Imps v Shrimps

A very full day trip to Lincoln has left my blip cup running over, but I'll settle for this view from South Common over Lincoln City's stadium at Sincil Bank, with the power stations of  Cottam and West Burton on the skyline.

An early train had me in Lincoln not long after 10, so I started with a walk up through town to Steep Hill and thence up to the cathedral and castle area. I'd only been to Lincoln once before, a short break around 15 years ago, but my calf muscles soon recognised the walk.

I discovered that I'd stumbled into Lincoln's 1940s day. This seemed mainly to involve a varied array of performers in the manner of Vera Lynn and George Formby, vintage vehicles, men in British WWII uniform and women in dungarees with hankies on their heads.

I'd been hoping for some sunny spells so that I could go looking for butterflies on South Common before taking in the football. It remained dull but I headed back down through town toward the common anyway, and walked up to Canwick Hill where I discovered the under construction International Bomber Command Centre Memorial on the other side of a hedge. In the odd bits of sunshine I did come across small numbers of Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Small Copper, Small White and Large White.

While enjoying the views back over the city I heard a rumbling approach, and noticed two dark shapes in the sky. Soon the penny dropped, and I picked out the Lancaster and Spitfire AB910 of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, booked in for a fly-past for 1940s day, and possibly to mark the the return of Lincoln City to the Football League.

Which was a good prompt to return to the foot of the hill, with the noise of early arrivals in the stadium emanating across the common. Lincoln City had a very successful 16/17, reaching the quarter finals of the FA Cup and securing promotion back into the Football League as champions of the National League.  Having started the 17/18 season with a draw at Wycombe Wanderers today was the first home game and there was a bumper crowd to watch it. The visitors were Morecambe, and it was only in the final stages of the match that I realised that this meant the Imps were playing the Shrimps, a conjunction that should have made coming to the match worthwhile on its own.

I don't think I've yet come across a club with so many different theme songs and anthems, with Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline being the standout. The air raid siren launched from the "617 squadron" fan block every time the Imps had a corner also added to the distinct atmosphere.  The Morecambe fans also made themselves heard, but not well enough for me to tell whether they responded to several choruses of "We are Imps!" with "We are Shrimps!"

Morecambe spoiled the script by taking the lead early in the second half, but an equaliser was forthcoming and 1-1 it remained.

As a Bradford City season ticket holder it was appropriate that I watched from the Stacey West stand. Bill Stacey and Jim West were the two Lincoln City fans who lost their lives alongside fifty four Bradford fans in the 1985 Valley Parade fire. Together they are the 56, and there will forever be a bond between the Lincoln and Bradford clubs.

I stayed in Lincoln for another few hours, heading back up to Castle Square where the 1940s day had given way to the queue for a Tony Hadley concert. Or perhaps nostalgia has collapsed our sense of history so much that the 1940s and 80s seem one and the same.

My return train journey involved walking between Newark Castle and Newark Northgate Stations, so I had an half hour excursion to get my first taste of that town. The castle was glowing in the evening sunshine. It seems to have been big in the Civil War.

Now a restful Sunday before heading off to Wales with the kids.