It’s not November the fifth but stand by for fireworks. Yes, Joey’s in town.

He’s good box office alright, Joey Barton. Not for Fleetwood who I see are only propped up from being the worst supported side in league one by perpetual Cinderella’s, Accrington Stanley, but he seems to have the knack of girding everyone else’s loins if only to come along and shout at him.

Fleetwood nevertheless seem to have plenty of buying power to produce a fine side who are more than holding their own in the division this term so far. He’s been complimentary too about City but like another manager of a team who play lovely football but can’t get the punters through the door, Mark Cooper at Forest Green Rovers, he can’t resist the temptation of having a dig at Danny Cowley this time making the observation that the reason Cowley hasn’t moved on to a bigger club is his style of football.

Therein lies the hope that maybe he hasn’t done his research too thoroughly otherwise he would know the Imps are playing in a totally different way now they are progressing up the leagues. Another “we know what to expect from Lincoln” shot in the dark?

Barton has shown in the past that he won’t let the truth get in the way of a good story, quite what he was going on about in his complaints over our signing of Cian Bolger I really wouldn’t know and now he takes issue over the capture of Callum Connolly implying that it was City’s financial muscle that had prised the youngster away from him and into the Sincil Bank fold, no doubt to the players loss. Yes it’s going to be a hot afternoon, whatever the weather.

Amidst all the excitement and good performances against MK Dons, Doncaster Rovers and Everton we do have to recognise that City have lost three on the trot, for the first time under Cowley. Even allowing for the fact that ninety nine times out of a hundred Everton are going to beat Lincoln City the Imps do need to get back to winning ways against Fleetwood Town this afternoon at Sincil Bank. If that’s not going to get the numbers down to the stadium this afternoon and ramp up the volume I don’t know what will.

Bursting with pride.

There was a time, all the time I supported Lincoln City basically, until now, when great cup nights under the lights, was a preserve of, well anybody but us. I’m going way back here but Yeovil Town and Hereford United spring to mind but there were many others, enjoying their day in the sun, lapping up the limelight then settling back to their own modest existence. Me? I’ll just sit under this tree thanks. Cup run? Not for me, I wouldn’t know what to do.

Well that was then and this is now. Just as Burton Albion used a cup run to catapult themselves up the leagues and stay there so City have invested their winnings from football fortune as Danny calls it, in the form of a training set up and promotions and last night they were at it again as the club look to cement their place in league one and, who knows, reach even higher?

Recent away games have shown the Imps are at a distinct disadvantage compared to nearby clubs in that stadium limitations have a bearing on the income that can be generated. Rotherham United and Doncaster Rovers were able to take advantage of City’s amazing away followings by offering as many places as we could sell but, as last night showed even a sold out game did not produce a totally full stadium, the gate would have been over 10000 otherwise, so nights like Wednesday become even more important to the club in terms of revenue and with that the ability to compete in league one.

That’s a rather hard headed appraisal of what was really a celebration of everything that is good about City at the moment. Last night wasn’t about money, it was about pride, pride in our club, which has been through the bad times and survived. Pride in our board who have resisted the temptation to go for broke and instead risk the accusations of lack of ambition by saying no, we’ll pay our way, live within our means. Pride in our supporters. It must have been great TV for Sky. I don’t know whether you watched the Newport game the night before. It was as flat as a pancake unlike Sincil Bank last night. Pride finally and most importantly in our players who entertained us royally, gave us an amazing performance which overcame the defeat and left Everton, the great Everton, so relieved at beating us that they, frankly, made fools of themselves, some of them, not all.

For a couple of our players you do wonder whether they too could ply their trade at the top. All of our players acquitted themselves well. Not for them the kick it long and run after it mentality. Danny Cowley wants his players to perform a certain way and that is what they’ll do. Yes, Everton were silky smooth, I was really impressed by them but I was really impressed by us too. I’m sure there were more than a few Toffees supporters this morning thinking league one is not a bad standard, not bad at all.

