What is it with Lincolnshire Football clubs? With 3 down now, namely Grimsby, Boston United and now the Imps, there is just Scunthorpe United to follow it seems. All three failures can be laid Blue Squarely at the foot of poor management and judgement with finance and the law of diminishing returns kicking in to finish them off. But surely our proud county can produce a hero on and off the pitch to save us or at least allow the Imps to learn by others mistakes. For many it would be £500,000 from Foley and a labour of love for Gary Simpson of Macclesfield.
But back to Lincolnshire and its clubs in crisis of varying degrees. Scunthorpe and Boston have shown ambition can work for or against you, depending on whether you have the professionalism and true desire to see things through. There is also the financial and luck factor in football something that Lincoln and Grimsby have never enjoyed in the right quantities at the right time. Whilst the Imps escaped their financial albatross, the Mariners at least can say they have not used admin as a way out.
Despite John Fenty being a benefactor at Grimsby has only really been plugging the debt along with a few transfer windfalls until Mike Parker the Young’s Bluecrest fish king came and then sadly went last season. Between the two of them they pledged a million towards the budget and kept the awfully nice Neil Woods as manager. In maintaining the budget and keeping manager, they merely maintained a status quo that ensured no Blundell Bounce back for a side with massive potential. Just a few games in the realities of the competitive nature of the Conference set in as the Mariners became a prize to every side they played. The home games are particularly difficult with sides like Hayes treating the game as a cup final, going into every challenge as if it were their last.
The Imps should beware trying to maintain the status quo, that is even if they could outside of keeping the management team. Unlike the Mariners we do not have two multi millionaires with the inclination to plug our financial gap. With Michael Foley out of the way our only cash cow is the ground plus a one off £250,000 parachute payment and a chairman with an uninspiring 3 year plan. He has not inspired since he arrived, well not outside of the small circle at the helm of our club anyway. Where we will inspire is at our traditional Achilles heel: Sincil Bank. For every side that comes to visit will want our scalp and raise their game at a Cup final venue. Then we also have the money clubs in the Division to contend with too.
The biggest poser when it comes to shaking up the status quo is whether to keep or discard three times a charm Steve Tilson. The rumour is he may return south. Should it happen it could be the best possible outcome, because he is not a Colin Murphy. With cuts going on all over the shop we need a man with non League contacts and an eye for talent, someone like Gary Simpson or John Ward if they would have us. We need a Murphy or a Bill Anderson alright to work a miracle or even Uncle Bobs 3 year plan may be a tad optimistic.
Lincoln City Mad
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