We’ve managed to nab five minutes out of the busy schedule of America’s first black president (or 44th white president, depending on how you look at it) to get his insight into tonight’s match. Take it away, Barry:
“My fellow Poshies, we stand here today not because we choose to, but because we have to. There is evil in the world - people whose ideals and beliefs seem alien to us. Who seemingly have no morals, no conscience, no sense of shame. I refer, of course, to MK Dons fans. I’m immensely proud and humbled to support the Posh – as a man whose father, less than 10 years ago, would have been refused entry to Stadium MK. Because it didn’t exist. Great names, like Lawrie Sanchez, John Fashanu, Robbie Earle - their effort and endeavours removed from our children’s history books. And these people, these MK Dons fans are ignorant to it all.
These are the type of people who happily watch a team of men dive, cheat, whine, spoil and stall their way through 90 minutes of football. These are the type of people who think Jude Stirling offers something to their team. These are the type of people who wear baseball caps to a football match. These are the type of people who fly to Spain to spend a week eating at McDonalds and drinking John Smith’s Smooth in O’Flaherty’s Irish Pub. Yes, they are rising through the divisions, but, my friends, so are we. And we’re doing it with style, with flair, with a sense of fair play.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face, in rising above these imposters in the league table, are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, Posh fans - they will be met. So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have travelled.
In the year of Big Ron’s arrival, in the coldest of months, a small band of Posh fans huddled on desolate terraces. The promotion charge was faltering. Lloyd Opara was our biggest signing. Danny Crow was starting to fill out a bit. At a moment when the outcome of our promotion chase was most in doubt, the leader of our men ordered these words be read to his people: “When it’s a battle, you fookin’ battle”.
Poshies. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and Boyd’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Thank you. Boyd bless you. And Boyd bless Peterborough United Football Club. Barry Obama