Looking forward to a Sincil Super Saturday against Gillingham, albeit with trepidation, my mood was swung in the blink of an eye. Not by the hidden view that makes you gasp as you head down the A1500 at Marton. Oh no, for flat as that magnificent view and our bread basket county may be, the bump back to reality came from BBC Radio Lincolnshire, my normally therapeutic companion.
You can at least rely on the BBC to give you some balance whilst other media outlets appear curiously sycophantic. On came our still upbeat and chirpy cockney Stevie T, adamant that he could and would make do this season in order to garner the three remaining points we need to survive and see the season out. Magnanimous our manager, one who could lead us to glory if he had more than sound bytes to back him. However the targets he has in mind for next season he knows are beyond him. My heart sank; for once again our dreams also appear beyond us and for another season at the very very least. But that is what we must expect when we gave away a position at our club so cheaply – fifty grand a seat – and all the prawns you can eat for life.
This with us being urged to renew our season tickets – and early in the midst of horrific form and an unforgiving financial climate to boot. This, when a chairman who has said he will break the bank for Grimes one week, bemoans the payoffs the next. He lifted us with the FA Cup run cash and said the same of Summa equally unobtainable, last season, yet has stayed silent over the ground ownership plans. These have been on both our trust and board room table since November and doubtless in the minds of the custodians of our club some time before.
Chairman, curious though not so credible Uncle Bob, can doubtless hide behind the fact that he was only the deputy, albeit one that ran the football side. Thus he was more than a bit part in the hiring and firing process that would have seen a fair chunk of the budget go Stacey West in sorting out the managerial payoffs, was he not? It is not the first faux pas and it will not be last from one who sealed his promotion to the Chair with just an additional and belated £10,000 input. We are one of the 92 not some amateur operation from the Blue! We are not expecting Barcelona or Real Madrid but someone who can inspire not begrudgingly take the job as it seemed at the time.
How sad, that a club with so much potential habitually comes up short, yet turns away rich fans like Mike Foley. What are those secretive custodians of our club frightened of, a lad done good, born but a stones throw from the ground who wants to put some proper money in? It is to his credit that the new CEO (those titles cost money that is perhaps better put towards the much vaunted striker signing you feel ) is pushing to fill the coffers quickly ahead of a long summer. It is also nice to see more activity on our official site at last, a fantastic revenue generator that has been massively underutilised.
We are not asking for miracles Bob, just some realistic optimism to swallow, as we consider whether to invest in season tickets this month or even this season at all. You cannot expect blind loyalty from modern day consumers; we are not the artisans and foundry workers of old. For we have more leisure time on our hands nowadays and demands on our ever thinning wallets to add to our unfailing memories of recent events. It is not just the gimmicks around holding the price you need to be looking at but the perceived value overall. That and the thrill of expectation is key in any entertainment business, even one with the loyalty and brand value that Lincoln City could enjoy.
Wise men say, only fools rush in because I can’t help falling in love with you. Take my hand, take my whole life too…… go the words of an Imp anthem, words that our Chairman, board and CEO need to heed and quick. Because until you reignite the passion you are trying to peddle up hill in reverse. You can keep asking but these mixed massages just mean there are fewer who want to give. They have voted with their feet, despondency and apathy have won again.