City learn a hard lesson (hopefully)

One time Lincoln City manager George Kerr once said “this is big time football.” He wasn’t manager of City when he said it, he was managing Grimsby Town and he wasn’t talking about league one it was the championship. These days as far as I’m concerned for championship then read league one now. Such is the gravitational pull of the premier league the general standard is higher. Much higher.

We all noticed, I’m sure, league two seemed to have moved on since we were in it before and league one has too, considerably, I can say that as one who was there there when we were in it last.

The first three away league games perhaps polarise things somewhat. Despite our local sensitivities, Rotherham United, Doncaster Rovers and certainly MK Dons in terms of stadia, crowds and general set up, present a whole new ball game to the one we’re used to. Another 10000 plus gate yesterday, helped of course by in excess of 3000 Imps rocking up adds to the perception were moving in more exalted areas.

Much is made of the finishing in the premier league but, again the standard filters down so errors that are made are punished more forcefully in the league we are now, so it was yesterday. The first Doncaster strike was a wonder goal from a player on loan from Wolves, the second the result of an error. No use crying over spilt milk. The fact of the matter is City have played really well in two away games, net gain nothing. You could say, as Danny did, that we took too long to recover from going behind. Difficult to argue with that but recover we did and found ourselves level only to lose the game due to a slip up. Such is life in league one.

Another thing we’re agreed on I think is that the standard of refereeing is better. You wouldn’t find many Imps arguing that sentiment yesterday as City seemed to fail to get the rub of the green but again, you might say, bigger stadium, bigger crowds the ref is less likely to incur the wrath of the home support. The really big talking point, the Andrade penalty shout that happened right in front of us was a bit of a grey area. One offence outside the box, play on, then one inside. Penalty we shout, take it back to the first offence rules the referee. We can’t have it both ways I suppose. Time was when we were the free kick kings, we made nothing of that one.

What to do about it? Well the pundits among us argue that with Cian Bolger in the side the team conceded nil goals and without him, four. Accommodating him means either moving Bozzie from defence to midfield, I did think that might happen yesterday, or leaving out him or Shackell, both offences of high treason and in any case Shackell hasn’t put a foot wrong in the games I’ve seen so that leaves Bozzie. Will you tell him or shall I?

I didn’t feel too downhearted about yesterday, it was still a good day out at a very nice stadium and City did entertain me and, apart from a couple of errors could have come away with something. I’m not going to say we go again, except I just did. We all make mistakes.

Rovers Return.

With previous trips to Rotherham and Huddersfield the programme has a sort of retro feel. True Huddersfield aren’t in our league, give it time, but these outings to places we used to visit but haven’t for a while is a sign both that we’re making progress and that these clubs got away from us but now we’re back.

I wouldn’t imagine either Millers or Rovers were expecting us to be peering down at them from the upper reaches of the table but we are and would have been higher still were it not for an uncharacteristicly slow start and then conceding again when we got level. No wonder Danny Cowley was livid when interviewed after the game on Tuesday.

Cowley turned his ire on the EFL on Tuesday as well he might regarding the situation around Bury and Bolton Wanderers. He extended every sympathy to those clubs but I can’t say I share the general goodwill and forbearance in the press and on the TV. I can’t recall anyone doing so particularly for us when we looked like we were going out of business. Similarly when City became the first football league club relegated out of the league, thus saving Burnley I think it was, Des Lynam declared it was a good day for football. Thanks very much.

As far as I’m concerned if a club is not ready for the league programme at the start of the season or an owner has not been declared fit and proper that’s that, you don’t compete in the league that season. Am I being too simplistic? As for calling a game off because it’s not good for your younger players, since when was that allowed?

Time will tell what the repercussions are for this period and indeed if there are any for Danny Cowley. It would be a supreme irony if he became the only one censured as a result of all this.

Stylish City banish another bad memory.

One of our group told us that Jack Payne was with us on loan, that he wasn’t our player. In my heart of hearts I knew that wasn’t correct but what made it believable at the time was, well, we don’t sign players like Jack Payne do we? We’re Lincoln City. Very occasionally we get a player like Jack and we spend a while drooling then he goes back to his club or someone like Norwich City sign him.

