Yorkshire Carnegie
Summertime Blues
Not coming?
By Wildwillie
July 2 2010
It is not easy being a Leeds Carnegie supporter. Sometimes it is not even enjoyable. But after the season we have just had when there was a wonderful climax resulting in a second consecutive season in the top flight there is only one thing on the horizon for four months – cricket! Yes it is time for the blues.
For three months we lived in the depths of despair. Then came the green shoots of recovery. Finally the coming to fruition of all the planning and hard work. Then, abruptly, at twenty to five on a sunny afternoon it all ends – limbo. Even the prospect of the FIFA world cup with all the nationalistic outpourings that brings (check out the Cricketers in Seacroft) can do little to assuage our thirst for rugby. Ah well there are always the summer tours. Oh yes the one which saw Fourie injured after forty minutes! Very entertaining –not.
So what are we to do to while away the hours/days/weeks/months? Go on holiday! Now that is only marginally less stressful than following the ‘Neegs. Well the garden needs lots of attention during the summer – lugging buckets of water up and down in a vain attempt to keep the bleddy plants alive is not my idea of fun. OK so we can go and watch Yorkshire CCC. Hmm… being brought up in the era of Illingworth, Boycott, Trueman, Binks and Close means that I always make the comparison with the current side & pale shadows come to mind.
Now there is one summer sport which everyone can take part in irrespective of fitness, age etc and that is “speculation”. Whilst a vocal minority, living near York, would rather just wait for new signings to be announced, the majority of messageboard addicts are busy arguing where the perceived weaknesses are in the squad and second guessing who will be signed to fill those gaps. The club, meanwhile are trying to keep our attention with the usual off-season drivel about who might be on the bench for the Saxons and where the rugby summer camps are being held. Occasionally a signing is announced ( invariably about six weeks after it was mooted on the mb) and the media team turn the signing into a major event. More often than not the gossip turns out to be wrong. “Charlie Hodgson was seen in Leeds city centre!” –“ yes but he was shopping” – “no, no he is definitely signing for Leeds. My mate’s brother’s insurance man knows a guy in the know at Sale!” Occasionally the goss’ is good and we get some spendidly suggestive posts ( recently of a religious nature) before it is officially announced that, yes, we have signed Jesus, albeit a Spanish prop of that name. Some people go to more extreme lengths to get information and several fans have been spotted lurking behind the fence around the training ground with binoculars and zoom lense cameras!
And so it goes on. Long months of guessing, not knowing, hoping & praying…seemingly endless. When the Who played live at the New Mecca in Leeds in the early seventies one line still rings true from that gig – “There ain’t no cure for the summertime blues”. Rock on Leeds & Roll on September!
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02/07/2010 07:37
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Still a Tyke - whatever the name!
