Most important game in history? | Vital Football

Most important game in history?

Red Wimp

Red Wimp

Vital Football Legend
I’ve seen this game badged as most important in our history and was pondering how it ranks.
I’m not qualified to look far back into our history so am going to draw a veil over anything too far back. But some contenders that come to mind.
Last game in 57-58 season when we played Cardiff to complete the great escape from relegation from Div 2.
The game already discussed on here v Fulham 1982 where similarly to Sunday a win would have taken to the 2nd tier.
87/88 game v Wycombe needed to win to return to the league at 1st time of asking . If we had failed, would we have been able to afford to have stayed full time the following season?
2011 last game of season v Aldershot win needed to retain league status.
2017 perhaps a surprising pick FA Cup Q Final v Arsenal. However unlikely, a win would have made history and would have ensured the Imps are mentioned every time the FA Cup came around.
2021 arguably tier 2 is much harder to reach now than any other time we’ve been close or in. Definitely the most valuable single match financially we’ve ever taken part in.
So is it the most important game in our history? Well that’s subjective but it’s definitely in the top 2 in my opinion.
 
In that list there are only 2 contenders.

The first and quite possibly THE biggest game ever in our history was the Wycombe game. If we had failed to get back first time we would more than likely be a few divisions lower than the NL now, if we survived at all and none of this could ever happen. We were in a state financially. There was zero interest in investing in Lincoln City. Getting back at that time was hugely important for the very survival of the club.

The second is undoubtedly the FA Cup QF. Without that we would not have had that springboard to move to where we are tomorrow. It brought global exposure, a massive boost to income and we were everybody's favourite second club everywhere except in Cleethorpes. Even ignoring the above. We were non league. Non league teams hope to get to the 3rd round, hope to get a win or 2 or at most and a single payday.

I daresay tomorrow will beat any of the previous play offs. Teams went up and down without as much influence from $$$ back then. Even in the 70s teams like Man U, Liverpool, Tottingham couldn't sit on their laurels knowing (and yes they do know these days) that they didn't have to worry about relegation. Teams could move up or down if they had the right manager and squad without as much financial influence as there is now.

My opinion is that this is 2nd behind the first return to the football league because that was huge, Shit or bust whereas if we lose tomorrow (which we won't) we will have another go next year with a great chance of doing so.
 
Thought we'd already had this thread? Someone nominated the whole of the 87/88 GMV Conference season and I the meeting at Hyde in April 2013, the nearest we got to 'Blue Square North'.

ps I freely admit to being just a miserable old pedant
 
exhertsimp said:
Thought we'd already had this thread? Someone nominated the whole of the 87/88 GMV Conference season and I the meeting at Hyde in April 2013, the nearest we got to 'Blue Square North'.

ps I freely admit to being just a miserable old pedant
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I was going to add that match at Hyde as well. We could have been properly down with the Z men if we lost that one and a good chance of still being there.
 
exhertsimp said:
Thought we'd already had this thread? Someone nominated the whole of the 87/88 GMV Conference season and I the meeting at Hyde in April 2013, the nearest we got to 'Blue Square North'.

ps I freely admit to being just a miserable old pedant
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I did have that Hyde game in my head earlier but then forgot when writing post. I can’t remember without looking it up if we’d have gone down if we lost . But at that point going down could have meant part time or admin I wouldn’t have been surprised
 
Red Wimp said:
I did have that Hyde game in my head earlier but then forgot when writing post. I can’t remember without looking it up if we’d have gone down if we lost . But at that point going down could have meant part time or admin I wouldn’t have been surprised
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If memory serves I think other results went in our favour in any case but we were certainly in the could go down today group at kick off.
 
No I don’t think so, Wycombe 88’ was probably the most important.

In regards being an equal to Fulham 82’ then yes definitely, as we’ll never get a better chance to reach Tier 2 of English Football. We have to grab this opportunity tomorrow if it presents itself, as I’m not sure we can replace the quality of Johnson, Rogers, Eyoma & Palmer with loans like for like?
 
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Norfolk Imp said:
No I don’t think so, Wycombe 88’ was probably the most important.

In regards being an equal to Fulham 82’ then yes definitely, as we’ll never get a better chance to reach Tier 2 of English Football. We have to grab this opportunity tomorrow if it presents itself, as I’m not sure we can replace the quality of Johnson, Rogers, Eyoma & PLmer with loans like for like?
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Or keep Grant.
 
bristolimp said:
There is no pressure tomorrow

in fact we shouldn’t really be there tomorrow as we are ahead of schedule.
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I can't subscribe to that idea, what is the schedule? There is no guarantee a Lincoln City team will ever finish a league campaign this high again. This may be as good as it gets.

Having said that, if it ends in a Blackpool win my disappointment will be quickly tempered by it having been an excellent season in all respects, and there will still be lots of hope going into the next one.

But any talk of it being the most important game ever are pretty ridiculous. With a 137-year history there have been hundreds of most important game evers already, and will be dozen more in the future, because with hindsight there have been a huge number of turning points and sliding doors moments. Those things can only be assessed later.

Yeovil beat Brentford in the 2013 L1 Play off Final. Bearing in mind what happened today, who did better out of that if we look at things eight years on?
 
Brendan Bradley said:
I can't subscribe to that idea, what is the schedule? There is no guarantee a Lincoln City team will ever finish a league campaign this high again. This may be as good as it gets.

Having said that, if it ends in a Blackpool win my disappointment will be quickly tempered by it having been an excellent season in all respects, and there will still be lots of hope going into the next one.

But any talk of it being the most important game ever are pretty ridiculous. With a 137-year history there have been hundreds of most important game evers already, and will be dozen more in the future, because with hindsight there have been a huge number of turning points and sliding doors moments. Those things can only be assessed later.

Yeovil beat Brentford in the 2013 L1 Play off Final. Bearing in mind what happened today, who did better out of that if we look at things eight years on?
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Perspective, old boy, perspective. Many of us have supported for 60 years and more, some of us may struggle for another 8 years. This is, to many of us, the most important game ever.
 
exhertsimp said:
Thought we'd already had this thread? Someone nominated the whole of the 87/88 GMV Conference season and I the meeting at Hyde in April 2013, the nearest we got to 'Blue Square North'.

ps I freely admit to being just a miserable old pedant
Click to expand...

It turned into a great day out at Hyde, I think we outnumbered the home supporters.
 
a chance to make the second tier for the first time in almost a lifetime, so it is big in that context - as big in terms our place in the pyramid as the Fulham game imo. No idea if it is the biggest game in the whole history of the club. Uti
 
I would argue that it is the most important.

There is more to gain financially than any other game we have played (including the FA Cup quarter final). There is also a glass ceiling to break if we are ever to regard ourselves as anything other than a lower league football club.

Of course the downside of losing is not as dire as in the National League tainted years (both times) and to some degree it can be damped down with the phrase "it is a free hit", but the upside is so huge it has to be the biggest game we have played. It is bigger than 1982 because the prize is so much bigger. It is bigger because it is now 60 years, not 20 years since we were in the second tier.

Don't make the mistake of thinking our team next season will necessarily be as good as the one we have had this year. We will be losing Palmer, TJ, Johnson and Rogers. We may even lose Grant if (depending on what his contract says) and then of course there are potential bids for Montsma, Edun, and/or McGrandles. There is no guaranteed 'gradual improvement' in performances or results - Sunderland, Sheffield Wednesday, Ipswich, Charlton, Oxford, Portsmouth, Rotherham, Bolton er al. will see to that.

Make no mistake, this game is huge. It is era defining.

Carpe Diem, Carpe Diem, Carpe Diem.
 
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