1 and his square pass came off his studs as Cole ran away, allowing the keeper to collect.

Then my own personal highlight. We immediately bring on Russell for Luca (I told you Coach Collins had given up) and within a minute Russell and MdG are being outpaced by another pesky away fellow. All that sitting on the bench must be tiring for the lad, I reckon. 1-5. Nevermind watching them try to play football, I’d pay good money to see Russell and Herbie Kane be part of a 4x100m sprint relay team, Russell as anchor (I said ‘anchor!’)

Five one. Five bloody one.

Onwards and upwards!

*** Phillips. Intelligent crossing, scored and had our only other worthwhile effort.
** Cadden. Twice beat 2 defenders and hit a low cross into the pocket of space without a Reds forward running anywhere near it.
* No-one. The rest were, without exception, appalling.

Official MOTM: Phillips.

Londontykes’ MOTM: 1. Phillips 2. Cadden 3. No-one

Despatches:
Where was Pines? No idea. Interesting that Coach Collins played McCart in the middle, rather than MDG, when MDG had been there all season pre-Pines. Did it work? (That’s rhetorical, kids.) So who do we blame for the defensive debacle? Coach Collins for choosing the set up? McCart for coming in and spoiling an unbeaten run (albeit one that couldn’t keep clean sheets)? The Frenchman for having a flashback to his debut? If all the opposition have to do is run at De Gevigny, we can kiss goodbye to promotion now. Earl mucked in with the defensive aberrations too.

However, I’ll also raise you a Jordan Williams. Captain Extraordinaire’s contribution appeared to be in his arms rather than his legs as he waved them about frustratedly at anybody and everybody. He must be taking captaincy lessons from Bruno Fernandes. Listen, Jordan, it’s MY job to tell the players how s*** they are. It’s YOUR job to do something about it. Or just concentrate on your own game, that’d be a start.

Or was it the midfield’s fault, for the lack of cover? Connell, half the player he was last season, but twice the pay packet (and the rest) after signing his new contract last season. I hate to say it, but I wish we’d cashed in on him last summer. Kane? Well, he’s out of contract at season’s end, isn’t he? Isn’t he? He’d better be. We can start counting down his games now. Ditto Devante. It’s only the lack of an alternative keeping him in the team. ‘But he’s the top scorer in the division blah blah blah’. He’s rubbish, and you know it.

Hopefully this is the wake-up call for us to go on a run, but we can’t carry more than one, maybe two players who’re ‘off it’. And between Kane, Connell and Cole, there’s 3 for a start.

Drink du jour: House Party IPA in Spiral City.

Away: 1,965. Nearly two thousand fans had a whale of a time on Satdy, and by full-time, probably outnumbered our ‘magnificent support’.

The Damage:
c.£8 petrol
= c.£8

Lincoln City 2-2 BFC, Saturday 25th November 2023

‘F*** the cup, we’re going up.’

It pays to travel with Molly. You learn stuff. Like Lincoln cathedral used to be the tallest (manmade?) structure in the world and Sam, his cat, won European Cat of the Year three years in a row. Quite the achievement, though Selwood tells me his cat was World Champion. But these were fallow years, Redfearn not yet entering. Ahhhh, cats…do yer really wanna know what sets Lincoln apart in the away day world? No, it’s not the cathedral. It’s not the castle. Nor is it the charming olde world cobbled high street. It’s the cat café…which Sarah, Moll and I went to post-match. Whoooo’s a tiger…..YOU’RE a tiger!

The match? Rubbish. One of the worst two-all draws I’ve ever seen. 1st half, we had ONE shot on target, a Cadden 25 yarder from a well worked corner. (A similar corner later on had me firing off ‘PHILLIPS IS BACK’ on WhatsApp. And he was back…hitting the ball 10 yards over the stand (nevermind the goal)). Still, there were 4 minutes of the first half where we WEREN’T behind, as Jordan seizes the opportunity to foul their player as he nips into a gap. I thought it was a pen,. Others didn’t…including a bloke I chatted to at half time. ‘Never a penalty’ he said, ‘though I didn’t see it, ah was having a p***’. It was one of those. If it’s us, never in a million years. If it’s them, the ref can’t wait to point to the spot. Yes, the player was looking for it, but Jordan fell for it and contact was made.

