Manager: Danny Cowley (and Nicky Cowley)
Tenure: Three years so far.
Ownership Situation: Major shareholder Clive Nates, a South African businessman, took over as chairman last year. He comes on to the forum to have a chat every now and then, and sits in with the fans when he's over. He's a top, top man.
Main Fan Forum: Vital Lincoln City
Star Player: Michael Bostwick, the beast at the back, I would argue is the best we have seen at our club in a very long time. I lost count of the player of the year/team of the year awards he won last season. Tough, uncompromising, committed, resolute, gritty, fearless - I could go on - he personifies our team's refuse-to-lose, never-say-die attitude.
Underappreciated Gem: Michael O'Connor for me was the dark horse for the player of the year. His experience and calm in the middle was invaluable and he offered a measure of the terrier mentality we lost with the sale of Alex Woodyard, all the while playing the season with a staple in his knee, which limited his game time and mobility.
Top Prospect: Ellis Chapman, one of our own, is still a teenager but won plaudits on loan at Chesterfield last season. Mr Cowley sees great potential in Chapman and, while his cameos for us last season were a little raw, it would be folly to doubt the appraisal.
Potential 19/20 Breakout Year: Tom Pett, the Sincil Bank Pirlo. Signed as a winger/forward but never convinced there, his switch to the middle last season was a revelation, showing great vision and good passing, as well as being tough in the press and disciplined on defence. I'm hoping the football in League One will give him more time on the ball to build on what was a great year.
Fan Scapegoat: We don't have one. Some fans got on the back of record signing John Akinde last season for not scoring enough - but they were silenced pretty quickly. Despite playing an unfamiliar role as a lone forward, Big John was involved in more goals than any other Imp and ended as our top scorer.
Waste of Space: Again, we don't have one. We have a tight, lean squad and every player contributed to our championship-winning campaign. Everyone can come in and do a job.
Dream Transfer Target: Mr Cowley plays his cards close to his chest on transfers, but I'd say we need another forward and an attacking midfielder. We'll see how far our budget will stretch. It's early in the close season but a lot of fans want Mark O'Hara, a beanpole, tough tackling box to box midfielder, back permanently from Peterborough.
Season Review: Could it get any better than this? Essentially top of the table all year and hardly ever troubled by other teams' mini-surges. We played some excellent football at times (wins at MK Dons, Port Vale and Crawley were the standouts for me), and did what was needed at others (Swindon away should be remembered as much for our nine-man Rourke's Drift defensive performance as for Shay McCartan's goal of the season). Bruno Andrade shone on the wing and it'll be hard to keep him, and the team and the now legions of fans were as one. But there were a few slow periods, our home form suffered as teams came to frustrate, and we had an awful end to the season after securing the title, culminating in a dreadful 0-3 reverse at home to Colchester on the last day. But hey, champions.
Tactical Overview: I'm sure I once heard someone say we were hoofball merchants. Last season slew a few of those dragons - our magnificent performance at Bury embarrassed the Sky pundits and their preconceived ideas of how the match would play out. Our hoof reputation caught others on the, ahem, hoof, as we switched things up. Mr Cowley demands high work rate, intensity and athleticism from all his players. We do not give up. The formation is often 4-4-1-1, which can isolate our front man but the goals come from all positions. We play a high press and our athleticism allows us to recover quickly when it's beaten.
Plans & Priorities for Preseason: Keep hold of our best, and be smart in our additions. The Cowleys know what they are doing. Fans of most promoted teams would say it's survival first and build from there, but our management team has been very vocal about not liking the word "consolidation" - they're not interested. If we're going to be underdogs, so be it - the Cowleys will most definitely find motivation in that. I'd be very happy with a mid-table position, and a flirt with the playoffs perhaps, but you never know.
Imps2018 Gives Opposition Fan The Lincoln City Lowdown
Tenure: Three years so far.
Ownership Situation: Major shareholder Clive Nates, a South African businessman, took over as chairman last year. He comes on to the forum to have a chat every now and then, and sits in with the fans when he's over. He's a top, top man.
Main Fan Forum: Vital Lincoln City
Star Player: Michael Bostwick, the beast at the back, I would argue is the best we have seen at our club in a very long time. I lost count of the player of the year/team of the year awards he won last season. Tough, uncompromising, committed, resolute, gritty, fearless - I could go on - he personifies our team's refuse-to-lose, never-say-die attitude.
Underappreciated Gem: Michael O'Connor for me was the dark horse for the player of the year. His experience and calm in the middle was invaluable and he offered a measure of the terrier mentality we lost with the sale of Alex Woodyard, all the while playing the season with a staple in his knee, which limited his game time and mobility.
Top Prospect: Ellis Chapman, one of our own, is still a teenager but won plaudits on loan at Chesterfield last season. Mr Cowley sees great potential in Chapman and, while his cameos for us last season were a little raw, it would be folly to doubt the appraisal.
Potential 19/20 Breakout Year: Tom Pett, the Sincil Bank Pirlo. Signed as a winger/forward but never convinced there, his switch to the middle last season was a revelation, showing great vision and good passing, as well as being tough in the press and disciplined on defence. I'm hoping the football in League One will give him more time on the ball to build on what was a great year.
Fan Scapegoat: We don't have one. Some fans got on the back of record signing John Akinde last season for not scoring enough - but they were silenced pretty quickly. Despite playing an unfamiliar role as a lone forward, Big John was involved in more goals than any other Imp and ended as our top scorer.
Waste of Space: Again, we don't have one. We have a tight, lean squad and every player contributed to our championship-winning campaign. Everyone can come in and do a job.
Dream Transfer Target: Mr Cowley plays his cards close to his chest on transfers, but I'd say we need another forward and an attacking midfielder. We'll see how far our budget will stretch. It's early in the close season but a lot of fans want Mark O'Hara, a beanpole, tough tackling box to box midfielder, back permanently from Peterborough.
Season Review: Could it get any better than this? Essentially top of the table all year and hardly ever troubled by other teams' mini-surges. We played some excellent football at times (wins at MK Dons, Port Vale and Crawley were the standouts for me), and did what was needed at others (Swindon away should be remembered as much for our nine-man Rourke's Drift defensive performance as for Shay McCartan's goal of the season). Bruno Andrade shone on the wing and it'll be hard to keep him, and the team and the now legions of fans were as one. But there were a few slow periods, our home form suffered as teams came to frustrate, and we had an awful end to the season after securing the title, culminating in a dreadful 0-3 reverse at home to Colchester on the last day. But hey, champions.
Tactical Overview: I'm sure I once heard someone say we were hoofball merchants. Last season slew a few of those dragons - our magnificent performance at Bury embarrassed the Sky pundits and their preconceived ideas of how the match would play out. Our hoof reputation caught others on the, ahem, hoof, as we switched things up. Mr Cowley demands high work rate, intensity and athleticism from all his players. We do not give up. The formation is often 4-4-1-1, which can isolate our front man but the goals come from all positions. We play a high press and our athleticism allows us to recover quickly when it's beaten.
Plans & Priorities for Preseason: Keep hold of our best, and be smart in our additions. The Cowleys know what they are doing. Fans of most promoted teams would say it's survival first and build from there, but our management team has been very vocal about not liking the word "consolidation" - they're not interested. If we're going to be underdogs, so be it - the Cowleys will most definitely find motivation in that. I'd be very happy with a mid-table position, and a flirt with the playoffs perhaps, but you never know.
Imps2018 Gives Opposition Fan The Lincoln City Lowdown