When I got back home I checked, yep, he was our player. In fact I spent quite a while in a daze after that game. Radio Lincolnshire had tweeted me asking if I’d come on later so I was wondering if they would ring. They didn’t so I put the Man City game on the TV and mused on what I’d just witnessed. It was like one of those day dreams that I guess we’ve all had. City get taken over by a millionaire, appoint the right manager, get promoted and start playing wonderful football as we sweep up the leagues to the championship.

Except this isn’t a day dream, it’s really happening. Not the championship thing although that’s the next step and, for me, on yesterdays evidence we’re playing championship football already. This is happening and I can’t quite believe it.

Yesterday we put another episode in our lives in a locked box because we’d rather not think about it, two episodes in fact as both are inextricably linked with Southend. The play off final defeat and the relegation from the football league at the hands of Southend’s Steve Tilson. They’re welcome to him except they’ve consigned him to a locked box themselves. Good. I don’t want to mention his name again.

I was expecting a tough game yesterday, just like I was expecting one last week and the week before. Did we get one? We certainly did at Rotherham and against Southend it started off like it was two evenly matched teams. For my money it was champagne stuff. Southend were playing some good passing football and City were too. In fact I’ll go so far as to say I don’t think I’ve ever seen such good quality football from any Lincoln City side and I’ve seen a lot.

Graham Taylor’s team was functional and powerful rather than silky smooth. Colin Murphy did not believe footballers at our level could pass the ball with any consistency so didn’t try. Allan Clarke, remember him? He was brought in to play on the deck more, didn’t last five minutes. Keith Alexander, ever the enigma played some really good stuff then got sacked and returned playing a different brand altogether and John Beck, the winning was everything to him and he didn’t care how that was achieved, no he really didn’t. John Schofields side played some lovely football but, as always with us, it couldn’t last.

So to yesterday. Once again everyone put in a great shift. It didn’t take a genius to pick out Payne as the man of the match he was simply superb. Josh Vickers didn’t have his best game ever but a clean sheet is just that. Talking of drooling, what has happened to Harry Anderson? After months, seasons watching him run down blind alleys and cul-de-sacs the ball has finally dropped. At his feet usually. Shacks is back, with a goal and it wasn’t necessary to disappoint Cian Bolger to accommodate him as Bozzy was needed to cover for the rejuvenated Michael O’Conner in midfield. My cup runneth over. It’s taken the best part of sixty years of mainly pain and heartache to get to this point. I’m loving every minute of it.

Was there ever a better time to be an Imp?

If you’re anything like me you probably at some time looked at some clubs and thought, is it ever going to be our turn?

I’m talking about the likes of Rushden and Diamonds, Burton Albion, Fleetwood. Even the likes of Scunthorpe United and Grimsby Town have had their day in the sun and not a tickle for us. Until now that is.

I think of all those clubs, Mariners excepted, as smaller clubs than the Imps yet there they were, up in league one or the championship possibly. We on the other hand, had to pedal faster and faster to stand still until one day the chain broke and down we went. Would we ever have the money to visit the mechanic and get ourselves fixed up?

We know the answer of course and when you look at the cup run that went a long way to underpinning the rapid rise that we have all enjoyed, Oldham Athletic, who apologised to their fans for being beaten by us I recall, Ipswich Town, Brighton and Burnley, we’re ahead of one and on level terms with another. Ipswich are a very good example because by rights, going on population, they shouldn’t have had anything like the success they did. What was it that got them and kept them at the top for so long? Good club management.


Lets just pause there, good club management, not just good managers, they had those too but behind them was good, practical, pragmatic management and guess what? We’ve got that too. The Cowleys will move on, we know that, not for a good while we hope but they will but the board of directors won’t, not all of them at any rate.

All of this brought my mind to Southend United. It probably didn’t yours but mine works differently. Strictly speaking we should have leapfrogged them when we played them at Cardiff in the league two playoffs but of course we didn’t, we stayed put and eventually sunk almost without trace.

Now, once more, we play them again. It’s tempting to say our old friend Steve Tilson but he’s no friend of mine or yours, Steve Tilson, Southends manager that day is rooting for Southend. I bet he is. Despite the fact they sacked him he’s rooting for them. Well he wouldn’t be rooting for us would he? I’d imagine there’s nowhere he’d rather not be than Lincoln right now and I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt and say clearly he had ability with one club but not ours. He admitted as much recently.

