v SHRIMPERS
Midfielder Anthony Grant has shaken off an ankle injury so will play against Lincoln Saturday.
Loan signing from Cardiff striker Nathaniel Jarvis may make first full appearance after appearing as a substitute in the previous two matches but somehow I believe Blues boss Paul Sturrock will keep closer to the side that took four points from the last two away games.
Captian Craig Easton is still sidelined with a calf problem while centre-back Mark Phillips and winger Sofiene Zaaboub are back with training with the squad following their injuries but have not reached full match fitness.
Still no news on forwards Matt Paterson and Scott Spencer's exit from the club on loan.
A win against 20th place Lincoln City would certainly close the gap on the top six and it would be good for the Roots Hall faithful to see their Essex boys do the business in front of them.
I would bring back Ryan Hall on the left for Louie Soares, because I prefer him, another reason for Luggy to take no notice and remain with the eleven that held Gillingham to a goalless draw Tuesday evening.
In-form Granty is very close to a match ban and it could happen here!
Possible Southend United: Morris, Clohessy, Barker, Mohsni, Gilbert, Grant, Simpson, Timlin, Hall, Corr, Sturrock.
Subs: Evans, Herd, Coughlan, Prosser, Soares, Jarvis, Crawford.
COME ON YOU BLUES!!!!!
OPPOSITION
Former Imps boss Chris Sutton and his assistant Ian Pearce have quit their jobs after just a year in charge with Sutton citing personal reasons.
Lincoln have decided to appoint Scott Lindsey as their new caretaker boss while they search for a replacement.
Lindsey, who Sutton appointed as first-team coach, will be assisted by goalkeeping coach Paul Musselwhite and the duo's duties will start with Saturday's clash against the Shrimpers.
However, he will have to start without midfielder Adifane Noussoura despite the Frenchman receiving international clearance.
Paul Green (thigh) and Andy Hutchinson (foot) are also out while club captain Scott Kerr sits out the final match of his three-match ban.
| 17 | Gillingham | 9 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 0 | ||||
| 18 | Northampton Town | 9 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 10 | -3 | ||||
| 19 | Macclesfield Town | 9 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 15 | 9 | -6 | ||||
| 20 | Lincoln City | 9 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 8 | -6 | ||||
| 21 | Bradford City | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 12 | 8 | -8 | ||||
| 22 | Morecambe | 9 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 19 | 7 | -9 |
Last Time Away: Accrington Stanley 3 Lincoln City 0 (played on Saturday, September 17th, 2010.) Full report here:
www.redimps.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10440~52911,00.html
Read about Drewe Broughton's confidence of beating his former club:
www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/impsnews/Drewe-Broughton-confident-recording-positive-result-Southend-Saturday/article-2704826-detail/article.html
PREVIOUSLY
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REF
His assistants are M.J. Amphlett & A.R. Hendley. Fourth Official; M.D. Stewart.
Mr. Sheldrake gives an interview here: www.refworld.com/referee/2320/1
FIXTURES
League Two
BET
For all the footy odds go here: www.oddschecker.com/football/english/league-two/
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 have quit their jobs after just a year in charge with Sutton citing personal reasons.
Lincoln have decided to appoint Scott Lindsey as their new caretaker boss while they search for a replacement.
Lindsey, who Sutton appointed as first-team coach, will be assisted by goalkeeping coach Paul Musselwhite and the duo's duties will start with Saturday's clash against Southend.
For a more comprehensive history of the club, go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_City_F.C.