As the new squad emerges, the worries about lack of experience and need for old heads has been raised. The recruitment of Liam Bridcutt will no doubt settle some nerves but still the “you win nothing with kids” line has been quoted quite a lot.
Ironically of course it is only a famous quote because Alan Hanson was wrong, Man Utd won plenty with the class of 92.
But how relevant is that to Lincoln - have we just recruited a Paul Scholes, Gary Neville or David Beckham... probably not... but hopefully a L1 equivalent or two.
Our aim is to produce young players who will develop into a side competing at the top end of L1, possibly dreaming of a tilt into the Championship.
If you are in your 50’s you will almost certainly recall the last time we were contemplating getting into the second level of English Football.
One more goal away at Fulham in May 1982 would have made that dream a reality.
I thought it might be worth considering what that squad was like, to see what the make up of that team was. How many Bridcutts, Eardleys and Bostwicks they had.
Well in terms of quality... probably better... the vast majority when things turned sour behind the scenes, left to appear in what would now be the Premier League.
So to state the obvious they had the quality and only time will tell if we can find the same quality now.
However, what about the age of that squad.. well if you look at it we have already gone wrong this year by recruiting a 30 something. They had none.
At the start of the 1981-82 season the age of the players that eventually walked out the following May in front of over 20,000 at Craven Cottage was as Follows
Felgate 21
Neale 24
Carr 27
Peake 24
Thompson 26
Shipley 22
Turner 20
Hibberd 19
Cockerill 22
Hobson 24
Cunningham 24
Now it by no means follows that having a young side is an easy route to success or within touching distance of it, at least.
But for all those yearning for a team of old codgers, the quality of the player rather than their age, is usually the most important ingredient.
Ironically of course it is only a famous quote because Alan Hanson was wrong, Man Utd won plenty with the class of 92.
But how relevant is that to Lincoln - have we just recruited a Paul Scholes, Gary Neville or David Beckham... probably not... but hopefully a L1 equivalent or two.
Our aim is to produce young players who will develop into a side competing at the top end of L1, possibly dreaming of a tilt into the Championship.
If you are in your 50’s you will almost certainly recall the last time we were contemplating getting into the second level of English Football.
One more goal away at Fulham in May 1982 would have made that dream a reality.
I thought it might be worth considering what that squad was like, to see what the make up of that team was. How many Bridcutts, Eardleys and Bostwicks they had.
Well in terms of quality... probably better... the vast majority when things turned sour behind the scenes, left to appear in what would now be the Premier League.
So to state the obvious they had the quality and only time will tell if we can find the same quality now.
However, what about the age of that squad.. well if you look at it we have already gone wrong this year by recruiting a 30 something. They had none.
At the start of the 1981-82 season the age of the players that eventually walked out the following May in front of over 20,000 at Craven Cottage was as Follows
Felgate 21
Neale 24
Carr 27
Peake 24
Thompson 26
Shipley 22
Turner 20
Hibberd 19
Cockerill 22
Hobson 24
Cunningham 24
Now it by no means follows that having a young side is an easy route to success or within touching distance of it, at least.
But for all those yearning for a team of old codgers, the quality of the player rather than their age, is usually the most important ingredient.