Lincoln City need a new and better bench, not a new manager.

I was going to expand my thoughts on the nature of Forest Green Rovers, the village team who look like they may grace the football league next season but the Echo beat me to it. This is most certainly sour grapes on my part but this “club” bring nothing to football, their 40 fan following on Saturday was pathetic. I have no time for these teams who are purchased and appear out of nowhere. John Pakey said he hoped they get promoted and out of our way. I would prefer what happened to Rushden and Diamonds, somehow or other the money disappears and so do they. Their position is an insult to the football clubs up and down the country struggling to make ends meet, fans valiantly assisting the board of directors to keep the wolf from the door.

For someone who wasn’t going to expand on the subject of FGR I appear to have done exactly that but now on to more pressing matters. Radio Lincolnshire was alive to the sound of Chris Moyses’ critics after the latest home defeat and there’s no doubt about it, it’s a very worrying run of losses. If we just had five more points we could breathe more easily and yet, for much of the game City more than matched their opponents. Once again it was the inability to take chances that was their downfall. Hearn was out with a groin strain (I really think you should take note of this Liam, you clearly can’t play all of every game) and upfront the Imps had a makeshift look. If I have a criticism I’d have started Robinson alongside Rhead, having Power if not alongside but expected to shuttle between midfield and supporting Rhead, didn’t produce a goal.

Talking of Robinson much though I like the idea of having local players in the squad it’s a make or break season for him. I’m not sure he demonstrates the urgency of his situation. I’m sure Boston would love to have him and maybe that’s his level.

For me, Saturday cried out for someone to come off the bench and reinvigorate the team. It didn’t happen, at least not when it was needed. The reason? This was more or less confirmed in the manager’s interview, the reason was there wasn’t anyone any better and therein lies the problem. I said previously that investment in the team would probably be wasted but now we have a different difficulty. The playoffs are out of reach but relegation isn’t. We need two or three players who will assist the present squad to get the points needed for safety.

Ironically, given thought as to who those players are they could be all that is needed to produce a playoff achieving team although that wouldn’t give an awful lot of squad depth. Nolan is gone and Nat Brown will surely be going although he would certainly go with my best wishes and thanks for his efforts. The rest of the non-playing squad need to be examined or rather need to examine themselves and to ask themselves the question, do I want / have the ability to get in the team and stay in it? If the answer is no they too should look elsewhere.

As for us, the crowd I don’t believe there is any great clamour for a change, what good has it done us before? There was just a bit of a grumble at the end rather than wholesale dissatisfaction. It’s now up to the club to keep us all onside with two or three good acquisitions to get us going again. Rome wasn’t built in a day.