There is little doubt, next week’s game against Sunderland is one part of arguably the biggest two (hopefully three) matches in our club’s modern history.
I know beating Macclesfield in 2017 was huge, promotion to League One the same, but has there been this much on the line in terms of status, since May 18, 1982? That was the game in which a win against Fulham would have delivered Second Division football to Colin Murphy’s side. We haven’t been that close, 90 minutes close, to promotion to the second tier since. Next week, 180 minutes will either give us the right to face Oxford or Blackpool, or bring the curtains down on a thrilling season of football.
Michael Appleton laughed in his recent press conference about almost having a full squad for the first time this season.
“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” he joked. “You get to the final game of the season and it’s the first time you’ve got a fully fit squad.”
It could be argued that aside from the games in which automatic slipped away from us, there might not be a better time to have a fully fit squad. I have said all season that a full Imps’ squad finishes first or second and I guess now, the proof will be in the pudding, so to speak.
With a full squad comes a selection headache for Michael, with a few key positions likely to be contested. If all our centre backs are fit, who partners who? Cohen Bramall has impressed at left-back, but if he plays there, where does Edun fit in? He could play midfield, but then Grant shifts to the left and where do you play Rogers? It’s all getting interesting, and I thought I’d look at my first XI, explaining each choice as I go.
Are you ready?