Oh, THAT'S the point of Peterborough Sports!

Many years ago I recall Brian Talbot being interviewed by the local press when the hack made the mistake of mentioning the budget Mr Talbot had at his disposal.  Brian took great umbrage at the suggestion that a contributory factor to The Direones success could be the amount of money they threw around.  He became touchy and hostile and started lashing out with lies and guesswork in a most Trumpian manner.  And his first lie was that the Poppies playing budget was not just higher than his, but FAR higher.

This amused me at the time, given the gulf in quality between the two teams.  The interviewer hadn't mentioned the Poppies, but Brian's complete defensiveness about the absolute sacks of gold he had been handed to buy the League was frankly embarrassing.  No Manager or Club enjoys the assertion that success has been "bought".  It undermines their triumph and suggests their own talents weren't quite enough.

Most of us must have been acutely aware of Imraan's buying power when he pretty much assembled a League 2 team to win Conference North for us.  But that didn't stop elements of our support from believing a club that could barely muster four figure gates could somehow generate the funds to employ players of the calibre of Harper, Exodus, Marna, Seddon, Wrack, Boucard, Westcarr, Potter, Elding and Branston.  Mad, mad days.

We've all experienced something of a flashback with the reaction of the assembled masses of Peterborough Sports to our previous article about our forthcoming match.  The knee-jerk angry response to a perceived slight has been in parts amusing and frustrating.  Amusing because it's always fun to see knickers getting in a twist, but also frustrating because in their spittle-drenched fury to lash out at any criticism of their club they had failed to spot the self-depreciating undertow to the article.

Us, watching the Google Analytics View Count
at Patgod Towers yesterday

Rarely do we criticise another club without making a sly jibe at ourselves, and the previous article was no exception.  In the relatively short reading time we managed to suggest they were were likely to defeat us not just once but twice!  We also mentioned the ease with which they plucked away some of our best players.  And then we highlighted our personal laziness by bemoaning having to get off our arses to buy tickets.  All of which, seemingly went straight over the heads of the thin-skinned Sports fans determined to take great offence that a football fanzine might dare take aim at their club.  The very idea!

If as many turn up for the Boxing Day fixture as read the article a sell-out is on the cards.  Thanks for the boost in readership!  So, it does appear there might be a point to Peterborough Sports after all.