I’ve got to try to move on from the negativity, but I felt a historic day was being ruined. The game didn’t help, but if the entirety of our support were genuinely as good as we claim, we wouldn’t have booing and a smattering of childish defiance going on at half time. This was meant to be a party and yet it felt more like we were going down. For a short while at half time, I couldn’t work out whether it was May 2019 or May 2011.
Oddly, we lost both of those games 3-0.
When the second half kicked off I thought we got a better match. Colchester were happy they could do no more, they’d got ahead of Exeter on goal difference which meant they didn’t need more goals. If Exeter scored, they dropped out the top seven. If Newport, losing at Morecambe, scored then the same happened. They had their lead, big enough to go up if things stayed the same and it showed.
They went with two banks of four for us to break down and it led to a rather tepid and flat second half. We could have bagged within seconds of the restart, Matt Rhead’s effort perhaps the best we had all game. What we saw was a replay of all those drawn matches at home, a dogged defensive side looking for a break and a Lincoln team perhaps lacking the guile to unpick the defence.
There’s already been one cliché in this piece, but here’s another; it was a game of two halves. The first was open and expansive but we didn’t turn up with our A game, the second was closed and protected. It was nice to see an indirect free kick in the area, you barely see them at all these days and the minor excitement of thinking we were going to score caused a bit of excitement.
The real excitement came from looking at the other scores. I know plenty of fans didn’t care what else happened, but I did. For 90 minutes, Colchester were the enemy and I wanted them to fail. I wanted Newport to score and I wanted to know who was going down. Oddly, it was only when one of those scores changed that the crowd’s mood turned.
The Coop rippled with a few chants of ‘you’re not going anywhere’, then as Colchester’s supporters went quiet it became a crescendo. If we couldn’t take pride in our own performance, it seemed we’d be happy responding to their calls of ‘champions, you’re having a laugh’ in the first half. It’s tribal and for a brief moment, even suffering a heavy loss, our tribe had something to sing about.
It led to an odd ending to the game. Matt, who has replaced Dave as my match day partner (and who sadly has a much wider leg spread than Dave) commented it felt like an end-of-season friendly. They knew a goal elsewhere was all that could save them, we knew that eight goals made no difference to us and everyone waited for the final whistle.
Let’s be honest, the football wasn’t great. It wasn’t what I’d come for today, but evidently quite a few had. The ground didn’t empty when Trevor Kettle blew and left the field, but a few wandered out. I wouldn’t call anyone out, some had long drives back, others didn’t want to see the trophy. I know it got ugly at the back of the Coop as some left moaning that we were crap and would be relegated next season, but I didn’t see that because I stayed put.
I have around a 60 miles round-trip, not as far as some, and often I leave early to beat the traffic. Nothing wrong with that. I’m not convinced missing the trophy presentation because we were ‘rubbish’ is a good shout though; if we were rubbish we wouldn’t be getting a trophy labelling us as the best, would we?
Reflecting on the game, I thought Bozzy was excellent, I thought John Akinde worked incredibly hard and I thought Harry Toffolo put in a good shift. The second half changes surprised me, I did hope to see a couple of fringe players and maybe to see us go a bit more adventurous with our selections, but Danny’s the gaffer not me and he’s put us on top of the division, so who am I to argue? There were some questionable performances from some players, we certainly missed Jason Shackell’s influence in the first half and lost the midfield battle for large parts of the game.
Still, when the game ended none of that mattered to 90% of the home support. Lincoln City were finally crowned champions of League Two. I heard someone say ‘we haven’t played like champions’, but as we did win the league I’d argue we had, just not the conventional idea of champions.
4 games without a goal is a problem. It could be down to a number of issues 2 games were difficult away games,but our attack has dried up.
Gary, in some ways you could also argue the players also left early? It wasn’t the performance I expected from a group of players who were Champions but I suppose you can’t win L2 with a six point gap without being consistent over 46 games. I am sure many Notts County fans would swap places!
