By Nathan Jackson
September 15 2011

It's a depressing sight when you're already in the relegation zone, losing five of your opening eight games, and you see that the next two teams you face are in the top three. This includes a team who many regard to be the best in the division, Luton Town.

NOT BEEN TO LUTON BEFORE? CHECK OUR GROUND GUIDE PROFILE FOR KENILWORTH ROAD 

(no pictures due to camera issue on the only visit)

It's safe to say that our start to life in the BSP hasn't been great. Just five points from eight games has not been a return that any of us would have hoped for and morale is at an all time low given that City, unless by some miracle we finish as Champions, the Imps are guaranteed to finish in their lowest ever position since turning professional. The worst part about all of our recent failures to win, especially at home against Stockport and Kettering, is that we had enough chances in that game to win six/seven games.....having said that, in the away games  at Darlington and Braintree we were deservedly beaten.

So in a month where we've already lost to two teams that a lot of fans disrespectfully call "pub teams" we now head to a team who many consider to be the best in the division and are yet again challenging for promotion, but more on Luton later.

City could potentially end the day at the foot of the table with both Alfreton and Bath playing recently promoted teams in Braintree and Telford respectively. Going bottom of the table would seriously put the pressure on Steve Tilson, especially as soon fans on various message boards have said that they are expecting at least one win from the games against Luton and Gateshead.....forgetting that both of those teams are in the top three.

Lincoln go into the game with Jean-Francois Christophe suspended. That might not be a bad thing as he hasn't really impressed in his opening three games for the club and was the man responsible for Darlington's third goal, waiting for the ball to come to him rather than going to get it, that despite several shouts from team-mates. Replacing him would normally be Tony Sinclair but he is injured, so it could be Adam Watts (right), who spent most of the pre-season playing at right back.

The defender has come out in recent days and said that he is desperate to become the man to turn things around for City after he also endured a poor start to the season.

"I can't take any more of losing like we have been. I want to get back in the team and have a say in the way we perform," Watts told the Echo. "It is the manager's decision to not play me, I'm not happy about it but I have to get on with it and keep working hard. I feel I have a lot to offer and showed that before I got injured. I just want a chance. There is no way I am going to be involved in another relegation battle. The reason I stayed here is to get this club back up into the Football League where it belongs. Something here has to change and it has to change fast."

Other than the issue with the right back position, Tilson has a near full squad to choose from. The biggest area for concern might be the strikers though as Tilson doesn't seem to have settled on his two strikers yet. Taylor and Barraclough have yet to score for City, whereas Perry and Smith have hardly set the world alight in recent weeks, with Smith not scoring in five and Perry's goals have dried up since he became the leading goalscorer midway through August.

Luton's following at last year's Blue Square Premier Playoff Final (left).

Luton are highly regarded as the most feared team in the Blue Square Premier. After three straight relegations from 2006/7 to 2008/9, Luton had major financial difficulties which saw a very hefty 30 points deducted before the start of the latter of those seasons. Very few gave them a chance of staying up, myself included after I predicted them to finish dead last. As you can tell from the comments underneath Luton fans were not happy with this and one of them bet me £1,000 they would stay up, it was a good thing for him that I didn't rise to the immature baiting because Luton didn't budge off of bottom of the table all season.

Both seasons so far have seen them challenge in the Playoffs. Their first campaign saw a 2-0 semi final aggregate defeat to York, after which their fans were heavily criticised for reacting badly to defeat, throwing projectiles into the away end, forcing the York players to scurry to the away changing rooms through the stands.

A year later and they lost out to AFC Wimbledon in the final. A dull 0-0 draw resulted in a penalty shoot out, AFC Wimbledon prevailing and giving Luton another year in the BSP. Luton were heavily unlucky in that final after dominating and hitting the inside of the post late on. You can view the video of my trip to the Playoff Final here.

They are yet to be defeated this season with four wins and four defeats. One of those results was a 5-1 win over Southport and their fans have certainly been treated to some goal feasts over their Blue Square year. During their two and a bit years in the BSP, they have been involved in scorelines of 4-1 (twice), 4-3, 3-3 (twice), 6-1 (twice), 8-0, 4-0 (five times). 6-0 (twice), 6-3, 4-2, 5-1 (twice) and 5-0.......god knows what they'll do to a defence as incompetent as City's.

Luton are currently managed by former Imp Gary Brabin.

New Luton signing Jamie Hand spent the 2007/8 season at Sincil Bank and proved very unpopular with the fans due to his attitude. He spent one game sulking on the bench and refusing to join in with the warm up or half time routines after he was told he wouldn't be starting......safe to say Peter Jackson was not impressed. Other than him only Janos Kovacs, Peter Holmes and Jude Stirling have played for both sides since the turn of the century.

Other than those, others to wear both shirts at some point during their careers include Kingsley Black and Imps Legends, Mick Harford and  Trevor Peake.

Current Premiership striker Chris Martin (Norwich, right) spent 2008/9 on loan at Kenilworth Road and scored twice in the last meeting at Luton between the clubs, Ian Roper also scored for Luton as they won 3-2, John-Lewis and Patulea got City's goals. The return game at Sincil Bank ended 0-0 and Luton were relegated two days later when another goalless draw, coupled with Grimsby beating Notts County, left them 13 points from safety with just four to play.

To sum up how different Lincoln are to that day, only one man who played for Lincoln that day is still at the club, and if he doesn't start contributing for a change when he comes back from injury, he will also soon be leaving the club. City's team that day was Burch, Green, Kovacs, Swaibu, Beevers, Kerr, O'Connor, Brown (Mullarkey), N'Guessan, Horsfield and Wright (Hutchinson),

Out of form and heading to one of the best sides in the BSP

Discussion started by theimps.ka (IP Logged), 16/09/2011 09:30

theimps.ka
16/09/2011 09:30

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