I think we have blown automatic. Perhaps blown is too severe a word. I’m not sure if we ever had enough control to suggest we have now blown it, but I think it’s off the cards..we have always just been just out of reach , similar to last season. The 98th minute pen versus Bolton was a bit of a hammer blow… We are where we deserve to be. We are not good enough to deserve automatic promotion but play offs feels right. I have not been a fan of Collins but in recent weeks and after a period of reflection I think he’s actually done an excellent job given the resources he’s had at his disposal. We had a poor start to the season, particularly at home, which was due to the disruption. The impact of that is probably what will deny us automatic rather than todays result, in which the performance was decent, at least in the first half. I thought Duff did a brilliant job last season and we will probably end up on or around the same points this season with a slightly inferior set of players. Therefore, I think I have to admit I am wrong and accept that Collins has done a good job, based on his resources. Next season the league will be tougher with some teams blessed with resource coming up and Wigan, Reading, Charlton coming strong. Unfortunately I think we will have similar disruption with Kane, Cadden, Cole all leaving. The play offs are a lottery and no idea how we will do. The home form remains a major concern, which Collins has been unable to crack, but one thing I do know is that booing them won’t help. I think the club is in good hands personally- god knows why you would want to own a football club, it certainly can’t be for financial gain and we are fortunate to have a decent bunch of people with the club’s best interests at heart making the decisions.
Groundhog Day. Last year we suffered from a mediocre start due to off field issues. Went on a run to get us back into contention but by the time we had hauled our way into things we were running on empty and fell back.
True (and very frustrating) but I think this is arguably a reflection of modern day football as much as it is on a thing the club can do to prevent it.
This is a brilliant summary, and pretty much exactly how i see it. The only bit i dont agree with is that the teams coming up are to be feared. The teams at the top of league 2 might have resources but they are awful - look how few points the top 5 have compared to league 1.
Was chatting about this in the pub and the concensus was we need to think about what if we don't go up..after the defeat at Wembley we not only sold 2 of our defence we failed to retain the 3rd defender and the goalie who were on loan so wiping out our entire back line...most of us kno that a team is built not bought and the more you play the same lads the better they are...So BFC need to retain as much of this team as possible to keep the momentum into the season after...sadly were a selling club..
Can’t disagree with the OP. After a poor start it’s been a good season. I don’t think we’ll reach last season’s tally of 86 but should pass 80 points. We really need to win the playoffs and get out of L1 this season if we can, though I’m not confident we will. We’ve a massive summer coming up with regards to trying to offload a lot of poor players and recruit some better quality. The league next season will be a helluva a lot tougher. Last couple of times we’ve got out quick, could be a while this time.
So is every other club barring the elites mate. Why would they want to stay though? They've just drawn at home, a game we should have won however, especially the first half, and got booed off the pitch, despite winning their previous match... whilst we are comfortably in the play offs too and until very recently race for autos... if I were a player, especially one who could leave on a free ala Kane, I'd be getting first bus out. Id **** straight off. Booing these players after such a good few months whilst still being in playoffs and technically in with a shot at autos is mind blowing to me. More Wednesday than Barnsley.
I largely agree with this. I don’t think we’ve ‘blown’ anything, because I haven’t at any point in the season thought we were top two standard. Yesterday just reinforced that. I expect us to finish top six. Minimum requirement for me before a ball was kicked. That said, for me the squad we have today, is going to struggle massively in the Champ. If we did manage to get promoted through play-offs, there’s some serious recruitment needed.
Cole Kane and Williams will be leaving regardless of what league we’re in purely to make themselves more money and i don’t blame them
No chance would Collins and the board risk that outside shot of autos to plan without them, especially when new players will be coming in yet! They should definitely have come on earlier for me though bud.
I felt like we were just beginning to build some momentum & fancied us for automatic promotion with the signings of Earl & Pines & having almost everyone fit but Pines getting injured, losing Kane to suspension & Cole & McAtee going off the boil at the same time means it’ll be play offs which I don’t thinks a bad outcome at all. I think the biggest grievance & why so many fans are negative is that they know if we don’t go up we’ll lose half the side & it’s another rebuild & we’re unlikely to hit the ground running next season but that isn’t Neil Collins fault & it isn’t the fault of the rest of the players at the club. Been realistic we had no right to go up automatically given the back 3 we had in the first half of the season & with how long Connell & Roberts were missing for. I think we got more points than we should have done given the team we were putting out. Whilst we look like 4th favourites for the play offs (if Lincoln finish 6th) things can change very quickly. It was only a few weeks back we put a run of wins together & looked a far better side than Derby. I’d be amazed if Lincoln hold their form for another 2 months & we’ll be a lot better side with Pines & Kane back available. It will be a lottery with the usual tense, tight games whether we win or lose.
I totally agree with this. The momentum will have completely shifted by the time it comes to the play-offs. I’d be astounded if Lincoln is still flying high and battering teams by four and five. I do think that one thing we have lacked the season is putting anyone to the sword. We haven’t really done that against anyone for memory. This coupled with the pretty poor home form has made it quite difficult to get behind the team.
