In this most exclusive of interviews we hired a translator to speak to our club Mascot Ali-the-Gator about his role at the club, his life as a mascot and making be journey to the super 6s finals. Photos are courtesy of James Findlay.
Ali, it’s great to sit down and communicate with you via your alligator translator. Tell us about your job at Southgate
I’ll have you know I have the best job in the world. I am Southgate’s official club mascot. I am an Aligator and I live at the South Gate of Trent Park. I cheer for all the Southgate teams and try and make people happy whether we win, lose or draw come rain, shine, hail or brimstone.
Last weekend you made the journey to the Super 6s, how did it feel stepping out in front of all those people on Sunday in Derby?
Well let me tell you it was nothing short of scale shredding nervousness. My home is Liz’ office and at night time in the Trent Park swamp so I was very much a Gator-out-of-water. However I was lucky enough to meet on long travels to Derby two very nice people called Jasper and Jess who are also professional mascots and we made great friends. They took me to a changing room where I did my make-up and out on my eyeliner and polished my tail spikes.
And then your big moment came?
Well yes, let me tell you about it, I had some communication with the captain John Sterlini who is very nice but seemed quite focussed. I do not speak human and have to communicate with my claws but I could tell he was excited and he did a small jump, however the man they call nosebleed (ed: Simon Walker) was doing really big jumps. I tried to copy him but I felt my head falling off so I stopped.
And then what happened?
Well honest to goodness and oh my word soon I was thrust out into the limelight placed second behind Captain John which was the very honour of my life since hatching from an egg. And then there was loud music and I heard my name from the speakers in the sky and I was so excited.
During the game itself you often couldn’t look, can you tell us what was happening there?
Well I was a big bundle of Gator nerves and it was very tense. But I was fortunately with my friends from Southgate who did lots of cheering and made noise and I felt I was back at the Gate near my swamp and Liz’ office which is my special place. I just pictured myself on that lovely (new and recently refurbished) green pitch and all the happy memories i have had and then I was able to cheer again.
What will you take away from the day?
Well my word I was a very proud Gator, I knew that Jasper and Jess were rooting for Southgate and we even saw the East Grinstead Shark and I had a brief telephonic conversation with them and they all secretly wanted Southgate to win- even though we didn’t. Yet at the end I stood up and so did all the Gate supporters and we did loud cheering (I was obviously quiet in voice as I can’t speak human or make any noise really). The players looked a bit sad for a moment but I hope we showed them how much we appreciated them and how well they had done to get us all the way up to Derby.

Ali with Jess the EH Mascot
I must say it is hard to travel as an Ali-Gator as people given me funny looks maybe because I am green with a red and black tummy. However as I made my way back through the marsh land of the midlands to the swamps of Luton and the merry rural idyll of north London after you cross the magic hinter way of the M25 all i could hear was people talking about Southgate and how we will be back next year.