Lincoln City. A blueprint for a successful club?

Walking back up to the High Street to catch the bus home I was earwigging some Luton fans discussing the game. There were some sarcastic comments along the lines of I thought Lincoln were going to run away with this league? Not from Lincoln I don’t think although City were the bookies choice to do well. After yesterday I certainly do think the Imps will do well. The consensus though was that Luton came for a draw. Danny Cowley said after the game that if any team were going to win it would be City and I’d agree with that, the Imps were the home side and played like it.

Forget Mayweather v McGregor, this was Mayweather v Mayweather with two evenly matched but contrasting teams going head to head in what felt like a top of the table clash even if it wasn’t. Certainly in terms of excitement and occasion it had everything with an even bigger crowd, once again all home tickets had been sold and a very healthy following from Luton. So the stage was set for a pulsating contest and it didn’t disappoint. After the game the applause rang out and you could tell both sets of supporters were satisfied with their team’s efforts as well they might be.

I try to find a different angle to write about, you can read a match report in many other directions and one thing that struck me yesterday was the Imps support. As the bus drew up to take us into town there were a group of us in our shirts and also four or five teenage girls waiting to get on. Off for an afternoons shopping you might think but no, they produced their season tickets and on they got. Similarly on the way home there were a large number of young females in City shirts on the bus and I notice around the Travis Perkins suite groups of women attending games together and I can’t help thinking that is a welcome development.

I got talking to a lady Tranmere fan at last seasons game and she remarked there was a much friendlier atmosphere at Sincil Bank than she was used to at Prenton Park and it can only be a good thing that there is a more representative cross section of support at Lincoln, young and old, male and female.

Another thing that is becoming apparent is that the club is listening to the supporters. I don’t suppose when they became directors any of the board thought they would be spending a lot of their time discussing how to fit more fans into Sincil Bank but that’s the conundrum.

When I first started writing about Lincoln City it was for the Professional Footballers Association website and I e-mailed the club several times explaining who I was and who I was writing for. The PFA asked me if I had been supplied with a press pass to get in and write about the Imps. They didn’t even reply to e-mails! Now supporters concerns and suggestions are noted and acted upon, for example the use of the Stacey West Stand for away fans and the possible future sharing of that area with home supporters when away fans are not expected to be so numerous. I also understand that the club are considering a scheme whereby if season ticket holders are unable to attend a game their seat may be resold by the club so someone else can attend.

This is what I’m getting at with my headline. A club which treats it followers with respect and appreciates that they have views and ideas too. For years football clubs have taken their supporters for granted and have given them no consideration at all. Modern day cannon fodder. That’s all changing at Lincoln and a very good thing too.