Battling City get the point.

I’ve never for one moment believed City would be in trouble this season. Saturdays game v Plymouth Argyle said to me I was right in that view. Argyle are a good side and City came back from behind, twice to take a share of the points. For a while, at the start, not for the first time this season, I thought the Imps were destined for a win but chances came and went and, if I’m honest maybe it wasn’t that much of a surprise that Plymouth scored.

Being realistic, I couldn’t see any way back for the Imps at that point but they proved me wrong with, firstly the sort of scuffed effort from Sorensen that you start to think is the only way we’re going to get back into the game. Someone said, we just need the ball to cannon off someones backside or something like that. Sorensens effort was in that category I thought. I don’t think the manager is that chuffed with Sorensen judging by his comments but, scuffed or not, when you factor in getting tripped in the box it was his two involvements that got us the point.

Do I sound a bit down? I actually came away from the LNER quite buoyed up. Any thoughts that City may kick on from last season and do well again are firmly on the back burner, if indeed I ever had them which I don’t think I did. It was quite obvious that last season presented a great opportunity for the likes of City as it was a much more level playing field. If that’s a pun, sorry but the bigger clubs weren’t able to spend their way out of the division and the Imps were competing on far more equal terms. Anyway, that was then and this is now.

It was a mammoth struggle to get back into the game. That’s what its going to be this season and for the future. When you see games being postponed because of international commitments, in league one, it brings home the quality of players competing in the division. I’m not sure that was the case previously. Actually, the enforced day off may well work in the Imps favour, as it has in the past. Two more limped off on Saturday and you do wonder if the manager will ever have a full squad of players to choose from. Some are questioning the choice of players who don’t have a great injury record. It’s worked in the past. Are we coming unstuck with that policy?

There’s no doubt in my mind if and when City do get in that happy position they will pick up points far more readily but in the meantime we fight on. As previously mentioned Plymouth are a more than decent outfit and City equalled them, so we’ve got to be satisfied with that. Kind of on the same subject Argyles fans made a fair old racket and I thought we equalled them in that too, particularly at the end when a wall of noise roared our heroes over the finish line.

On reflection then, are we downhearted? Not a bit of it.

 

City dismantle Cambridge United. Not surprised were you?

 

If the powers that be had the same mindset as, say Germany, the A15 from the Humber Bridge to Peterborough would be either a motorway or at least a dual carriageway, and the A1 through the county would be the A1(M).

As it is, as evidenced by the recent traffic mayhem in the city the government regards Lincoln, insofar as it has any idea we exist at all, as a small town in the countryside so the journey to Cambridge, instead of a short hop down the Eastern side of the land becomes something of a trek but nevertheless that didn’t deter a four figure number climbing aboard our tractors, combine harvesters and rotavators to the lovely city of Cambridge where our heroes threw off their early season torpor and proceeded to rough up the locals to the tune of five-one with, it has to be said a fair degree of panache.

Where did that come from I hear you say or maybe you didn’t as the signs have been there for all to see or rather all to hear because the big Apple has been telling us that the team would come good round about now.

Which does rather make the angst and despondency somewhat misplaced. As recently as a couple of weeks ago I was asked by a friend if I thought the Imps would avoid relegation this season. I can honestly say that notion never entered my head.

In fact all the signs that City were getting their act together was in evidence at the Papa Johns game which I know some of you don’t attend but we did and were treated to quite a display albeit featuring the sort of defensive lapse which suggested that the Imps hadn’t quite turned the corner but there was a hint at least that point wasn’t too far away.

So are we about to enter the autumn with something like a head of steam? Well we’ll soon find out but at least in the meantime those that were at Cambridge, and that didn’t include me, were treated to what I have heard was possibly City’s best away performance ever. All I can say is if it was better than MK Dons just before securing promotion from League Two it will have been some spectacle. The bits I did see, the goals basically, meant Tuesdays visit of Rotherham can’t come soon enough and lets hope City continue in the same vein.

