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“I am not a great fan of the likes of Liverpool or Leeds, but it would be totally wrong if they were denied their respective titles.”

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When football “re-opens” will you attend immediately or wait to see if SARS-CoV-2 makes a dispiriting come-back?

Another remarkably interesting and topical question. In truth, I would love to be there, home or away because I have so missed my footie fix but I have passed the ripe old age of 65 this year so would need to be sure I, and everyone else for that matter, would be totally safe. Trouble is, I cannot see that happening until we have a vaccine.

Would you prefer to stay, or move from Sincil Bank?

Stay. Most definitely. Redevelop the LNER Sincil Bank stadium.

What is your normal agenda for a home Saturday match day, where do you park?

Joe (my son) and I drive up from where we live between Huntingdon and Peterborough via the A1 to Colsterworth then the back roads via Ancaster/Navenby and Waddington to the ground where I park behind the Stacey West as I pay for a car park season ticket. On our way back, we usually stop for a beer at our local pub, The Admiral Wells, which has the distinction of being the lowest pub in England!

Taylor or Cowley?

Difficult because although DC secured us two titles and a national cup, I passionately believe GT would have done similar had he been given the proper financial backing. The history books will say otherwise, though, so I will have to say Danny Cowley.

What have you “lost” in Sincil Bank?

Strange question. I am not sure I have ‘lost’ anything other than my marbles occasionally. Some things I have not lost at (or in) SB would include my wallet, my virginity, my way, my love of Lincoln City etc.

What is your post-match tipple?

If we pop into the our local (see above) we both enjoy a pint of Adnams Mosaic. Once home, it’s a wheat beer with lime for both of us. Later, it’ll be red wine with dinner, usually French, Italian or Spanish.

Getting back into the Football League after relegation is very difficult, so in your opinion what achievement rates the best with you, winning the GM Vauxhall Conference under Colin Murphy or winning the National League under the Cowleys and why?

Has to be the first one for the following reasons; we were the first club to be relegated automatically from the Football League, so it really was a massive sea change for all involved. Secondly, at that time there was only one promotion place from the (then) Conference, so much harder to claim that envious top spot. I respect the lack of an apostrophe in the word ‘Cowleys’!

Given the sclerotic nature of British politics, what single change would you make to improve the relationship between government and people?

What a wonderful word ‘sclerotic’ is, and I would like to bet this is the first time it has ever been used on this website! I would go further, and maybe ruffle a few feathers, and say that such a sclerotic stance is more likely to come from right field than left. I am not happy with the way that the government has handled this pandemic. How would I change this? Insist on a collective approach and give all politicians from whichever party the ability to make a difference. I quite like the way Nicola Sturgeon conducts herself over the border to the north. I would also be far more transparent in the way (truthful) information is disseminated.

How emotional were you at the final whistle when we beat Macclesfield and went up from the Conference? What were your memories and reflections?

I was in my normal seat towards the top of the lower section of the Co-op Stand and after hugging my son I definitely had a tear in my eye. Six years after witnessing at first hand all of those last eleven games of the 2010/11 season, here we were, back again where we belong. Remember, I had also seen us win the same title nearly 30 years earlier but this one was much more emotional. In keeping with tradition, we went onto the pitch.

Your favourite midfield player in all the years of supporting City, and why?

Roger Holmes because he had such grace, style and panache. Great player.

When are you finally going to get that dodgy knee of yours replaced?

As it happens, they kept telling me they would not operate unless I lost some weight (partly an excuse to save money!) In February this year, I joined Slimming World and you will be pleased to note that I have so far lost 24lbs and have every intention of continuing. As a consequence, my mobility has improved dramatically, so maybe I won’t need replacements.

Worst ever City manager and why?

This has to be Steve Tilson because he made some extremely poor decisions (e.g. letting Davide Somma go) which led to our relegation out the Football League.

The best foreign player you have seen in an Imps shirt?

Dany N’Guessan. I had the pleasure of having a decent chat with him, in his native language, on two occasions; first at Grantham Town’s Meres Stadium when he played for the Imps in a pre-season friendly and then outside Macclesfield Town’s Moss Rose ground after he had left us for Leicester City but he turned up at that game at the Moss to support us. Great guy, great player.

Do you have a second team whose results you look out for?

I actually have three; my first one would have to be USL Dunkerque as I used to watch them when I lived there in the ‘70s and have been back a number of times since. They currently play in the third tier of French football, same level as Lincoln City. When the football stopped, they were sitting in second place behind Pau with two automatically promoted; as I understand it, both will be promoted. In the Scottish Highland League, I follow Fort William FC, perennial strugglers! Locally, it is Yaxley FC, Southern League Central Division.

The best non-Lincoln player you’ve seen play live?

I was incredibly lucky to have been at Wembley to witness Harry Kane’s England début in March 2015. Going back many years, I was also fortunate to watch the very impressive Leeds Utd team in action in March 1968 as they played Bristol City in the FA Cup 5th Round. That team was littered with very well-known names; too many to mention here. In the mid- ‘70s I saw Rodney Marsh play against the Imps in a League Cup game at QPR and then, many years later witnessed Gazza (Paul Gascoigne) play at Sincil Bank for Boston Utd.

Don’t forget to read Page One of this Q&A! – CLICK HERE!

Don’t forget to read Page Three of this Q&A! – CLICK HERE!

If you haven’t already had a go at the quizzes, they can be found here: Quiz No.1, Quiz No.2, Quiz No.3, Quiz No.4, Quiz No.5, Quiz No.6, Quiz No.7, Quiz No.8, Quiz No.9Quiz No.10, Quiz No.11 and Quiz No.12.

"I am not a great fan of the likes of Liverpool or Leeds, but it would be totally wrong if they were denied their…

Zveřejnil(a) Vital Lincoln City dne Neděle 3. května 2020

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