Agree with most of that Gary. Yesterday the overall experience depended on whether you could separate the “truly terrible football” of the first half from the celebrations and trophy presentation for winning the league i.e. the game itself from afterwards. Most of us couldn’t and that took the shine off it, and it looked like Danny was having the same problem. Three nil down at home at half time could have been six or seven – two great blocks from Bostwick, a missed open goal, and they hit the post twice. Too many players off their game to mention, passing the ball out of play, giving it away, conceding awful goals. And don’t tell me the result didn’t matter – it mattered to Colchester, it mattered to Danny Cowley and it mattered to the fans – it just looked a game too far for the players. Simon Barnes wrote that nothing in sport really matters, its just that you have to pretend it does, otherwise there is no point. Yesterday we were asked to pretend that it didn’t matter. The 617 uplifted the mood when Newport scored and there was something to give back to their fans “three nil up and it means **** all” but that was pretending too, it did mean something and it did matter. Danny knew it post match, the crowd knew it too – so no pitch invasion, no staying as long as possible in the TP – just home as soon as the lads paraded the trophy. Two other things – I have no problem with fans booing “truly terrible football” – they pay their money and have an opinion like everyone else. Finally, those of us that were lucky enough to get a Stacey West ticket and travelled from Scotland on a 600 mile round trip can decide for ourselves whether to bother coming thanks. Personally I was proud to have been there for Graham Taylor’s team and I was proud to have been there with the nearest and dearest yesterday, including the kids from Aberdeen. Keep up the good work and good luck with the Blogging Awards
That’s the great thing about the intelligent commentary on this site, I agree with Gary AND totally respect your opinion too, even if it is at times contrary to my own. All You Need is Love x
I left the game 15 minutes from the end because I was sick of the drivel on the pitch from the Lincoln players who were not playing like champions and haven’t played like champions for far too many games this season especially in the last 3 games. I go to the games having PAID for my season ticket, having PAID to be entertained and then to celebrate. There was nothing to celebrate yesterday, we celebrated winning the second division last week and yesterday we were short changed! Don’t tell me it’s a long season, my work takes 47 weeks per year like most peoples. City should have nailed those last 3 games and a good deal of the draws they played in thus giving out a real message to the teams in League 1.But no, couldn’t be arsed, minds on beaches in the sun. NOT GOOD ENOUGH AND IM ANNOYED AND NOT IMPRESSED. I hope they show more consistent application next season, we will see….
You OK hun?
It was all a bit weird at times – but then some people are weird! I suppose that it was different in different parts of the ground, but around where I was in upper 5 co-op, the boos I heard were ironic and people were laughing at it as they went downstairs for a beer. I also think that although the paper throwing was a pain, it was messing around rather than a nasty edge. It was if the crowd didn’t care that much and they just wanted a celebration at the end- but were a bit annoyed that we were going to get anti-climax number 2. The celebration at the end though was heartfelt and real. And I agree that we have Newport to thank for lifting a few people who needed a cause at the end. UTI
The Colchester player took an age, but it was inevitable, and the third goal went in. I looked at Seán sitting next to me. He’d been talking about the game all week, and had travelled hundreds of miles to be there. He was in bits, floods of tears cascading his cheeks. Inconsolable.
Did he boo them off at half time?
DID HE F*CK. He’s only seven but clearly has a higher level of emotional maturity than the boo’ers. By the middle of the second half, he had rallied. On his feet, trying to lead a chant in the Stacey West, and getting a ripple of applause for doing do. Practically the last to leave the ground, rinsing every last moment out of his day.
Don’t worry, the future’s bright – he’ll be there cheering on the imps long after you and I have left this mortal coil. And long, long after the boo’ers have moved on…
Hey Liverpool! I sat next to you. I didn’t get the chance to tell you but your son was a joy to behold! The future is bright with fans like you and Sean.
Nice one. See you next season. All You Need is Love
I went into the game yesterday actually feeling emotionally exhausted having ridden the supporters roller coaster ride. I was very frustrated and angry at how the day became such an anti climax due to the poor performance, the guys are deservedly Champions and bar a couple of players, they could not raise their game to finally give us a win at Sincil Bank! I was actually beating myself up for feeling so angry however, I realised that I was not on my own when I heard Danny and Nicky’s thoughts about the performance, they were unhappy people. I could imagine that it will be a long summer for them as they will be itching to get started again and get that performance out of the system, the team need to be playing for something. Personally, I cannot wait for it all to start again.
Great article Gary. Can’t help thinking how much a psychological spur it is to have something to play for. Yes they are professionals, top notch at that, but they are human. Guaranteeing the championship early must have had an effect. So pleased Newport got in the play-offs to avoid feeling our performance contributed to a skewed league outcome. Poor performance? Yes but I didn’t care. We are winners! That’s what I want first and foremost. I even enjoyed John Beck days! Are there big decisions to make for Danny and Nicky? Of course. The opportunities are there now though to respond to the new challenge. I’m happy. It’s not happened many times in my 60+ years of supporting the team. Up the Imps!
As a Colchester fan I really enjoyed this nuanced report. And I wish the proper English pub you started the day in a long and prosperous future. Despite the disappointment that came with the game in Morecambe, I think it was an important performance by Colchester. The football has been really good at times this season, (Courtney Senior IS fun to watch) yet some of the fans (younger ones mostly) would like John McGreal to be sacked. Older fans I think tend to be gentler, and McGreal is a thoughtful and courteous man and I hope he’s allowed to continue. I think players like playing for him.
We’ll lose Szmodics and I guess Frankie Kent too (blond central defender who was captain yesterday), but it’s important that footballers see Colchester players go on to bigger and better things, or we’ll have trouble attracting young talent. We took 12 points off you and MK Dons, but not enough off anyone else. I guess if Newport had not scored that goal then Exeter would have been really questioning your players’ attitude yesterday, but we were pretty lively in that first half, with some good touches at speed.
It seems that the Colchester fans behaved well yesterday (I wasn’t at the game but watched it on tv), and I’m glad about that. We go into the summer in much better shape than it looked like nine days ago.
As I say, nice to read such a thoughtful piece, and I wish you good luck in the league above. I’ll be interested (genuinely) whether Ipswich turn out to be any better than we are, so I’ll be back to read your report on that one!