2020/21 Prediction League; Game 29 v Lincoln City (away)

[Div3North]

Lincoln City FC

V

Accrington Stanley

2020/21 Prediction League Game 29; v The Gremlins (away)


Lincoln lies 157 miles north of London, at an altitude varying from 67 ft above sea level by the River Witham up to 246 ft on Castle Hill. It fills a gap in the Lincoln Cliff escarpment (it says 'ere) running north and south through central Lincolnshire and is 76 miles north-east of Birmingham, 32 miles north-east of Nottingham, 47 miles north of Peterborough and 40 miles east south-east of Sheffield.

Apparently, mute swan nest each year beside the River Brayford, and they feature on the university's heraldic emblem; other bird life within the city includes peregrine falcon, tawny owl and kingfisher; mammals on the city edges include red fox, roe deer and least weasel; European perch, northern pike and bream are among fish seen in the Witham and Brayford (we have pigeon and sheep round my way)

The "least weasel" (question; is there a "most weasel") was given its scientific name (Mustela nivalis) by Carl Linnaeus in his 12th edition of "Systema Naturae" in 1766. The locality of these small mammals was Västerbotten in Sweden ..... "Västerbotten"; I think I've met her - or perhaps it was her sister ............

Since 2016, Little Egrets have nested in the Birchwood area, and otters have been seen in the River Witham. Both species are native to Britain and repopulating the area after near extermination.

How nice! .............. "Oh to be in England, now that April's here" (more or less) - "Home Thoughts from a Broad" by Robert Browning, known to his mates as "Gravy"

All I remember of Lincoln is the Whisky Shop up a hilly street ........... I was on my bike at the time, and it was a bit wet and blowy, so I thought I'd better sup the bottle I'd just bought, in case I fell off and smashed it, what with the weather and all, so I supped the lot and then rode home ............ and it were a good thing I did, because on the way home I fell off me bike five times .......

The Lincoln Forum, you may like to know, has a "Rate the Ref" thread; it was the Gillingham game I read, and apart from the fan who "wouldn't give the t*rd the steam off me sh1te" - to which someone had posted, "nice to see an official FA Assessor posting on here" - they all upped the allotted mark for that week's Ref by at least one point because he'd yellow-carded Fatty Evans! Maybe it's one for us next season ...........?

I was reading a piece online recently about the British Home Championship (I think I need to get out more, but I can't); it started in 1883/84, and was first won by Scotland, who also won or shared it the next three seasons as well ........ England eventually won outright in 1887/88, and it took Wales until 1906/07 to do the same ........... Northern Ireland were seven years later (although they did get a share in 1902/03) ........ if you read the history, it's a treasure trove of famous names and stories, with occasional names you've never heard of; who was Lot Jones, for example? and why did English centre forward Dr. Tinsley Lindley OBE - what a wonderful name! - who was an amateur footballer and also a qualified Barrister, not wear football boots when he played, despite which he scored 14 goals for England in 13 internationals? Answers, please, on a postcard, to ......

The stats are mainly of the leading goal scorers season on season; Billy Liddell (215 goals in 492 games over 23 years for "Liddellpool"), Hughie Gallagher, Ivor Allchurch, John Charles, Derek Kevan, Denis Law, Alan Gilzean - the list goes on; great memories ................ And for the record, England won it outright 34 times and shared it 20; Scotland managed 24 wins and 17 shares; Wales won it 7 times and shared 5 more; and Northern Ireland won it three time and shared it 5 ..... and Germany lost in the semi-finals on penalties (I wish!)

And do you remember the Covid Breach story I posted a few weeks back, about the Italian bloke who had a row with his wife, walked out, and trudged half way across Italy? Well, did any one see the story this week of the man who was fined by Derbyshire Police when then found him "sitting naked in his car without a reasonable excuse"? (Suggested "reasonable excuses" on a postcard, please, addressed as above ....) Apparently he was parked in a closed car park, and claimed he'd "made several wrong terms after making a journey to buy a pack of wet wipes" ..... as you do ..... challenged, he "was unable to provide a reasonable excuse of why he was stark naked in the car park during the height of a national lockdown" .... and just to make the point, he was also issued with a Community Protection Notice warning, requiring him to wear clothes in public places ...... oh, and the fully clothed bloke in the other car on the car park was fined too ........... Good to know, as I've said before, that they're not all locked up yet ......

Lincoln played Hull (away) on Tuesday; second-placed Hull - who lost to Burton on Saturday without getting a single shot on target - managed a goalless Desmond against first placed Lincoln, and - you guessed it - had 15 shots, with none on target ......... and you don't get promoted, in my experience, if you can't hit the floor with your 'at ........

And while I'm doing The History of the Early Development of Football in the Regions of Great Britain ....... Starter for Ten; which footballer was "considered by many to be the world's best player of the 19th Century"?

Since we played Lincoln on 21st November (we drew 0-0, and Sean McYouStupidBoy made a five-minute guest appearance before being sent off) they've ProperSigned Colchester LB Cohen Bramall and Brighton CMF Max Sanders, parted company with Republic of Finland-born CMF Alex Bradley (who signed for Yeovil) and RB Aaron Lewis, now of Newport. Isn't it. Look you.

