Just one thing missing.

Thursday means Lincolnshire Echo day and this weeks edition didn’t disappoint with a major article featuring an interview with David Holdsworth in which he divulges the inadvisability or lack of foresight in many of the players contracts with Lincoln City Football Club.


Holdsworth reveals that some players would have been due a pay rise even if the club had been relegated. He explains that he was astonished when he read the contracts:-

"If I am here long term then I promise you will never have to deal with the issues that I have inherited and had to try and sort out," he said.

"With respect to the people here before me, some of those contracts that were given to players had clauses upon clauses, upon clauses.

"I was absolutely flabbergasted when looking at them because some players would have received increases even if the club were relegated.

"It is just ridiculous. It's not just here where it has happened, it was the same at Leeds for example when they were relegated to League One.

"When you offer a player a contract, it has to be success related, so if you are not then you have saved the club from losing any more money.

"You have to look after the club and clearly that was not addressed previously.

"It needs to be applied and, okay, you may not sign a player, but, you have to take those chances given how tight things are.

"You simply cannot have Football League contracts in non-league because it costs a lot of money.”

Note the “if I’m here long term” but note also the business like attitude which one could imagine is music to the ears of a financially hard pressed chairman but and you know what’s coming here, but a managers primary role is to win football matches. Do that and crowds will increase and with that revenue. Happy fans buy a programme, burgers, rent a room for their anniversary party, buy a season ticket.

Unfortunately David Holdsworths win ratio is poor. There is much in the paper about the situation the manager found when he got to Lincoln and what he is doing about it. I do recommend you purchase a copy and read for yourself . Good practice, good habits, good organization, we all know that Holdsworth knows what to do the question is will he produce a team capable of winning regularly. City’s supporters will turn out to watch a successful side. Fans demonstrated after that first play off final appearance their appreciation of the teams efforts even though the players were ultimately thwarted in their bid for promotion. The flame has not died. Can Holdsworth reproduce those days because that is the way our football club will survive and prosper. Initial indications are not promising but as always we live in hope.