I suppose that Saturday’s win over Yeovil was a giant killing, but that seems to be a technicality only. Even ITV seemed at a bit of a loss in how to deal with the result. Ned Boulting’s knowing sneer, a constant presence when reporting on Tour de France cheats, was on display to let us know that the institution of FA Cup giant killing was being defiled.
Having crossed the great divide from Conference to League by being a thoroughly well run football club, you might expect Yeovil to treat the game with more respect.
Ciderspace offered a preview of the game that displayed the misplaced arrogance that, if not watched, can cause a club to crumble without warning.
They joked that our fans have been “getting quite excited about playing a proper football league team”. A frenzy proven by the fact that aside from Chester and Thurrock, this was the worst turnout from the Oxford public all season.
The gags kept rolling; “Oxford were giving thanks for the postal strike, as half of their team would have extra time for training. Geddit? Non-league side comprised of postmen”. Ignoring our under-21 internationals, vast league experience and even, in Danny Bullman, a man who has played in a Cup semi-final.
Yes, it’s all a joke and all so fucking funny. But so is sticking a battery up a cats arse or setting fire to homeless people. Funny if you’re not a cat or have a home. Well, I’m a bit sick of having things stuck up my arse, so I’m starting to take this stuff personally.
They noted (seriously, now) that a “large-ish crowd” would follow us. ‘Large’ we might assumed is the average crowd at Huish Park this season (4169), making ‘ish’ the additional 2184 who rock up at the Kassam every week. Really, let’s not play who has the fattest willy without checking what’s in our pants first.
Even Terry Skiverton, a football manager in name, if not haircut, smiled wryly on TV talking about being a ‘giant that had been killed’ as though he had gained some sort of kudos. Funny how a club so keen to remind people of their giant killing pedigree, can suddenly become so dismissive of the qualities of their heritage.
I expected more of Yeovil, who should know more than most that non-league doesn’t mean non-existent. Well, this is the season The Machine is here and it’s rolling over every last fucker that gets in our way. Now, sod off back to Somerset and let us get on with it.
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