SHRIMPERS
In Tilly and Brush we trust; well, not any more, they're men of Lincolnshire now and it will be good to see them again whatever's been going on behind the scenes.
Imps fans keep going on about why we got rid of Tilly. Well, we was Uncle Ron, but the state the club was in there was nowhere for him to go, losing Brushy must have been a blow, and then with what was a stilll a very competitive squad at the turn of 2009 continuing not to be paid along with the loss of top scorer Lee Barnard, the end was nigh.
We did suffer two relegations with Steve, and look at clubs like Doncaster, frigging Scunthorpe, who have got promoted to the Championship and stayed there, and we had Freddy Eastwood, at least in mind if not in spirit towards the end.
No, good luck to him, but to all those Imps who think they're odds on to get promotion next season al la the Shrimpers 2004/05 after T&B took over, lightning rarely strikes twice. Shit happens.
Back to the game, all this grudge bollocks is just that, we need three points or we will start slipping down into mid-table obscurity, and still no loan signing to freshen up the squad as promised.
Luggy has no time for grudges as Tilly hasn't really, Screech is just a twat.
Barry Corr can't be expected to find the net every game, though he is trying hard enough, Ryan Hall can't score brilliant goals every game, though I wouldn't bet against it.
Other players have to join the fun, and certainly having Kane Ferdinand to help stop the parting of the Blues defence when a striker dares run towards the area with any sort of intent, would be a great help.
I hope Luggy keeps Lee Sawyer in, bar trying to pass the ball into the net when in a great scoring position, hit the bloody thing Lee, his energy and mazy runs have been an asset, and I would put Blair on the bench, head wound and all, but I doubt his Dad will do it.
We have to try and find something extra or all that great run of form that's taken us to the edge of the play-offs will go to waste, we can do this.
T&B will live to fight another day.
2-1 Southend.
Possible Southend United: Evans, Clohessy, Coughlan, Barker, Gilbert, Ferdinand, Grant, Easton, Hall, Sawyer, Corr.
Subs: Morris, Herd, Prosser, Comminges, Soares, Sturrock, Asante.
COME ON YOU BLUES!!!!!
OPPOSITION
Steve Tilson: In his heart, always a Shrimper, even if we owe him money
Tilly has no new problems to contend with his Imps side, however he may make changes after the 3-1 defeat at Burton Tuesday evening (report below.)
Former Shrimper Scott 'not an idiot' Spencer, would love to start against his favourite League Two boss but will probably remain on the subs bench with fellow striker Ben Hutchinson.
Veteran left back Jamie Clapham, who was turned down by Tilly while on trail at Roots Hall once, not tall enough if I remember correctly, has not been in the side recently.
Midfielders Luke Howell (hamstring) injury and Clark Keltie (thigh) will booth be watching from the stand while on-loan full-back Gavin Hoyte from Arsenal has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after a knee injury he sustained against league leaders Chesterfield last month.
These young Gunners, Tilly has a real thing for them and they continue to let him down whatever club he's at!
Player to Watch
Top scorer with 14 goals in 22 games on loan from Millwall, including a hat-trick away to Stockport County, so it doesn't count.
According to one fans site does nothing for 99% of the time then scores a brilliant goal, just have to make sure we add that extra 1%.
Full player info here:
Last time out
Home: Lincoln City 0 Accrington Stanley 0 (played on Saturday, March 5th, 2011)
Report: www.redimps.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10440~53110,00.html
Away: Burton Albion 3 Lincoln City 1 (played on Tuesday, March 8th, 2011.)
Report: www.redimps.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10440~53146,00.html
Beeb Highlights: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/default.stm
| 12 | Crewe Alexandra | 34 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 33 | 15 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 31 | 39 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 64 | 54 | 45 | +10 |
| 13 | Stevenage | 34 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 27 | 17 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 14 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 41 | 32 | 45 | +9 |
| 14 | Cheltenham Town | 35 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 21 | 25 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 24 | 30 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 45 | 55 | 44 | -10 |
| 15 | Aldershot Town | 35 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 17 | 21 | 4 | 9 | 5 | 20 | 23 | 9 | 15 | 11 | 37 | 44 | 42 | -7 |
| 16 | Lincoln City | 34 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 16 | 25 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 22 | 29 | 12 | 6 | 16 | 38 | 54 | 42 | -16 |
| 17 | Northampton Town | 35 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 32 | 24 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 14 | 28 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 46 | 52 | 40 | -6 |
| 18 | Hereford United | 33 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 17 | 25 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 24 | 25 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 41 | 50 | 40 | -9 |
| 19 | Morecambe | 35 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 21 | 21 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 21 | 31 | 10 | 10 | 15 | 42 | 52 | 40 | -10 |
| 20 | Bradford City | 34 | 9 | 1 | 7 | 21 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 12 | 28 | 12 | 4 | 18 | 33 | 45 | 40 | -12 |
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On one side is the large all seater Co-op Community Stand. This large single tiered covered stand opened in 1995 and has a capacity of 5,700.
