Adding to the collection of old material I recently uncovered, here’s a chance to read an article I penned for a third copy of the fanzine we did shortly after relegation. It never got finished, the small matter of a breakdown put paid to that, but here’s what I was moaning about when we had absolutely nothing positive at all to cling to.
I’m aware that back in the day there used to be a programme on TV called Rentaghost. I don’t know what it was about, but I assume that someone used to rent out a ghost. It seems at Sincil Bank these days, we’re trying to do the same with out team. Rentateam.
When I look back over the Imps teams I’ve loved of old, there has almost always been a player I have thought was ace. The very first was Paul Smith (the ginger lad from Port Vale not the lad from Forest), followed by (in no particular order) David Puttnam, Tony Lormor, ‘Magic’ Johnson, Gareth Ainsworth, Kevin Austin, Peter Gain, Richard Butcher ,etc. I’ve always had a player that I admired and cherished as if they were a member of my own family. I can’t even start on Keith Alexander, but I would say that if he had ever needed a bed in Newtoft I’d gladly have top and tailed.
However nowadays what do we have? The last two Imps players I really rated were Davide Somma and Ashley Grimes. I’ve got close to (admiring) Gavin McCallum and Muzzy (my spell checker wanted to write Crayola here. I preferred that) Carayol, but have been left broken-hearted both times. I’m telling you if Alan Power is gone by next season then I truly give up.
Remember Curtis Thompson? No. What about Luke Medley? Jason Beardsley? Jean Arnaud? Tom Richardson? These are players that the Imps have had on their books this season. I can barely remember the name of the longest-serving player. In reality we have nobody with whom we can identify.
I feel like a step child being passed from family to family, with all these different faces making different promises and yet constantly being disappointed.
I am beginning to have a real affinity for Alan Power, a player who reminds me a little of Dean Keates when he gets on the ball. There is no doubt had Keates stayed at Lincoln we would have been in contention for automatic promotion, and players like him and Power have the ability to drive a team. The thing is they need a team to drive forward.
David Holdsworth has begun to put a team together, but it only ever seems to last for a few weeks before the new guard comes in. In truth I don’t think Holdsworth can solve this problem in a week or even a month: we need some stability over a season or two. Like the product of a broken family we will begin to resent the very thing that we should cherish. Our team begins to become a source of much disappointment rather than of hope and optimism.
So how do we move forward here? Well Mr Dorrian really has to make a crucial choice this summer. Does he give Holdsworth the chance to build a club, or does he turn elsewhere once again to start from scratch? I personally believe it is time to give a manager the benefit of the doubt and trust in him. When I hear Holdsworth speak I can’t decide whether I’m listening to move Sutton / Tilson style propaganda or whether his impressive rhetoric and forthright views are for real. If they are for real then I think he could be worth another season.
After all it’s not like we can get much worse is it? We’re currently locked in a battle with Alfreton Town, Bath City and Hayes and Yeading to avoid an away trip to Vauxhall Motors next season. That’s as bad as it’s been in over 125 years of proud history.
Perhaps if Holdsworth does stay and starts to build a side then there are signs we could have a new set of favourites. After all Tom Miller has had a steady start to his Imps career, but he looks to have a lot of energy and a great long throw. In midfield I’ve already touched on Power, but Thompson and Christophe have both put in some decent performances. Up top we’ve got some experience in veteran strikers Louis, Pacquette and McMannon…. It appears that slowly but surely we are beginning to get the nucleus of a side that might be able to strike a chord of appreciation down in my success starved soul.
Add into that little mix the undoubtable quality of the seldom seen kid Francis Laurent and you begin to wonder exactly how we have failed to pull away from the basement with ease.
Signs are further evident in some of the performances of late. Southport were easily put to the sword and they’re chasing promotion and we matched high-flying Kidderminster as well. Telford should have been dead and buried by half time. However that lack of cohesion is costing us constantly, whether it’s the defence and midfield that are detached or the fans and the club.
Oh dear.. the nucleus of a good side? All three of those strikers were gone before the sun had set on the evening I wrote the article I think. I was right about Miller and Power though, the latter finally leading us onwards to glory, albeit from a role as a super sub under Danny and Nicky.