Should the Imps swoop for Miller?

For the next three seasons Tom Miller grew from an unfamiliar face from the reign of ‘Reg’, to the first name on the team sheet. He occasionally shifted to full back the following season,  and showed he had so much more than just a long throw. He was alert and had pace, he could get up and down the line and he added some balance to a back four notorious for being really bad. It wasn’t all roses and ice cream though, the 4-1 Boxing Day defeat at home to Grimsby was embarrassing for all involved, including Miller. He was a good player in a bad team, and fans feared he might leave for pastures new. He didn’t, Gary Simpson saw him as an integral part of the team, and he signed a new deal after we avoided relegation for a second time.

Gary Simpson deployed him at right back permanently, and with Sean Newton on the other defensive flank we had perhaps the best pairing since Bimson and Bailey. Sean Newton isn’t remembered fondly now, but the ‘side that Gary built’ had the potential to do so much more than they did. With Andrew Boyce and Nat Brown in the centre, the defence had balance, experience and energy. Tom got the odd goal, he grabbed our first in a 2-2 draw at Nuneaton having scored the winner against Southport at Sincil Bank a couple of weeks earlier. As he got more games under his belt he looked increasingly like he’d go on to better things.

He even grabbed three in five games in February 2014 as his reputation grew, but come 2014/15 he was back in a City shirt. By now it was apparent to everyone at the club that his future lay in the Football League, and given the level of investment in the summer it was hoped that could be with City. That team of Simmo’s should have done so much better, but a 3-3 draw at Forest Green brought his spell as manager to an end. Tom kept his place as Chris Moyses took the helm, scoring on consecutive Saturdays to give us 1-0 wins against Dartford and Southport. By now he look an assured and competent footballer, the sort of player that effortlessly steps up from the National League into the Football League. As our own promotion hopes faded, fans were resigned to losing the popular defender.

On 25th April 2015 he made his final appearance for City in a 0-0 draw with Dartford, that summer he agreed a move to Carlisle, a move nobody begrudged the player. He had been a mainstay of our team for three seasons, a player who always gave everything he had for the shirt. Had he stayed he would have been mentioned in the same breath as Paul Farman and Alan Power when we discussed our non-league legends, but instead he moved onwards an upwards.

The problem is where he would fit now. Our right-back position is tied up and only if Neal Eardley does not sign would there be a chance of him making that slot his own. However, a squad of players has two for every position and whilst we have Sean Long at present, Neal Eardley is quite comfortable on the left. Miller can play centrally too, offering diversity from the bench. It would leave us with four full backs, one who plays both sides and a left back, plus two right backs. Miller also offers the option of dropping into centre half.

He’s also been quick to praise the Imps on Twitter when we’ve done well, surely meaning he’s still fond of us.

Great day for all involved with @LincolnCity_FC ⚽️?? what a 12 months it has been for them!

— Tom miller (@Tpmillz) April 8, 2018

I would be delighted to see him back in a City shirt, since he’s left he’s amassed Football League experience and always showed commitment and application worthy of the red and white. When most around him lost their heads, he did not. He was a fine footballer and, if memory serves, the right type of player for DC. He’s hard-working, fan orientated and has the personality to fit into this team as well as the ability. I understand it would be as a squad player but surely one way we can improve our current offering, given the injuries we’ve got right not, is to just have a couple more players?

Whatever does happen, Tom Miller will be a Football League player next season, I’m certain of that.