At least there has been some good news emanating from Oakwell this week, with everyone’s favourite canine being awarded a prize at the annual Mascot Gold Cup.
Apparently Toby won the ‘Best Mascot in Parade Ring’ at Wetherby Racecourse, where he was no doubt demonstrating the same type of swagger he displays at Oakwell before kick-off.
I’ve always been intrigued by football mascots – or more specifically the people who don such outfits. Why would you do it? Surely there can’t be much job satisfaction – you have to lumber around the pitch wearing a very heavy (and sweaty) costume while several thousand people take the mick out of you. Nor can it have much kudos with the ladies either. You can imagine the scene; you’re on a first date in a posh restaurant with the girl of your dreams. All is going well, when the conversation naturally turns to what you do in your spare time. “So what hobbies do you have?” she enquires. “Well, I like to dress up as a giant dog…”
Talking of dogs and dating – I’m not going where you think here – reminds me of that awful decision to create ‘Tina Tyke’ as a partner for Toby. Whoever came up with that concept needed their head testing. A bulldog with a handbag and the facial expression of an inflatable doll (so I’m told!). It was like something from an erotic version of Hammer House of Horror. Unsurprisingly Tina was soon sent to the doghouse.
Anyway, I’ve gone off at a tangent. In the same way you wonder why you never see baby pigeons, or why men have nipples – I’m sure I’m not alone in wondering who is ‘Toby Tyke’? (I also wanted to know who ‘The Stig’ was, but his identity was revealed the other week). There have always been plenty of rumours circulating amongst fans, from the plausible (an Academy player) to the bizarre (a former Chairman), but most have ultimately proved to be unfounded.
I did unwittingly discover the identity of a mascot the other week at Coventry. I was making small talk with the chap in the press room before the game and he came across as an intelligent and unassuming guy. Anyway, about an hour before kick-off he made his excuses and left (I assumed he was heading to the press box to prepare for a broadcast).
Imagine my surprise therefore when said man walked into the press room at half-time dressed as an elephant (minus head obviously or I wouldn’t have recognised him!).
It begged two questions. Firstly, why would a well-adjusted bloke perform such a role? And secondly, what the hell has an elephant got to do with Coventry?!
April 28th, 2009 at 11:03 am
Good old Toby.
Coventry was famous for a blue died material. The colour was a vivid sky blue (hence the saying ‘as true as Coventry Blue’). In response to cheap imports mimicing the colour, the makers decided to mark all the real Coventry blue materials with an elephant. It’s stuck since then.