Anyway, Southend, once they were above us now they’re not, just like Oldham and Ipswich. The last three games have given us Imps something of a shot in the arm. Trouble and strife were anticipated instead of which we have basked in the glory of three wins on the trot, no goals conceded and progression to the next round of a cup competition where we really will meet some old friends.

This will not last of course but, if there is a football God, and he is smiling down on us, just not this weekend if you don’t mind? This is one club and one ex manager we definitely owe one to.

Rampant City haven’t read the memo.

City continue to shock us in an entirely welcome way. Once again the Imps visited an impressive arena where a difficult afternoon was expected. Last season it was MK Dons, yesterday Rotherham United, normally an arid desert as far as points are concerned where the water bottle usually runs out for the Imps well before the final whistle.

The stage was set for the usual script. City, the league new boys “welcomed” to the New York Stadium, nearly full and a very tidy arena indeed, probably more along the lines that City would need than the MK one should they decide to move, for the expected extraction of three points, thank you very much.

For twenty minutes that scenario was a very much on the cards as Rotherham, a big team in every sense of the word set about their visitors. The Imps aren’t a particularly tall side this season. Would that bulk upskittle the away contingent? Not a bit of it. City weathered the early onslaught and set about Rotherham with gusto and by the time it finished I was reminded of one of those parties that go horribly wrong when someone advertises it on Facebook. Everyone piled in, emptied the bar, polished off the buffet, eyed up the lady of the house, and the eldest daughter and ran off into the night. The dirty rascals!

Cian Bolger continues to give his manager a headache with a second master class. Can he possibly be left out when Shackell returns? Much talk of the unfortunate Lee Frecklington this week. Where does he fit in when fit again? Once again Andrade and Akinde had to settle for the bench. Will they start a game any time soon? What about Tom Pett?

It was a new player that started the rot for Rotherham, Tyler Walker belting a cross over, practically on the line that had Rotherham at sixes and sevens, one nil and just before half time and then, early in the second, Harry Anderson with a pile driver header that no one was going to get a head or hand to. Text book stuff and a text book strangle hold to keep a firm grip of those precious three points.

We’ve a long season ahead of us. There may be more days like this. Most probably there will be days most definitely not like this but, as league starts go, not too shabby I think you’ll agree.

More of the same or a reality check?

Like me you will have enjoyed last week. It’s always enjoyable to win but to win and play really well, casting off the long ball jibes, is doubly pleasurable.

You may, as I did, wonder if your own interpretation of the Imps chances this season may need a rethink after the last outing. Well tomorrow at Rotherham will go a long way to pointing us in the right direction. I’ve been there a few times, usually seen a good performance but always come away disappointed. At least there will be a good modern stadium to revive those slightly quieter will we, won’t we move thoughts. After some time in exile Rotherham are finally back in the town. After witnessing several games at the Don Valley stadium, it doesn’t seem to have done the Millers much harm to be camped out there. Camped out is the expression I’d use for it too. I can’t think of a less suitable venue for football. I think I might have been tempted to find something else to do rather than endure that.

Anyway, enough of that. I’m sure anyone with Rotherham United connections wasn’t exactly clapping with joy at the prospect either but now they’re in a much more impressive site and furthermore, like many other clubs we used to regularly rub shoulders with but haven’t for a while, they have enjoyed a considerably higher profile having been in the Championship as recently as last season. If the pundits are to be believed they could be heading back there soon.

For me, Rotherham are a blueprint we would do well to heed and I don’t just mean the stadium. I don’t think historically our two clubs are that far apart. You would have to qualify that by saying not latterly of course but City are on a sharp upward course. Tomorrow may give a clue as to whether we are in a similar orbit or like a particularly loud or pretty firework put on a great show before fading away into the night.

Wonder what the hot dogs are like at the New York Stadium? All this talk of pyrotechnics has made me quite hungry.

That’s entertainment.

