We’re Lincoln City, we’ll lose when we want.

I suppose I’d kind of expected something like yesterday. Lincoln City limped over the line to gain promotion, stayed on their feet long enough to claim the championship then, in supposedly their finest hour, fell flat on their faces.

I’ll not pretend it didn’t spoil the celebrations afterwards and it’ll be at the back of my mind as we watch the open top bus tour today. It’s a reminder too that we’re far from the finished article, nothing that Danny Cowley hasn’t warned us about. As the saying goes, in order to ride a bicycle you’ve got to keep moving forwards otherwise you’ll fall off.

Yesterdays defeat didn’t happen by accident. Colchester were certainly given every encouragement not least by the third goal that’s bound to find it’s way on to one of those football DVD’s they release at Christmas. I suppose one day we’ll laugh about it. Just to highlight one aspect I particularly noticed. I didn’t think Harry Anderson had an effective afternoon but when you analyse it, every time he got the ball he was immediately pounced on by three opponents. That wasn’t an isolated incident, it happens all the time at home and we’re going to have to deal with it a lot better if we’re to progress.

Might as well say it now it hasn’t always been an easy watch, particularly at home. We’re certainly not Brazil, more dare I say it, Germany or at least we would be if we could pass the ball a lot better. That’s something that’s going to have to be improved on too.

Might as well say this too. Those boo’s. Not many but in evidence certainly. I’ll not pass judgement but I’ll pass comment. When I was working I didn’t need telling if I’d messed up. Our players didn’t need telling either. Those players have run through brick walls for us. Not for them Christmas morning opening presents with the kids, no family holidays when everyone else is away. Friday nights in a hotel rather than being out with the wife or girlfriend. No sports day, no parent teacher evenings. They’ve given us a lot.

It shows a chink in our armour. We have no friends in league two and we’ll have none in league one either. All we’ve got is each other. No one owes us anything, no ones going to give us anything. In fact the more successful we are the less other teams and fans will like us. I’d rather Colchester had gone home thinking we beat them three nil but we still didn’t break them. As it is they’ll think they really got under our skin which they did. It’s just I’d rather we hadn’t let them know they did.

Anyway, rant over. Sometimes life throws something at you that you decidedly don’t like. It later transpires that it did you more good than you’d care to admit. Let’s look at it that way. If we thought we were good enough to win league one clearly we’re not. If the board were thinking little investment is going to be needed clearly it is. We’ve got where we are by sticking together so maybe we should spare a thought for those nearby clubs who have spent a fortune and still not got a prize or worse still spent a fortune and got relegated. On second thoughts lets not. They wouldn’t be thinking of us would they?

Decisions decisions.

Here we are then, after all the excitement, all the ups and downs, well ups mainly, we’ve made it, the last game of the season.

To any notion that City’s season is over I’d say two words. Danny Cowley. I would like to see a good performance myself though, not that the players owe me it, but the tail off in form has been a little bit scary. I don’t expect that to carry through to next season though. Far from it. In fact I suspect, great though this group of players have been, next seasons side may show significant changes. I wouldn’t be bothered if I’m wrong though.

There are now three things I’m looking forward to. The trophy presentation, the open top bus tour and the player of the season award. That has been difficult if only because, across the board, there have been some great performances. The flowering of Harry Anderson and Tom Pett, the marvel that Bruno Andrade has been. The all round contribution of John Akinde, the evergreen Matt Rhead. Unlike evergreens he’s not been too much in evidence but you know what I mean. I’ve enjoyed Michael O’Connor, I’ve enjoyed the fact that Notts County let him go for him to have the season he has although, as a Notts lad (very briefly) I don’t find any pleasure in their demise, if it happens.

Up front, all over the team in fact, there have been some great and spectacular goals but the essence of the side, the boiler room if you like, once again, has been the defence. You can’t single anyone out but I’m going to. With a slightly heavy heart, because I missed him out last season too, I did not vote for Bozzie but instead went for Jason Shackell as my player of the season. Then came Carlisle. Had I voted after that game it would probably have been Michael Bostwick. I was at that game, the sending off was silly and unprofessional as was the further indiscretion with the fourth official. Understandable but nevertheless unprofessional. He’s paid me back though by signing for another year. Bozzie, I suspect, couldn’t give a monkeys whether I voted for him or Shacks but to him, all the players, all the squad, those who didn’t get much game time I thank them, thank you for one of the best football seasons of my life.

This brings us to the Taylor team. Are they top dogs or the present side, or another? Does anyone care? For me, in terms of domination, Taylors team just pips it. Far from a put down that is meant as an enormous compliment. When you factor in fitness, the amount of learning and classwork involved, sports science, nutrition, dedication then I think we have the best Lincoln City side of my supporting life. For that I thank Chris Moyses, Bob Dorrian, Clive Nates and the board of directors and of course last but not least Danny and Nicky Cowley.

This is starting to sound like the Oscars so I’ll sign off now. (Blub blub)