Hopefully then club will be able to field stronger line ups from now on, not that the teams put out were weak particularly but City have struggled for consistency hitherto and disappointed us to a certain extent but we can’t say we weren’t warned that this was going to be the case because we were.

City low on numbers but high on entertainment.

 

I know we’re supposed to dismiss the Papa Johns Trophy but my friend Stewart and I rather enjoy the relaxed experience the games provide, particularly when the quality on offer is so high.

I’m always reminded of the days when we ran to a reserve side and could see the players skills for what they were untroubled relatively by the over zealous attention of burly defenders. It always occurred to me that the talent on offer was actually not that far removed from top level players but of course the difference was those at a more exalted level could display those skills in pressured play but our more humble players could not or at least could only do it in small doses.

Were we seeing the stars of the future in the Man U side? I doubt it personally but you never know. I recall watching a young slip of a lad on loan to Preston North End in a strip that was far too big for him, in a game at Sincil Bank, I can call it that because it still was. I think even I could tell that young David Beckham was destined for great things.

The thing is, these young players are taught to play in a certain way and I suppose the ethos is to allow them to develop free from the desperate need for points that they will feel in their professional career but, pretty though it was City totally dominated Man U for most of this game with passing every bit as good, as well they might you could say, but with attacking verve and purpose which led to a three-nil lead which, as has become the norm, City managed to surrender leading to a proper battle for the points at the end.

I hesitate to criticise the manager and I’m not doing really but right from the moment this fixture was announced, with not much notice, the big Apple signified his displeasure at having to play it and we thought that distain led to the selection, certainly as regards the bench of a minimum number of bodies available. City came unstuck as first Scully went off, in what we now realise was very much a pre emptive move with Saturdays game at Oxford in mind. Of rather more concern was Dan N’Lundulu’s unscheduled departure which looked more serious. This left City a man short. Appleton said he had no more academy scholars ready to come on but I bet the contempories of Billy Brooks would have loved to come on in front of 3500 and run around a bit even if they wouldn’t have a sniff of the ball.

Talking of the size of the crowd, that surprised us. To get a gate that some clubs even in league one would be pleased with shows that many of our fans, like us, want to come out and see Lincoln City, regardless of the competition.

Mini run comes to an end-Damn it.

 

I sat in the Selenity stand in the gathering gloom and didn’t everything look great? I’d dodged the crowds, sort of, missing the introduction of TJ to the crowd but got in for the entry of the players onto the pitch, which looked lush and healthy.

As expected there was a good turnout from Bolton. Although the crowd looked a little sparse in the Coop opposite, I was confident of a better gate than Saturday. It could hardly fail to be given that Fleetwood brought virtually no one and I was sure the home crowd would hold up. The new digital adverts around the playing area, you get them in all their glory from the Selenity, seemed to define the pitch and give a completeness to the stadium.

With the crowd almost in at kick off, I’d squeezed past the queue for the queue at the end of the country lane bit of Sincil Bank, it was a colourful and impressive sight and I couldn’t help marvel at how far the club had come in a relatively short space of time. The walk through the fan village, the amount of fans in the stand, the big time set up, it was all there. Then we lost.

That in itself of course is inevitable. It’s just I’d hoped we could go a bit longer and we’re so unused to it, in the flesh. I can’t decide whether Bolton Wanderers are a really good side. They were certainly better than Fleetwood. In the end though it all boiled down to City, or rather two players who I wont name fluffed their lines and the ball was in the net. Our net.

City didn’t play badly, there wasn’t much between the teams, despite the predictions of promotion from the victorious Wanderers fans. Just as City had changed the game on Saturday by putting in an improved second half performance it was Bolton that were better after the break. The Imps tried to shuffle the pack but, no luck this time. No Bishop to come on and one of our best performers from last year, Conor McGrandles doesn’t seem to have a full game in him at the moment, not to the same degree of excellence anyway. Similarly Sorensen is a really excellent acquisition but until he can be got up to speed for the full game we’re going to struggle.