Opposite is the Lincolnshire Echo Stand, a small old looking covered stand (although in fact it is comparatively modern being built in 1987). It is seated, but only runs half the length of the pitch, straddling the half way line and hence there are gaps at either side. One gap has now been partly filled by a tiny covered Family Stand. Both ends are small covered affairs. T
he GoCar Stand is all seated and has a row of executive boxes running across the back. This stand has a couple of supporting pillars at the front.
The other end is the 'Stacey West' all seated, covered stand, for home supporters. It was named in memory of the two Lincoln supporters who lost their lives in the Bradford City Fire at Valley Parade in 1985.
Away fans are housed in part of the Co-op Community Stand at one side of the pitch. The normal allocations for away fans is 1,900 and this stand is divided between home and away supporters.
The facilities and view of the pitch is good, and there is also a great range of food available.
(Thanks to www.footballgroundguide.com for stadium information.)
TICKETS
You saved the odd quid if you bought in adavnce, but can pay on the day as well.
Full details here:
lincoln_city_tickets_656513/index.shtml
WEATHER
Cloudy but 11c's, take a t-shirt.
A full interview with him here: http://refworld.com/referee/2295/1/peter-quinn.
FIXTURES
League Two
Saturday, March 12th; (all kick-offs 15.00): Cheltenham v Aldershot, Crewe v Chesterfield, Gillingham v Accrington Stanley, Hereford v Barnet, Lincoln City v Southend, Morecambe v Bradford, Northampton v Macclesfield, Port Vale v Oxford Utd, Rotherham v Bury, Stockport v Burton Albion, Torquay v Shrewsbury, Wycombe v Stevenage.
Lincoln City (to win) - 17/10, Draw - 12/5, Southend (to win) - 13/8.
For all the footy odds go here: www.oddschecker.com/football/english/league-two/
TRANSPORT
By Coach go here:
www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/feat/edw3/lincoln_city_653662/index.shtml
PUB AND PIES
For the best drinking around the ground and in the town go here:
sign_up_to_the_treaty_of_commerce_
pub_crawl_in_lincoln_656492/index.shtml
SOMEWHERE TO LAY YOUR HAT
For an overnight stay:
www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/feat/edw1/lincoln_city_653663/index.shtml
HISTORY
Formed in 1884 as an amateur association, Lincoln turned professional in the 1891-92 season. Originally they played at the John O'Gaunts ground, however, in 1895 they moved to their current ground, Sincil Bank.
Their championship honours include three Division 3 (North) championships in 1931-32, 1947-48 and 1951-52, a Division 4 (now League Two) championship in 1975-76 (when they were managed by future England manager Graham Taylor).
It was the 1975-76 season where the club broke the record for most points for a whole season when 2 instead of 3 points were awarded for a win with 74 points in total (this was and still is the record amount of points achieved under the 2 point system); the record of winning the most games (32) and losing the fewest (4), was also set.
City also become the first club in nearly a decade to score over 100 league goals (111 in total). They also won 21 out of 23 home league games in this season (the other 2 were drawn) and also won 11 games away from home, another impressive bout from the club. It was the season where, Graham Taylor recalls, "teams were petrified of coming to Sincil Bank".
Their most recent championship was the Conference, in the 1987-88 season. This season saw the club set an all-time record attendance (which has only just been beaten by Oxford United) for a Conference match, attracting 9,432 spectators in a game against Wycombe Wanderers, on 2 May 1988, the last game of the season. The game also decided the championship, as Lincoln had not occupied the top-spot at any point in the season prior to this 2-0 victory.
Their highest ever position achieved came in the 1901-02 season, where they reached 5th position in the English Division 2 (now known as the Championship). The last season that the club spent in this division was in 1960-61, they have never returned since. No team has played as many seasons in the Football League (Lincoln are now in their 102nd League season) without ever reaching the top tier.
In very recent history, the club have also been in the chase for promotion from the fourth tier via the play-offs five times, twice reaching the finals (2002-03 & 2004-05, sorry) and three times getting knocked out in the semi-finals (2003-04, 2005-06 & 2006-07), each time under the guidance of Keith Alexander with the exception of the 2006-07 play-offs. The failure to succeed in five successive play-off competitions is a record.
The last time Lincoln were in a higher league than League Two was in the 1998-99 season where they played in the Division 2 (now League One), after they had gained automatic promotion via third position the previous season.
The world-famous Dambusters theme is normally played when Lincoln score at Sincil Bank and supporters of the club can often be heard singing the tune and doing the flying motions when this happens. This is because The Dambusters were based just outside of Lincoln, being formed at the nearby RAF Scampton during World War II, and are therefore at the heart of the city's history.
On 28 September 2009, the Lincoln hotseat was handed to former Chelsea, Blackburn Rovers, Celtic and England striker Chris Sutton. His assistant was named as Ian Pearce, another former Premier League player.
The club had been managed by coach Simon Clark following the sacking of Peter Jackson and his assistant Iffy Onuora. It was announced that Sutton would take the reins from Clark on 30 September.
However, Chris Sutton and Ian Pearce quit their jobs after just a year in charge with Sutton citing personal reasons with the side looking relegation material.
And then two blokes called Tilly & Brush turned up..........
(For a more comprehensive history of the club, go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_City_F.C.)