Second half, game is going nowhere. Luca Connell is back in midfield, but he’s performing the Kane role. Neat and tidy simple passes, keeping possession, but zero runs forward and even fewer tackles. Kane is a bit further up, being totally anonymous without easy possession being given to him on the halfway line. Completing the midfield was Styles, whose one contribution I remember was losing it and then chasing 20 yards to win it back. He could’ve saved his energy by getting the pass right in the first place.

Up top, Cole and McAtee were this week’s Chosen Ones. Devante Cole. That lucky streak…sorry, that streak he had in August and September looks a long way off. Hopefully the last couple of months will assuage those who worried we’d lose him in January. There can’t be a team in the Championship he’d improve….in a league containing both Rovum and Sheffield Wednesday (pride of South Yorkshire). McAtee flitted around and got his reward for his movement by tapping in the winner. Well, it would have been the winner, had we been able to defend a late corner

Yes, tis true. From going nowhere fast, we scored twice in 4 minutes midway through the second half. I suspect the equaliser could be my highlight of the season. No, not the goal, good as it was….Cotter ghosting in on the backpost to send it the opposite way past the keeper. No, stood behind the goal, and bouncing down the terrace in delirium, I’m forced to sidestep a couple of bodies rolling on the concrete. ‘He doesn’t half look like Molly’ I thought. ‘And is that Nozzer?’ Yes, making the mistake of stepping into the aisle, they were mown down by their younger brethren. Quite literally ‘bodies everywhere’. Credit where it’s due though, while I tried to spin round Molly the Teenage Quinquagenarian Mutant Ninja Turtle and get him on his feet, concerned fans came to the aid of Nozzer. Luckily, no damage was done, though let’s be honest – worthwhile collateral damage for a Reds equaliser. (They wisely stuck to their seats as McAtee put us ahead.)

88 minutes on the clock, Lincoln are awarded a corner (apparently it should have been a goalkick, but there’s nothing to stop us defending said corner). It’s at the far end, and it looks like Kilip has dropped it for tap-in. Apologies. Turns out the defence allow a free header, keeper parries, and defence allows the rebound. The draw’s a fair result, and reward for excellent home support. Mind, our side appeared inspired the 5-10 minutes after a round of ‘How s*** must you be, it’s only one nil?’. Perhaps the players need more discouragement.

Onwards and upwards!

*** Ethel. Relaxed, calm, stayed by our side throughout.
** Alfie. Only appears once the chicken’s out…but my, what a magnificent beast.
* Skul. Played on despite an obvious injury (forced to wear the ‘cone of shame’)

Sorry, I mean:

*** Cotter. Lost it more than any other player – cos he tried to make things happen more than any other player. Quality finish for goal.
** Cadden. Apart from losing the ball once taking the fullback on, never put a foot wrong.
* No idea. I’ve hammered everyong else. Kilip. One-on-one save, 1st half, late save from corner.

Londontykes’ MOTM: 1. Cadden 2. Cotter 3. Connell

Despatches:
It gets forgotten, but we coulda been two down, The Frenchman giving the ball away as last man. Thankfully, an unconvincing finish and Kilip saves. In the meantime, did we miss a chance? I don’t think we did. Cole’s one touch was to completely mess up a backheel as we broke in a promising position. Cosgrove came on, and Reedy marvelled at how such a huge bloke can’t win a header. (Well, if YOU were carrying that weight, could YOU jump?) Oh, and I liked the look of the #4. Whothehell is he? Turned out to be Lopata, on for Cotter after 86. Russell came on for Connell after 87. They scored after 88. Just saying.

Are we getting promotion? At 2-1, the fans loved a bit of ‘F*** the cup, we’re going up’. But I can’t help feeling this was purely cos it rhymes and my ‘F*** the cup, we’re finishing ninth’ just wasn’t catchy enough. And who wanted a cup run anyway? Who wanted to see us play at Sutton for the first time in our history, before a plum 3rd round victory at Old Trafford, or Anfield, followed by the inevitable march on a historic double Wembley trip – semi and final – FA Cup victory, Europe next season…etc etc. No, I’d rather we can’t fill in a bit of paper properly and get kicked out. I can do without the expense next season of a European tour. F*** the cup.

Drink du jour: Fierce and Noble Edelweiss wheat beer in BeerHeadz. Reedy comes good again.

Away: c.1,800 (sellout)

The Damage:
£20 ent
c.35 petrol
= c.£55