Signs of change.

David Holdsworth has clearly taken a glance at what he's got and decided he doesn't like the look of it. I can understand where he's coming from. I based this article on the incoming players, I was certainly expecting a goal keeeper and I can understand a winger. Since publishing the article the club has signed a centre half, Richard Hinds. Now I don't profess to be a coach unlike some of the people who comment on articles but it's been blatantly obvious for some considerable time that we couldn't defend to save our lives so I don't think anyone is going to disagree with that. Plucking a striker from nowhere on no money will surely be more problematic?

The article is now on Vitals but keep logging on to the blog for a bit more content.

Signs of change.


Holdsworth: Time is something we don’t have a lot of.


After the reality check that was the FA Cup exit it’s back to the league with the visit of Barrow who this fan remembers as quite a decent footballing side but that counted for nothing when they failed to gain re election to the league under the “old pals act” that was the forerunner of automatic promotion and relegation.

Much gloom and despondency amongst the fans this week provoked by the debacle that was the “performance” against Alfreton Town and the realisation that a further relegation, bad though that may be might be only the start of the Imps problems.

David Holdsworth lightened the mood a little by signing winger Conal Platt from Cambridge and keeper Paul Farman from Gateshead. Presumably we owe both those clubs a debt of gratitude as we assume City are paying little or nothing for their upkeep if the pronouncements from the chairman are to be taken at face value. It’s come to something if that’s the case. We’re supposed to have pride in our local club. That gesture, if gesture it is provokes just embarrassment in this writer’s case.

The goal keeper position is no surprise although Nick Draper should not feel this move is a criticism. Being in goal behind such a shaky defence and being put in the position he was against Alfreton by as experienced a defender as Adam Watts is no way to start a professional career. His time will come and he did make a couple of excellent saves, one of the highlights of the match, not that it would have taken much to be a highlight in that game.

The manager, having assured all his players they will have an opportunity to impress has obviously come to the conclusion that some of our squad are and never will be what we require in the position we are in. In his own words:-

“I like nice players and silky football but we’re in a dogfight. If they’re not up to it there are plenty who are.

“We need to ruffle a few feathers.

“Are we good enough at the moment? No. We have to change and we will do.”

As the manager said, and has repeated often on BBC Lincolnshire, his phone is red hot with players wanting to pitch in. The problem is, as ever the players we have are under contract, they’re not going to give up that, not for free anyway and with the shambles of City’s start on their CV’s it’s hard to see who else would want to take them. If David Holdsworth could find a way of moving those players on to other clubs to free up opportunities to add to our squad this writer really would believe we have a miracle worker on our hands.

Richard Hinds