Suited and Booted: My life as Lincoln City mascot Poacher the Imp

by Gary Hutchinson

For sixteen season I was Lincoln City's mascot Poacher the Imp, but behind the mask lay a dark secret.I suffered from severe anxiety and depression and whilst outwardly 'Poacher' was a bundle of fun, underneath lay a troubled and broken individual.My identity became blurred, living my life through that of a six-foot cuddly character. Along the way I had a lot of laughs, experienced highs and lows and came out the other side smelling of roses, which is a surprise given that the suit gave off the odour of a dumped sofa.Read about my brushes with the law, moments of fame and the darkness that continued to envelop me away from the ground. Experience the highs and lows of supporting a lower league football club, seen through the eyes of a comedy character.You'll meet the other players in my unique life, other mascots, club staff and people who passed through which give my story colour, joy and in some places, a good villain to boo.Stress, anxiety and depression can be masked in a hundred different way, I hid mine behind a recognisable furry face of fun.

345 pages, Paperback

Published May 16, 2019

Reviews

[Ben Marum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read. Hugely entertaining and a powerful story to share. It makes you laugh and it also makes you reflect on the importance of caring for your own mental health. Gary approaches the topic transparently and has done an amazing job with this book. It brought me immense value and simply is a must read.