Rats. I guessed it might happen, but City’s trip to Bradford City has been postponed due to international call-ups.
The match was scheduled to take place on Saturday, 11 October, and would be the first Andy’s Bus trip of the season, but it will now be rearranged due to Imps players receiving call-ups to their national sides.
Supporters with tickets for the original fixture will be able to use them for the new date.
I know this is going to be as popular as COVID, and I’m disappointed. Timing-wise, I guess it works for me, as October 10th would have been Dad’s birthday, and it was always going to be an emotional trip. Kicking that down the line works on a personal level.
I know the first shout from the masses will be ‘we have a deep squad’, ‘why aren’t we playing’, etc. There might be a shout of ‘fans coming second’ again, and the usual rhetoric at people who are disappointed and can only turn that into anger. I feel disappointed, I was looking forward to it, whatever is going on here.
From a competition point of view, Justin Obikwu has three goal involvements in as many outings from the bench. Ivan Varfolomeev has two assists, and they’re sure to be the call-ups. Dexter Lembikisia might be unlikely to start, but after last night, he’s proven his worth.
The game against Bradford, eight weeks ago, looked routine, a middling clash between two sides aspiring to be top half. Now, it looks like a top-of-the-league encounter between two clubs emotionally attached through history, and one where a win for either club massively strengthens unlikely promotion credentials. I can understand, from a competition point of view, why the club have taken the chance to have a reset, deep squad or not.
It’s also now potentially a game we have to play in midweek at some point, so, like with me kicking the can of grief a bit further down the road, we’re potentially adding to the Saturday/Tuesday pile-up in November. It does make for a very slow October – currently we have just three matches scheduled, Exeter this weekend, Stevenage on 10th and a trip to Orient on the 25th.
Is it a time to lose momentum? Is the slight loss of momentum a small price to pay for a possible loss of three points? Would three points be in jeopardy because two of our ‘finishing’ subs are not available? Or is it a chance to give a few of the players a rest, beyond missing a Tuesday outing against Manchester United?
All questions that you guys can debate.