A Look at The Mascots – Profile of Lincoln City’s Poacher The Imp
 | The fun face of football - Poacher |
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Poacher was born in July of 1998 prior to the Imps unsuccessful campaign against relegation from the Second division. He first appeared at the open day the club puts on in 1998, his first match appearance a friendly game against Grimsby Town, followed closely by an appearance at another friendly featuring Sheff Weds.
In his first season City suffered relegation with Poacher an unpopular character. The Boxing Day clash against Macclesfield prompted an irate fan to accost Poacher and accuse him of being a ‘drain on resources’. The same point was raised days earlier at a fans forum. With the club in dire debt it appeared Poacher was a financial burden. A letter from Poach pointed out the position was voluntary, and the abuse waived.
However abuse from opposition fans didn’t. At a cup tie against Sunderland Poacher was punched by an over zealous Mackum. However he was slowly building up a rapport with the Imps fans by turning up at games with amusing props and stunts. He had to be removed from the field in a game against Millwall as he was called offside twice by the linesman!
The relegation that followed saw City hit a low point in footballing terms. The team slumped in the league and Poacher could do little to appease the situation. A sit in protest at half time of a 4-1 home defeat by Mansfield showed the mascot didn’t just dance and sing, but could also be guilty of condemning poor performances.
 | Poacher and Whaddney of Cheltenham at the Grand National |
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Off the field Poacher visited Wembley Stadium to hold the FA Cup for a filming session. The sponsor AXA had decided to use mascots for their upcoming ad campaign. A days filming culminated in a tour of the ground and a chance to kick a ball on the Wembley turf. Poacher followed up by attending an England Under 21 games against France at Pride Park in Derby.
Whilst events on the Sincil Bank pitch were uninspiring Poacher attended the first ever Mascot Match at Gay Meadow in Shrewsbury organised by Lenny The Lion. It was here Poacher met other mascots with whom he would share many more memorable occasions, getting the name of Lincoln City out across the country. Antics included disrupting a christening on a Shrewsbury side street and dumping Benny The Buck from Telford in a bin whilst he was trailing an early rendition of his god awful catchphrase’ wahey’ or ‘woohoo’. (Joking Benny, love it really).
The only notable on the pitch exploit saw Poacher officially cautioned by the police for his part in ‘inciting’ the away fans in a Christmas clash with Scunthorpe United. He crossed the field 18 yards from the Scunthorpe filled Stacey West end and waved in what they perceived to be a rude manner. The stewards and local constabulary fully agreed and Poacher was warned to curb it or be arrested for inciting a riot. He ceased his actions and was let off with a caution first issued through the pages of the Lincolnshire Echo the next day.
There was also a bizarre sight for the inhabitants of a Sheffield housing estate in September 2001. Poacher had been scheduled to appear in the Mascot Grand National but had encountered certain logistical problems and was grounded in Sheffield. He donned his suit at 4 in the morning to do three complete laps of the estate to the delight of his friends. Never one to shirk an opportunity Poacher was beginning to develop his personality into a wholly more mischievous character.
Poacher attended another England Under 21 game, this time at Valley Parade for Bradford mascot The City Gent. The event saw the mascots take part in a race across the field, and gave them a chance to stand on the pitch whilst the national anthems were played.
The summer of 2002 found Lincoln on the verge of Bankruptcy and saw Poacher become a familiar face in the Save The Imps campaign. He could be found most Saturdays outside Tesco, Asda or B & Q desperately fighting with other City fans to save the club. The season ended with Poacher taking part in a tour of Lincoln with a band of hundreds of other City fans marching up the high street and back again. MP Gillian Merron took part along with other fans from across the country.
The job may not have been done, but it was getting closer. Poacher was awarded a new head for his trouble, getting a leaner meaner look over his cumbersome previous guise. The change of head brought a change of fortune. On the pitch Poacher began to engage the crowd in song, dancing for Ringo’s band to the tune of the Lincolnshire Poacher or ushering the Stacey West faithful to raise there arms to the dam busters tune. The atmosphere grew as City marched up the league and towards the play offs.
The season’s finale saw City host Scunthorpe in a play off final first leg. A 5-3 win had Scunthorpe needing a miracle to beat the Imps, and it earned Poacher only his second ever-away trip… to Glanford Park. On the night Poacher outstayed the Scunny Bunny on the pitch, leading the City fans in a deafening rendition of the dam busters whilst Brian Laws limped lamely round his home patch with a St Georges flag. A Poacher inspired Imps fans won the war of words, and the determined City players won the war on the pitch. 1-0, 6-3 on aggregate and a trip to the Millennium Stadium for Poacher.
 | Poacher and the Scunny Bunny - Friends really! |
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The first major final in Lincoln’s entire history had the nation spotlight fixed firmly on Cardiff for the play off final. The Imps were underdogs for the match but had defied the critics for months. Could they do it one last time? Poacher paraded the pitch full of enthusiasm and excitement being such a focal point for such a momentous occasion. Tears were shed and dreams were shattered as Bournemouth cruised to a 5-2 victory.
The devastation of play off failure was offset by the realisation at what had been achieved in just 12 months. The champagne was soon flowing for Poacher too as he came 2nd in a race between mascots using non motorised transport. Poacher showed up on a bicycle and narrowly lost out to home mascot Rocky Rhino in front of 32,000 people. Politics would prevent Poacher from attending again as the mascots voted to boycott the event following poor treatment.
The following season saw more of the same on and off the field with Poacher playing the part he had the season before. Some penalty triumphs against Roary from Hull and the usual banter with away fans. Indeed against York away fans even managed to remove his head, the first ever-successful attempt in six years of dodging attempts!
 | Poacher and the gang at Collingham |
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Off the field the first ever Collingham 5 a side game saw Poacher end on the winning sides in an event attended by a group of mascots. City Gent of Bradford, Captain Blade from Sheff Utd, Freddy the Fox & Freddy 2 from Halifax and Yorkie the Lion predictably from York. The game was a massive success with Emmerdale stars being harassed throughout their game with a local Collingham side.
A week or so later Poacher limped home 54th in his first Mascot Grand National appearance. No training conspired against the big man and he couldn’t add to his Rockingham success. However April of 2004 caught Poacher clocking a time of 1 hour 16 minutes for the Lincoln 10k coming in ahead of 50 serious competitors. His prowess as an athlete was growing!!!!
The current season saw Poacher improve on his Grand National placing coming in a creditable 12th from a field of 57. As controversy dogged the winner and the second placed mascot for different reasons Poacher kept his distance from the shenanigans despite once again not training at all!
He also came fourth in the Mascot Olympics, the second Collingham FC event. The event was attended by more mascots including Mr and Mrs Magpie and Benny the Buck in addition to the usual suspects from the year before. Paul Gascoinge attended the event which was overshadowed by the much-publicised theft of Benny the Bucks head. Indeed just days later he had to run the Grand National as ‘Benny the Box’!!
The last month saw Poacher receive more local press coverage then ever before. Interviews preceded the Grand National culminating in a Radio Lincolnshire broadcast from the Huntingdon circuit! The mascot book, featuring pieces by Poacher has also recently been released a further vehicle for Poacher image to promote Lincoln City.
 | Alway doing something he shouldn't... |
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