The next time we see Steve Tilson he could be wearing red!
So the waiting is almost over, for the Shrimpers faithful as much as for Lincoln fans!
As much as it will hurt it looks odds-on that former Blues boss, all round legend, and a jolly good bloke to boot, one Steve Tilson, will be announced Lincoln City manage Friday morning at 09.00.
A full press conference will take place Monday when the new manager will officially take charge to give him time to talk to the players over the weekend and leave the running of the team for the game at Shrewsbury to the caretaker.
The club have already informed the winning candidate and the only reason Tilson has not been announced to the world is because Southend chairman Ron Martin was making it clear that Tilly wouldn't get a penny as he would have to resign.
As much as that would be a disgrace, if true, as Tilly was hardly ever paid last season anyway, he would probably like some dosh in his bank account as soon as possible, so joining the Imps, if certainly not the first club on his come and get me list, would at least pay the mortgage.
This, of course, could still be speculation and as one City site says, the last manager Chris Sutton was not even on a short list when he was picked!
The facts are though that only Tilly and Steve Thompson/Mick Hartford have been officially interviewed, while others on the list have certainly used the vacancy to negotiate a pay rise, another, Dave Penney, is reported to be on the way to Scotland!
As we wrote yesterday, Tilly of course has to get a job sometime and here at S24 we were hoping it would be a club near the bottom of League Two so he could show chairman Ron Martin what he could do with small resources whatever the rights and wrongs of Uncle Ron's decision.
And knowing Steve he will do just that come May, but I'd still give Brushy a call Tills.
However, with Tilly maybe hours away from a new position one can be forgiven for feeling slightly sad that events turned out as they did.
Maybe we'll wake up in the morning and find it was all a bad dream, and they've hired Steve Wignall.