Not long after writing last Sunday’s appraisal of Lincoln City’s failure against Stevenage your scribe was looking at some Rotherham United offerings on the net and was surprised to see that Millers manager Ronnie Moore was under some pressure from fans, aided and abetted by the media in view of Rotherham’s position in the play off places as opposed to the automatics. Chance would be a fine thing! The Sheffield Star reported last Monday that the Millers manager looked set for crisis talks with the chairman over recent poor form. Things got so bad that when the Star attempted to quiz Moore about the situation the Rotherham chief walked away from the Stars reporter. A few hours later and Moore was no more so to speak, sacked by the Millers. They clearly do things differently up in South Yorkshire, City fans would give their eye teeth to be flirting with such disaster but the club have clearly set their sights on greater things.
Whether this development will make an iota of difference to Fridays result time, as usual, will tell. Rotherham now find themselves outside even the play off positions. If the Imps are going to win this one though it will be the first time in twenty five attempts for our hapless heroes so no one is holding their breath.
City are boosted by the availability of Ashley Grimes who looked as if injury might get the better of him earlier in the week. Grimes is walking something of a tightrope though as he is one booking short of a ban so he may understandably have lost a little of his usual edge. Grimes was quoted by the Echo earlier in the week as being agreeable to making a permanent signing for the Imps. Yes, it’s that time of year again!
Season ticket holders can take advantage of a special offer to purchase a second ticket for a friend for just a fiver. The club will hope this promotion will galvanise Lincolnians as gates have been on the slide this season. Our friends in the North will no doubt head South in numbers, expectant of extending their impressive unbeaten run against City and should be in their usual raucous good voice so City could do with all the support they can get.
In a fast moving week, for Impdom and elsewhere in the county news seeped through that keeper Trevor Carson was to be recalled, this story has been doing the rounds for a while but he has now gone, taking his TV and x-box with him, much to Julian Kelly’s chagrin, we understand. The manager will presumably be on the phone looking for a replacement as the alternative is Muzzy, no offence intended. Meanwhile the Imps have signed midfielder Tom Kilbey from Portsmouth until the end of the season. Is he any good between the sticks? Joking aside, City are short in this area, Luke Howell having perhaps made his come back a little too early and still no real news on Clark Keltie’s return to first team action.
Tilson was philosophical on the goalkeeper situation;
"Sunderland were well within their rights to recall Trevor – that's football," said the manager
"He has been fantastic for us but his club had a 24-hour recall clause and it's their prerogative to have him back.
"It's not fantastic timing for us and it leaves us in a bit of a pickle but we'll have to see what we can do.
"I've put in a couple of calls and not got anywhere so far but I'll do my best to get someone in. These things are here to test us."
Meanwhile Danny Hone warned that Rotherham will not be best pleased to have been thrashed by Chesterfield;
"You always expect a backlash when a team has lost 5-0 in their previous game,"
We’re way ahead of you Dan!