We’re just going to have to come to terms, I’m going to have to come to terms, with the fact that there are any numbers of changes to be made to the team and in any case I’m not sure top of the league early on is particularly helpful. We tried that last year. It’s just that, having just missed out last time I was hoping for us simply to go one better this and as we all know it just doesn’t happen like that.

Incomplete City too much for Fleetwood.

 

We were saying at the game the playoffs really do a club no favours in terms of preparation for the next season. Fleetwood, whilst player for player not at the level of City, looked a more polished outfit. Having said that the Imps side they faced bore little resemblance to the one that will be playing in a few weeks but City eventually and with no certainty that they would, gradually began to ease into the game equalising and in the dying moments winning the match. I think it was deserved but if I were a Fleetwood fan, and that includes the very snappily dressed Fleetwood directors next to us in the Selenity (is it still called that?) I might have a different opinion.

There were a lot of unfamiliar faces in the posh seats so I presume they were from the north west and when Fleetwood got their noses in front with an absolute worldy free kick they celebrated wildly, as well they might.

It was a good job there were plenty of directors and other hangers on in the white seats because there were precious few in the away end. I know they aren’t well supported, another one of those clubs that seemed to just appear in the league propped up with someone’s money rather than supported by fans but I thought it was a poor effort attendance wise and contributed to a not ever so inspiring gate although there was a rip-roaring atmosphere despite the wide open spaces at either end.

As for City, well this isn’t the team we’ll be watching later on. We know that but, despite the frustration of watching the Imps, almost in slow motion grind Fleetwood down and eventually overcome them there was plenty to enjoy, no more so than Liam Bridcutt who was nothing short of majestic. It’s too much to hope he can perform like that week in week out. If he could, get your money on City to win the league.

For a long time though it looked as if it was going to be a long hard season, it was certainly a long hard game but there were bright spots to enjoy. Tayo Edun was a joy in the first half. Defensively, apart from that free kick the Imps coped reasonably. Scully was, well, Scully. He’s playing for the right team as he’s a proper imp and of course he showed what he can do with his equaliser that I’m yet to watch again but I’m looking forward to it and then that penalty. That took guts but it’s what he’s paid for but it was a lesson in straightforwardness. Decide where you’re going to hit it then do just that, hard as you can. Shame some rather more exalted players didn’t do that in the summer, we might have had even better memories of these weird times. There were others I’ll not name as you know who they are, cameo’s, vignettes of excitement. I’ve got a good feeling about the entertainment although unsure of where we’ll be at the end of the season.

I don’t know whether your memory goes back as long as mine but there was a TV show called Dallas where the scriptwriters sort of ran out of ideas with the plot so had this ridiculous notion of simply starting again, one of the characters declaring what had been going on had all been a dream. It felt like that yesterday. Same surroundings, a bit tarted up. Same seats, same familiar faces around us, same tension, same journey to the stadium, same pub. Glad to be back? You bet we were.

 

City have the final say.

 

Can we shut up about little old Lincoln now? I don’t suppose people will. A lot has been said about Sky, and every one else it seems having a condescending attitude towards the Imps although, to be honest in the end I thought Sky did actually capture the fairy tale nature of City’s recent success.

Commentators, like anyone will have their prejudices and Sunderland are a big club. I remember way back when Wimbledon won the FA Cup, Gary Lineker said it was a bad day for football as Wimbledon play the “wrong” way. What he was referring to was the style of play but the inference was you shouldn’t be winning trophies, leave it to the big boys.

Anyway, City haven’t won anything yet but it didn’t seem to matter yesterday as the Imps, in a remarkable turnround escaped the lethargy, is that what it was? Of the first half to reveal their true colours and snatch the tie from the Black Cats. Never has defeat tasted so delicious.

Ridiculously, I dressed exactly as I did on Wednesday, minus the rain jacket and mask. I don’t know why I thought that was going to make a difference and for 45 agonising minutes it didn’t as City looked a shadow of the team that had held Sunderland in an iron grip in the week. As the half crept to an end I did just wonder, if the Imps could just keep it to two nil Michael Appleton might be able to do something, anything, to rescue a situation that was looking increasingly hopeless.

