http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...=qhWydTFECw9VKeeML5RL-A&bvm=bv.52164340,d.ZGU Just getting started - you can wait til I get back for the main event. OK if you watched the link you'll understand that is how the two camels felt before the journey - whilst we were still in a good mood ! Being sent to Coventry used to be a punishment - to be treated as a social outcast. These days we have political correctness - therefore this sort of treatment can be subject to litigation. You just can't expect anyone to shovel a lot of snow out of the way if you insist on them coming to work ! But let me tell you - Being sent to Northampton was not much fun. The match against Coventry certainly caused a lot of confusion.( and not just for Gillingham camels ) 1. This was Sunday - a day of rest. It is the day when only pub teams play football. Well those who witnessed the 'effort' of the Gills might conclude that a pub side was being watched ! ( although a couple of the players did commit the sin of not 'resting' - otherwise the scoreline could have been worse.) 2. Camels don't need to be taught geography. They have a natural sense of direction - but in this case they were sure that Coventry was not in Northamptonshire. It would seem that some Coventry camels couldn't even tell that the playing surface was inside the stadium. Instead a small herd of them spent the entire game on the top of the hill outside the ground - from where they could watch half the pitch for free - Mr.Scally stopped that nonsense for the residents of Gordon Road when he provided me with a shiney new stand. Camels who 'support' Premier League clubs also have a problem with geography - for instance not many know the location of a suburb called Salford ! So the camels found themselves being dropped off at Sixfields in Northampton. Thankfully their nose to sniff out water allowed them to easily locate The Sixfields pub -where they sat down with a couple of pints and watched a part of what would prove to be a far more entertaining game as Brighton & Reading fought to see who could get sent off quicker than the opponent. At 2.45 the camels made the short walk to the ground. En route they passed the small herd from Coventry who decided that they wanted to see only half the game. Fools ! As it turned out the foolish ones were those who bothered to pay the modest amount to gain entry into the ground. It would have been more entertaining to have stayed on the top of that hill and watched the grass grow. This was Sunday. Perhaps ( and if things continue as they are ) we should have been in church - praying for a win. Sixfields is no church - but is now the Mecca to which the faithful of Coventry have to travel to follow their footballing religion. The home parishioners would dearly love to still be in their cathedral that is the Ricoh Arena. They are the unfortunate victims of the failed mix of football, money & politics. They have been banished to worship in a land not of milk and honey - and judging by the small congregation, many of them have lost their faith. Perhaps they have kept the command of the 11th., Century wife of King Leofric of Mercia ---- you know who I mean ----- Lady Godiva. Leofric was the Paul Scally of his day. He was a generous benefactor ( cough ) - but imposed heavy taxes ( I.D. & terms & conditions ) on his servants ( STH) . He promised to remit the taxes if his wife, Godiva rode naked through the streets of Coventry.( this camel is for hire ! ) Only one resident, Peeping Tom ( brb ? ) disobeyed Godiva's command to stay indoors for this stunt. With the lack of a league ( or any ) win, how long will it be before the Gills fans number fewer than the peeping Toms on that day ? It turns out that very few Coventry faithful are prepared to carry their cross 34 miles down the M1. This lack of faith makes me sad. Too many football 'fans' have chosen to abandon their faith - or choose to pray from the comfort of their armchairs to the God of Sky or BT, and have plasma screen televisions instead of an altar. The demise of teams like Coventry has caused its faithful weeping and gnashing of teeth, and their story should be treated as a prophetic homily for others to be very afraid of their judgement day. Money dictates much in life. A lack of it will conjure up many more victims such as Coventry. But sometimes there are small winners ! Northampton Town FC have capitalised. The modest (involuntary) collection for todays service was £16 for adults. Sadly the only blessings that were bestowed were on the few 'home' fans ( and those Gillingham fans who were wise enough to stay in the Southeast.) The game itself was purgatory for the faithful from Kent. A contender for quickest goal of the season saw them 0-1 down. Only the outstretched saving hands of Nelson kept the score down. And at least on one occasion the ball managed to cross into the Coventry half of the pitch - because the player that Gills fans have heralded as their Messiah - Cody McDonald, did perform one miracle today and cast the ball into the net for 1-1 before half time. But in truth Gills were indebited to keeper Nelson and Adam Barrett to still be level at the break. The second half was an even more turgid affair with nearly all the Gills players taking the 'day of rest' too literally. I don't know about the feeding of the 5000 with a couple of loaves and two fish - I would have been grateful of just a few crumbs of decent effort from the Gillingham team ( I daren't ask for skill ). The final score, a 2-1 defeat, flattered the Gills. The service was over. The pilgrims from Kent made their way home - whilst pondering that the prodigal sons in the shirts of Gillingham would also be making the same journey - but - only like prodigal sons who wasted their wealth and talents. They will need to beg the forgiveness of the Priestfield flock next weekend. Their penance must be, not three Hail Marys, but 3 points from a win - lest they face the prospects of eternal damnation in League 2.
I'm sorry for those of you who thought that the post would be solely about 'football.' Us two camels never intended it to be. If that was the main objective, we'd not have a lot to discuss after today. We were rubbish. We hardly had a touch of the ball - except Nelson and Barrett who had good games - to keep the scoreline down. It was ironic that a rare mistake by Nelson allowed Coventry to score the eventual winner - but in truth they should have been out of sight before half time. Nelson performed miracles to keep us in with a chance of an undeserved point. Martin Allen's team selection and tactics were wrong again. He can add his son and Weston to the list. Oh, and can we find somebody to buy hoofball ? As for the camel threads - despite missing only 2 away games last season, I fear that you may be spared the distraction that it affords if the level of effort doesn't improve.