Since the Battle of the Goalless Desmond Lincoln have been on a bit of a run - well, a charge, really ... P13 W9 D1 L3 GF23 GA11 ........... overall, their record now stands at P25 W16 D3 L6 GF38 GA20 for 51 points ... and they've kept 12 clean sheets .... all of which is a bit scary .... BUT, interestingly, of their six League defeats, FIVE have come at home (home stats W7 D1 L5 GF19 GA15, away record W9 D2 L1 GF19 GA5 (yes, five conceded in 12 games on the road!)); on 10th October they lost 1-2 at home to Brizzle (farewell Paul Tisdale - not been the same since you left Exeter); 3rd November they lost 1-3 to Pompey; 12th December they lost 0-4 to Slumberland; 15th December, 0-1 to the Pointy-Nosed Furry Things; and 30th January, 0-1 to Donnie .... and farewell also to Keith Curle (Unternehmen Kolibri 2 - The Sequel!)

Record league victory is 11–1 v. Crewe Alexandra in 1951; record cup victory is 13-0 at Peterborough United in 1895; most appearances by Grant Brown – 469; record goal scorer is Andy Graver with 143 (1950–55, 1958–61); most goals in one season was Allan Hall with 45 (1931–32); and their youngest player was Shane Nicholson – 16 years and 112 days when he played against Charlton Athletic in 1986 in the League Cup .... And the death was announced this week, you may have seen, of Hollywood Wrexham's youngest ever player (Ken Roberts, a trainee with the club at that time) who played against Bradford Park Avenue in 1951, aged 15 years 158 days .......... actually, it appears that he only got a game because a first-team player missed his train (#alwayshaveyourbootswithyou), and it proved to be his only appearance, although he did go on to play for Villa and manage Chester City for 8 years .......... RIP Ken!

Deadline for entries is, as always, scheduled kick-off time, which is 3.00pm on Saturday 13th February ............... hands up if you've got your Significant Other a Valentine's Day Pressie, or at least a card? I quite liked the one that read,

"Roses are red,
Champagne is bubbly,
Have a wonderful day,
I'll be at the rugby",

but my favourite was

" ****
Excellent

"Fit, smells good, gives the best cuddles in bed
Knocked off a star due to farting and snoring. 4/5. Would recommend"

General impression is that we made a bit of a dog's b*ll*cks of our four win-able games before the run of Impossible Games; let's see the point count after Lincoln, Donnie, Shrewsbury and Crewe .... Donnie and Oxford still the Bakers of the Week (4 wins in 5); Brizzle and the Cobblers have the Soggy Bottoms (2 points out of 15) ..............

And the world's best player of the 19th Century - allegedly - was Gilbert Oswald Smith ... have a read of this, and reflect on how the game's changed

"England's opening international game of the 1892/93 season took place in Birmingham on 25 February against Ireland, with the selectors choosing a team consisting mainly of players with connections to the Corinthians; seven debutants, including GK Chris Charsley of Small Heath, who later went on to be Chief Constable of Coventry, and Walter Gilliat, who made his solitary appearance at inside right. Gilliat, an excellent dribbler of the ball, would probably have made more England appearances but for his religious beliefs, and went on to become the vicar of Iver and the rector of Sevenoaks; he played for Old Carthusians, and scored a hat-trick inside 30 minutes in a 6-1 England home win. The most notable débutant was Gilbert Oswald Smith of Oxford University, who went on to represent his country on 20 occasions in a career spanning 8 years (scoring 11 goals) and was captain 16 times. He was considered by many to be the world's best player of the 19th Century."

Good luck to everyone! ............ Take the Jab! ............ Stay safe and keep well! ........... And thanks for playing!

[Watchdog]

Tough game this. 2-2 draw for me please

[andyd]

Lincoln 0-0 Stanley.

[cashman]

2-1 stanley if we play like tues,

[Tommy McQueen]

Lincoln 1 Stanley 1 please

[monkey hanger]

lincoln 3 stanley 1.

[MikeA]

1-0 to Stanley, please.

[Taypot]

Good intro, but I think my Ph.D thesis used less words!
Lincoln 3 Stanley 0

[Div3North]

Originally Posted by Taypot

Good intro, but I think my Ph.D thesis used less words!

Plan B goes:-

"On Saturday we're at Lincoln. Guess the score"

8 words; might try it!

[Taypot]

Originally Posted by Div3North

Plan B goes:-

"On Saturday we're at Lincoln. Guess the score"

8 words; might try it!

No! Stick with the epic sagas!

[AccyMad]

A very optimistic (well, hopeful) draw - 1 apiece each please

[choirboy]

In my teenage years I went out with a big lass from Padiham whose surname was “Västerbotten”. She was a big girl especially at the rear end! It didn’t last as I found it difficult to get my arms around her! She had a lovely easy going personality but it took her nearly two minutes to come in through the doorway! Anyway, a win at Lincoln on Saturday for the Stanley is just as big an ask as it was for me to fully embrace my lovely “Frieda Västerbotten” from Padiham all those years ago!
So my predeliction is:
Lincoln 1 - 1 Stanley.
Perhaps I am being as optimistic as I was when I courted the “Västerbotten” lass from Padiham in my teens!

[choirboy]

Originally Posted by Taypot

Good intro, but I think my Ph.D thesis used less words!
Lincoln 3 Stanley 0

Perhaps it wasn’t so much as a Ph. D thesis as just a ‘the..”?

[Outback Ozzy]

Much as I would like to predict a win for Stanley, i just cannot see it. 2-0 to Lincoln please and I pray I am very wrong.

[stanleyhouse]

Lincoln 0 Stanley 1