This morning, as May finally realises it’s a spring month, I still can’t quite believe what I saw as Michael made the changes I think even tactical dunces like me saw were necessary and City tore into Sunderland as if their lives depended on it.

Well they do say football is a matter of life and death to mangle a saying made long ago and City said to the grim reaper, hold on a second, we’re not finished, oh no.

Even then it was a close-run thing, we don’t do things the easy way, as Jorge Grant admitted after the game. Tom Hopper scored, his limp goal celebration causing a chuckle but not to the Mackems, given that it is a carbon copy of the one employed by the great Alan Shearer, of Newcastle United, here on Wearside. How we laughed, well I did.

It was far from over. A missed penalty. Oh Jorge, you do pick your moments, two relatively easy chances spurned. Grrr. Then injury time, then some more injury time. Put us out of our misery please!

And relax. My hands were shaking trying to join the many tweeting their thoughts. City were back at Wembley. You wait 100 plus years to get there and two appearances come along at once. Will I get a ticket? It doesn’t really matter. Will we win? It doesn’t really matter.

What am I saying? It does matter. In the words of someone whose name escapes me, Retreat? Hell, we only just got here.

A tale of two keepers.

 

I wore my shirt on Thursday morning which is not something I would normally do. I don’t think they’re suitable leisure wear for anyone over fifteen but for some reason on Thursday I wanted to preserve that warm glow I had when I vacated the stadium.

Everything about Lincoln City has changed over the last few years and no more so than the ticketing arrangements. I reminded my friend from work days who was the manager in charge of staffing matters of my earliest days in Boston when I spent probably far too much time hanging around Sincil Bank trying to get play off tickets. Although he was a Boston United fan crucially he was a football fan so although, in those days, I was a rival, nevertheless he understood the need and my pass was secured.

How different it was this time and that’s with all due respect to those who didn’t get a ticket and I do want to pay tribute to the hard work of those issuing the tickets to ensure as many of us as possible were in the stadium. Once in, a good hour and a quarter before kick off and, amazingly the atmosphere was building certainly when the players entered the pitch for the warm up.

It was of course the first time most of us had seen this team in the flesh and my goodness they delivered. I’ve seen a lot of City teams and even teams that competed at championship level although I can’t honestly say I’ve got much recollection, but this is undoubtedly the best collection of players any of us have witnessed.

My first impression was the speed of play. Not in a rushing around the pitch sort of way but the movement and, yes, the aggression. For a young team these boys certainly know how to mix it. Grateful though I am to have been able to see most of the games, courtesy of i follow the teamwork is not apparent when the action is captured on one camera. In particular I hadn’t appreciated what a general Liam Bridcutt is, his influence is all over the pitch whether he has the ball or not. I was also impressed by the industry of Tom Hopper and that’s to name just two of this wonderful team.

Back at home I watched the TV presentation. I was going to leave that till Thursday but I couldn’t resist. I was pleased it wasn’t a Sunderland love in, which I was expecting but there was one hilarious moment when the summariser, whoever he was declared Sunderland were now really getting into the game. At that precise moment their keeper blasted the ball at Brennan Johnson. Nine times out of ten the ball would cannon off for a goal kick or something but, gloriously, fell at Johnsons feet for the easiest tap in he’ll ever score. That almost summed the game up. The goal keeper of the season, according to some gifted City a two goal advantage and meanwhile, in our hour of need the Imps fielded stand in keeper, Joe Bursik who played as if his life depended on it. I hope, wherever his career takes him he has good luck. After that display we’ll all be forever grateful.

I thought about something as we waited to be released from the stadium, right back to when I started writing, for the PFA’s website. Articles had to go to an editor for approval and inevitably the headline was altered. It was my first published effort and, on reflection it probably was a bit over the top, welcome to our new Lincoln City writers column, that sort of thing, that got deleted but the changed headline read “The life and times of a Lincoln City fan”. The life and times of a Lincoln City fan. Welcome to my world. It feels pretty good at this moment.