Plotting a way forward for the Imps.

There’s a board meeting at the offices of Lincoln City’s sponsors, Software Europe today where the Imps hierarchy convene, no doubt with the addition of Clive Nates on line and one would imagine there are few dark clouds on the horizon to be dealt with.

The board, as with ourselves the fans, will no doubt have an eye on the predators hovering around managers and players most notably Raggett and Woodyard but there could be others. The manager says that’s a good thing and I tend to agree with that. Departures are inevitable and, if the price is right, a good thing for a club with money in the bank already who are then able to go out and source a suitable replacement.

I suspect the managers are here for another season or two and that in itself is persuading the more bankable players to stay put for the moment. The danger is one day of course an unmissable opportunity will come along and we will lose the managers and our star players. Personally the likes of Peterborough United and Aston Villa do not concern me but the name West Ham does. Even then it’s going to happen at some stage and I’m sure we all want the managers to be rewarded for what they have done for us just not yet.

That is where the board come in and I don’t suppose they need the likes of me to tell them this but Lincoln City need to have a plan for the continued development of the club post Cowley brothers. Already I have heard it said that City see Ipswich Town as a model worth following and I heartily endorse that. The thing about the Tractor Boys is they retain the loyalty of their fans through thick and thin and it’s been a bit thin lately yet 16000 still turn up for games in a population area similar to Lincoln.

I hope I’m not clutching at straws here but there are already signs City are heading in the right direction with season ticket sales now heading towards a 5000 target. There’s every chance sales could get there too as it becomes a self-perpetuating phenomenon with fans judging that tickets at least for where people want to be in the stadium start to become scarce and if the team are successful fans could well imagine that unless they purchase a season ticket they might not get to see some matches at all as happened last season. So I think the club are quite right to publicise the credit option for supporters which, when you think about it, even with a bit of interest, supporters can see games for no more than paying on the day. The difference is they have to commit for the whole season.

I think there is a progression being formed in the club with the continued employment of Jamie McCombe on the coaching staff. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s not the next manager in the general scheme of things although I’m perhaps getting ahead of myself here but I do believe City have never been better placed to progress, going into the next season well-funded and with more fans clamouring to support the Imps and with a wealth of business acumen on the board of directors.

There’s certainly never been a better time to follow the Imps and never a better chance of lasting success at a much higher level than we’ve been used to and I hope either today or at some stage an item on the agenda will be is a new 12000 seat stadium sufficient for Lincoln City’s needs?

We live in hope.