So, summer is over and City are yet again stuck in this damn division. I could have been doing previews this season to games against Forest, Bradford, Barnsley and many other local rivals, instead, I'm stuck with Torquay, Carlisle, Barnet and Shrewsbury.

Anyway, the first game of the season sees us at home to Northampton, the two favourites for the title with many bookmakers. City and Northampton have shared 5 playoff campaigns in 3 years, whereas City had achieved 2 finals and a semi-final, Northampton have failed at the semi-final stage on both occasions.

Well let's put it this way, I don't have the slightest clue who's Keith's going to pick. The defence does pretty much pick itself but other than that, it's near enough a free-for-all for the rest of the first team places with only Steve Robinson absent due to his injury.

Who I think will start (Right to left)

Marriott

Beevers     Morgan       McAuley     McCombe     Mayo

Kerr      Brown    Keates

Molango       Birch

Well as I said, Northampton failed in the playoffs again, this time thanks to a controversial penalty in the 2nd Leg of their tie. I don't care what anybody says, last season, the final should have been Lincoln vs Northampton because Northampton were in the promotion picture all season, and not just for the second half of the season. Alas, both clubs lost to Southend and were therefore destined for another season in this division.

Northampton achieved 4 "doubles" last season after they completed 2 wins over Macclesfield, Oxford, Boston and Kidderminster but the main stat that shows probably why Northampton didn't really get going last season was that out of all the teams that finished in the top 14, they only won away at 3 of them, Swansea, Macclesfield and Wycombe.

Northampton have been made favourites for the title after several impressive signings including Ian Taylor, a player who was a regular player for Villa in the Premiership just 4 years ago 

Since returning to League 2, Northampton and Lincoln have shared 2 draws and one victory each. Northampton's last victory at Sincil Bank was back in 1992 when they won 2-1 and you'd have to go back to 1970 for the only other Northampton win at Sincil Bank.

Overall, Lincoln vs Northampton games are rarely high scoring. Last season, City's 3-2 win was the highest scoring game since a 4-3 win for Lincoln in 1993. However, the 80's produced two very high scoring games, both of which City won, a 5-4 and an 8-0, both at Sincil Bank. The highest scoring games at Northampton have been 3-1 victories for Northampton on just 1 occasion.

In all, City hold 13 victories over the Cobblers whereas Northampton have recorded 12 out of the 46 games played between the two. City have scored 62 goals at an average of 1.35 goals a match compared to Northampton's 51 at an average of 1.11 goals a game.