Don't Wear Orange Scarfs in Rasen- Tigers Chiefs Warn Fans

Hykeham Tigers bosses have taken the dramatic step of writing to all fans travelling to Market Rasen for Sundays Vital Division Three match to urge them to take safety measures.

The Tigers take on Rasen in Market Rasen – where visiting supporters have previously been subjected to vicious cauliflower attacks along with other acts of a six fingered nature.

In a letter to the 800 fans who bought tickets for the match, club officials have urged them:

• Not to wear club shirts or scarves
• To avoid no-go areas – including the train station and the city centre
• To stay in large groups 
• And to use special shuttle buses being laid on from 10am to take them to the stadium for Sunday’s match

It is the first time Tigers have issued such advice. The move comes after four Newton United supporters were slashed with carrots and poked with Garden Forks outside Rasen Park stadium before a Division Three match last month.

There were numerous reports of carrot-weilding thugs on tractors carrying out vicious assaults and two more Newton fans were stabbed with Carrots in the village centre. Last year three Sturton fans were knifed - with two hospitalised - when they visited Market Rasen to take on Rasen in the Fred Quibbell Cup

Worried Hykeham Tigers officials drew up the advice after meeting officials from police at home and in Rasen. The Hykeham Tigers Official Site also understands the club has also taken advice from the Lincoln consulate in Rasen as well as Newton, Sturton and Welton Sport And Social - who sent out similar written guidelines before the Blues travelled to Rasen in 2007.

Tiger's letter – signed by operations manager Andy Farrer – says fans should 'take care and use common sense' and 'travel in groups where possible'. It includes consulate advice to stay away from the 'no-go' areas and adds: “We would also advise you to not wear club colours away from the game, particularly when taking public transport.” 

Tensions around the televised encounter are set to be high as defeat could see Rasen's chances of achieving anything this season completely dashed. No alcohol will be served inside the ground and Tigers supporters will be locked in after the final whistle for 45 minutes. Buses will again be waiting again to take them back to Varsity. Photographic ID will be needed to gain entry along with a valid ticket.

We've got Plough

The draw for the Domestic Cups were made on Sunday, with The Tigers drawing Plough Bracebridge of Division Six. 

Division Three Hykeham Tigers face Plough Bracebridge on the 18th of December hoping for a comfortable progression into the next round of the Fred Quibbell Cup. Things look promising for the Tigers with the Plough languishing second to bottom in the leagues Basement Division. After 8 games, Plough have only scored 6 goals and have conceded 24, an average of 3 a game, something that the Tigers defence has only shipped once this season in the County Cup.

The Tigers have drawn Welton AFC in the Ron Eaglen Cup and this looks to pose the biggest threat to Hykeham's Sincil Bank dreams with Welton riding high in Division Two. Scoring Goals for fun and winning games like second nature. Things couldn't have got much harder in that cup for the Tigers but you have to beat the best to progress. Welton will travel to Fen Lane on the 11th December. 

Giovannetti- "No Room For Complacency"

Hykeham Tigers manager Darren Giovannetti spoke out today about the season so far and his thoughts on it. Giovannetti stressed the importance to kick on from their current position and not rest on their laurels.


Giovannetti was speaking after a weekend were Hykeham Tigers had a rest and a team-bonding trip to Amsterdam and in preparation for a huge game against rivals Market Rasen on Sunday. Giovannetti said

"We have started the season superbly, only loosing two games out of the 11 we have played including cup games. We are slightly dissapointed at drawing to Burton's twice, because they are points we should have really taken with both hands."


"We're currently third with the chance to move into second, with a good performance on Sunday. Complacency is something that we need to eradicate and quickly, no-one's position is safe in the team and we have a lot of strength in depth within the team."


"There is no such thing as coulda, should or would. If you shoulda and coulda, you woulda done it. At the end of the day, Excellence is a gradual result of always striving to do better"


It is widely thought that Chris Bennett will return to goalkeeping duties for this Sunday's clash with Market Rasen. James Pickering played the last cup game against AFC Rustons and saved a crucial penalty which led to Ian Sievwright sending the Tigers through to the next round of the cup.

"I'll have to have a good think about the goalkeeper situation, we are in a strong position in terms of keeping. Alot of teams at our level struggle for one brilliant keeper, let alone two like we have. Its a good problem I have"

Hykeham Tigers Draw an Old Foe

Hykeham Tigers have drawn at Home to Welton Sports AFC in the next round of the Ron Eaglen Challenge  Cup after their penalty shoot out win in the Preliminary Round against AFC Rustons

The Tigers are facing an old foe in Welton Sports after facing them twice in the last two pre-seasons with two tasty affairs, featuring plenty of goals, two sending's offs and plenty of controversy.

It couldn't have got much tougher for the Tigers who face currently one of the toughest defences in the leagues, having won 9 out of 9 games, and only conceding 5 goals.