As a relative newcomer to the city of Lincoln, and a self-confessed football fanatic, one of the main things that drew my interest was Lincoln City Football Club, writes Callum Davis.
It always interests me the role that football clubs play in the wider community, helping support those who dedicate most of their life supporting the local team. And my god is that something that Lincoln does brilliantly!
You don’t have to look much further than the shirt sponsor at present, the University of Lincoln. There are several links between the University and the Imps, with several alumni going on to work with City. From the ties between the sports therapy courses and facilities at the university and the benefits that bring to the club, to the Uni Imps Ticket Scheme, allowing students to attend matches at a discounted price allows the club to become more integrated with the area.
Despite being a professional league one side, the community feel is never really lost around the ground. Okay seeing the sky sports presenters on the gantry isn’t something typically seen at a lower level, but when you look past that, to the people that really matter, the fans, the players, the manager, and the chairman, they understand what it means to us. Whilst this season could be described as mildly frustrating at the least, the Gaffer Tapes showing the reaction of the coaching staff summed up to a lot of us what it means to be a Lincoln City fan.
In my short time so far in the city, I’ve had the chance to speak to some incredible people about Lincoln City. Chris from Imptoons! really summed it up to me when I spoke to him earlier this year, no matter what you do in your life, what job or career you have, where you’re from or where you plan to go, there’s always that something special about Sincil Bank on a wet Tuesday night surrounded by family and/or friends, cheering on the side you love. The memories made along the way, through promotion, relegation, win, lose or draw stick with us the fans through the years, and there’s only one club that can make us feel that way.
Chris doesn’t remember his first Lincoln City match, I certainly remember mine, the three-nil drubbing against Portsmouth earlier this season. My brother, a very unhumble Pompey fan was delighted as we headed back to the car afterwards and still reminds me of that night to this day. But for how horrific of a performance that was, on the rare occasion that city pulled something together, there was this electric buzz around the ground, and it felt like a second home.
Despite the slump from last season, and the audible frustrations that may come from the stands, there’s this sense of family at Lincoln City FC that no other club for a thousand miles could replicate, at least to us, because they give us something to believe in, A welcome rest from the chaotic world that we leave at the gate and forget about, even if it is just for 90 minutes.
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