How good was that? It’s early days of course and City will face much sterner tests than that provided by Accrington Stanley but in terms of an opening day win, that’ll do for me.

Apart from the sheer joy of having a now consistently good team to follow, finally after all these years, mainly of torment it’s fascinating to see the gradual progression of the Imps from, appropriately enough for a club from Lincolnshire, purveyors of fairly agricultural football to a considerably more polished product. That we are able to witness this progression is down to our great good fortune in having all our stars in alignment at the moment bringing good quality people into the boardroom, much needed cash in the form of investment and the right people at the football end of the operation who are content, we must say for the moment, to remain with us to see where their talents will take our club. On yesterdays evidence there’s much more to come.

Accrington Stanley were, I was going to say touted but that would be unfair, lets say Stanley have become known for good passing football which is very easy on the eye. City of course have had to deflect the barbs of those clubs and those managers, mentioning no names but we all know who they are, who think they are the true believers and the guardians of footballs soul. Well no one witnessing that performance could accuse City of playing biff bang football, far from it.

The usual progression for one of the lesser lights of the football firmament which of course we are, would be that our management team, after a little success, would be spirited away to ply their trade at a supposedly bigger club, say, for the sake of argument, a Peterborough United or a Doncaster Rovers where in due course they would again be enticed by, I don’t know, a Norwich City or Sheffield Wednesday. That this hasn’t happened is down to the fact that the club is able to match, for the moment, the ambitions of the Cowleys who clearly are more interested in leaving the club in a vastly and hopefully permanently enhanced situation than making a fast buck. All of a sudden those clubs who may think they look down on us, because they have generally been at a higher level and better off must watch as we gradually catch them up and, who knows, may overtake them and then it will be ourselves doing the preening. Hurrah for that.

As to the match I don’t think there was anyone who was less than good. Cian Bolger took my eye as did Bozzy and the new players slotted in as if this was their second season with the Imps rather than the beginning of their tenure with us. There was a real panache about City as they set about getting off to the perfect start. It wasn’t perfect of course but it very much met with my approval.

Once more unto the breach dear friends, once more.

Here we are then, another season starts and we emerge from the pre season shenanigans into the real world of league one. Results from the friendlies were mixed, shall we say but that’s all irrelevant, the real action starts now, with Accrington Stanley and where better to start?

Accrington were a league club and to all intents and purposes disappeared, or did they? Despite a lack of real support from the terraces and with one of the best managers in the lower leagues (do we say lower leagues now?) and with the benefit of a proper character in the shape of their chairman, Andy Holt, they continue to defy gravity and now contemplate their second season in league one as we contemplate our first.

There has been much talk that many of our supporters have no experience of City’s occupation of a league position any higher than the bottom rung of the league ladder and yet, when I was a much younger fan, there was a period, starting with the great Graham Taylor team, 1975/76, when of a period of ten seasons, City occupied league one level as it is now called for eight of them. I genuinely believed City had made the leap to a higher level. Of course, this being the Imps, they hadn’t.

The last time City started a season at the level we are now at the euphoria didn’t last till the end of it, City were relegated at the first attempt. It seems like only yesterday to an old fogey like me but in fact it was over twenty years ago. Most of us know what happened after that.

Sometimes, like most people I suppose I daydream about a wonderful thing happening, a big lottery win perhaps, something life changing. Strange I should muse on that as I don’t buy a ticket but, no matter, sometimes you have these thoughts but then you think, hang on, something good has happened just not in the way imagined and so it is with City. Something wonderful is happening, but it isn’t a huge event, like a billionaire taking over and getting us in the premier league, nevertheless a revolution is taking place before our very eyes and, unlike our billionaire, it’s unlikely that it will be snatched away from us. We will certainly lose the Cowleys one day, we may lose Clive Nates but we’re unlikely to lose the whole lot when someones interest wanes or progress slows or stops altogether.

So we contemplate life in league one, not in terms of a one season wonder, enjoyable as it was but as equals despite the increasing disparity of means as we climb the ladder. What we lack in one area we make up for in others. I hope I’m not being unrealistic but, as we look forward to the season I can’t help feeling that the next move for the Imps will not be back from whence we came.