Michael Appleton. Was there ever a luckier Lincoln City manager?

I hesitate to say it of course, you’ve got to grab your audience’s attention but I hope right now Michael Appleton is counting his blessings. They say if a manager can’t be good, then be lucky. On present evidence I’d say he’s both.

Lucky because the usual lot of an incoming manager is trying to raise the spirits of an exhausted and demoralised squad and drag that team from the foot of the table. At the same time the supporters, who may well be thoroughly disenchanted with their club, have to be brought onside. Now City have suffered a blip, no argument about it but aside from that, it’s all there for an aspiring manager. A good squad, a mid table position and a large and enthusiastic crowd of which more later but perhaps most importantly a committed and knowledgeable board who are prepared to invest in the team but not break the bank and with it, the club.

The fear was of course that, post Cowleys, all semblance of progress would be lost and the club would sink back down again. The (former) dynamic duo said themselves they would never again have a relationship with the supporters as they had at Lincoln. Of course it works both ways, will we ever again have the sort of relationship we had with them? No is the answer I would think. It was akin to love, really it was and of course as with any love affair infidelity is the most difficult thing to forgive, so we’re wary.

In any event I don’t think Appleton is the sort of man to need the admiration the former managers were afforded, you can see that from his demeanour. Clearly, he wants a good relationship with us and I’d imagine we’ll see the players and manager out and about in the city and the area but I’d be surprised if we get the fist pumps at least if we were going to get one it would have been at five o’clock last Saturday, the performance and Appleton’s part in it deserved one.

A part of me does wonder if all this upheaval might just herald an even greater period in our story. I’m no tactician but the sort of tweaks made to the team, the same players as formerly lets not forget, have produced the sort of display that, dare I say it, would not have been the case before. I think were going to see City attacking more and with a purpose not previously seen. Time of course will tell if that’s right.

Finally, as promised, the support and with it noise levels. I thought the crowd have never been as loud and as we now know, Sincil Bank has never been so full in the all seater era. To be fair that was entirely down to the opposition. The only way you can get a full house like that is if the opponents are a big name and sell all their allocation and there’s no segregation but the enthusiasm, the love for the team, it was all still there. Our affection for our team is as strong as ever. Love conquers everything, or is that too soppy?