We Are Stacey West

Before I start I've been advised by Tadpole I ought to be a little more informative: I am a fan of Lincoln City Football Club, affectionately known as The Imps who play at a football ground called Sincil Bank. I'm actually the mascot as I've shown in a previous blip (interested as to what a mascot is? See here )

That help tadpole? :-D

Stacey West can mean one of two things. It could be Stacey, from Gavin and Stacey. Her surname is West. This blip is in no way related to her.

Stacey West is the name of The Clanford End, or The Railway End. It's the traditional 'home' end at my beloved Sincil Bank. I made a pact not to do any snow blips until the stuff goes now, so with some clever cropping and picking the only entrance at the ground without icicles hanging off it I believe I've managed it.

I saw my first game after going through turnstiles at this corner of the ground. It was October 5th 1986 (yes Rainman I know that was a Sunday, and I know League Two don't play on a Sunday. However I assure you I was there) we lost 4-1 to Hartlepool and for some reason a love affair was born that I've suffered through for 23 years. However come rain or shine, sun or snow you'll find me just to the right behind the goal cheering on arguably one of the poorest sides in the football league. My Dad is usually there with me, moaning about how rubbish we are and how he's never coming again. Always there next week though. See football gives you that, Hope. Ultimately its the hope that gets you in the end.

The Stacey West is named after Imps fans Jim West and Bill Stacey, the two City fans who tragically lost their lives in the Bradford Fire of 1985. For those who don't know in May 1985 fire swept through the old wooden stand at Valley Parade killing 56 people. Even now writing that I get shivers imagining all those mothers and wives waiting at home at 5pm that day for loved ones who didn't return.

The stand replaced the old Railway End which was so named as a frieght line used to run behind the goal. That was demolished in 1990 and this fantastic new stand was born. At the time this was an impressive sight, but now its fairly standard for a club our size. When City were promoted in 1998 the club housed the away fans in our end for the first time in the Imps history. Those were sad times for me, watching Man City, Fulham and even Stoke at the time filling our end, whilst the 3,000 City fans rattled around the rest of the ground. However in 2002 the end was returned to the City faithful, and that season saw us make our first competitive appearance at a national stadium running out 5-2 losers over AFC Bournemouth. Ever since then TheStacey West and I have connected every other Saturday.

I went to the ground to look at the pitch as we are meant to be playing Hereford tonight in the FA Cup 2nd Round Replay. No chance.

After all that it would be crass of me to treat you to any of my inner whinging or banal prose about my day and what lies ahead. Everyone have a good day, stay safe and most of all remember how lucky we are. My Dad's friends crash has hit the headlines today and on the drive to work all I could think about was 'how can anyone collide with a tractor in low speeds and be killed'. The same thoughts as 'how can anyone go to a football match and not come home'. Sobering, frightening and sadly all to real.

Got to go, got grown up stuff to sort out like bills and other crap.