How confident are you going into the play-offs?
Not very, but I guess us fans are thinking our luck has to change at some point, this being our 7th tilt at them so far without success in the previous six (five of which were consecutive!). That said, I believe Brentford have now overtaken our unwanted record and are heading into this season’s playoffs having lost the previous 8! Playoffs are such a lottery that anything can happen and most probably will, so I’d rate our chances at 50/50 like the rest. We must however, be going into them as perceived under dogs, which should suit us fine.
A mixed bag of results to end your season, and no win in your last 3, do you think that will have an impact?
I don’t think so. There were a multitude of reason’s we didn’t win any of our last three. Once it became clear we couldn’t go up automatically after the Peterborough draw (and the dreadful 96th minute penalty decision against us) I think Michael Appleton had a few decisions to make with regards to resting players and getting some of the regulars match fit again in the last two games in readiness for the playoffs, so those two games didn’t particularly matter in that sense.
We didn’t play well away at Charlton in our penultimate match, but looked more like our old selves in the final home game against Wimbledon, even though we missed a host of chances. Both games felt like pre-season friendlies though and were treated as such, at least by us.
Who are your ones to watch over the two legs, how do you reckon Liam Bridcutt will fancy his chances against his former club?
George Grant should be our one to watch – he’s been one of the best players in the league this season in midfield and we sorely missed him during the run of poor form that saw us slide from the summit. He creates much of what we do going forward. The two lads we have on loan – Morgan Rogers from Manchester City and Brennan Johnson from Nottingham Forest have really shone this season, and whilst they might drift in and out of games sometimes which is to be expected for their ages (18 & 19 respectively) they have explosive pace with the ball and have scored some fantastic goals this season which would easily grace a higher division.
Lincoln will also be hopeful that centre half Joe Walsh will be fit for the playoff games as he has been our outstanding defender this season. Liam Bridcutt? Well, I appreciate that some Sunderland fans have been less than complimentary whilst at the Stadium of Light, but he’s been the piece of the jigsaw that really makes us tick as a team this season, at least when he’s been fit, which hasn’t been often the last couple of months.
What have you made of Lincoln's season, have you over performed or been unlucky to miss out on automatic promotion after the start you had?
That’s a difficult one. Having been in the top two for over half the season, then yes, from a fan point of view there will be some who are disappointed we didn’t finish the job. However, our squad was hastily assembled last summer with a massive clear out of the Cowley’s former playing staff, with the playing budget set at 60% of the previous seasons cost. Couple that with also being the youngest squad in the league made lots of “experts” doubt we’d even survive in League 1, let alone thrive and I couldn’t remember a Lincoln City side with so few City appearance’s between them at the start of the season.
Manager Michael Appleton’s prediction as the season got underway however, that we “might surprise a few people” came good and it’s been some of the best football I’ve seen in 40 years at the Bank. We’ve still over performed, or punched above our weight though, and are probably a season ahead of where MA and the Club and fans thought we would be. City fans must remember that we’ve not been in this position of a chance of promotion since 1982/83 and it is some 69 years since our last appearance in the second tier. As little as a few weeks ago, before we started to get a few player’s back from injury, it looked unlikely that we’d qualify for a playoff place at all, so I’m still glass half full.
Is playing at home first a major advantage and what difference do you think fans will make?
I don’t think it is particularly, given our home form. I just hope we even get to the Stadium of Light on level terms, such is our Jekyll and Hyde home form this term. I’m sure many teams have experienced the same this season, but City’s home form has certainly suffered not playing in front of a 10,000 full house at home, and I’m certain that it’s helped us to a club record haul of away wins this season playing to empty stadiums – particularly the youngsters in the side. It’ll be interesting to see how the players react to the 3,140 that’ll be present at Sincil bank for the first time this season as it will with 10,000in the Stadium of Light, but I think our own fans, certainly aren’t bothered which leg is first. If anything playing away second may even suit us, as we look much more dangerous away from home usually.
