Peter Jackson`s last 12 months can be described somewhat obtusely in three words, desperation, perspiration and of course inspiration. We could also use the adjectives the good the bad and the ugly, though fortunately Jamie Hand is an Imp no more. Jackson`s unique ‘old skool` management style will annoy, as many as it converts, but football and Lincoln City Fc will always be the better for him. Despite his brashness and bravery both on the touchline and in life in general, he is football and entertainment personified. Warts and all since Tuesday October the 30th 2007 Peter Jackson , the fans favourite had decided to take up the poison Challis that comes with running a League Two football club. A defeat at Brentford had put us bottom with Wrexham. With both sides having scored 10 and conceded 21, only the alphabet was saving us from propping up the football league. Mansfield too sat on 9 points though Boulding`s goal scoring prowess saw them 4 goals better off.
So given an optimistic 5 point plan Jacko was unhappy that despite playing well, we lost 2-1 at Bradford and 1-0 at the Cods, over Christmas to dent our slim play off hopes, going into 2008. The 1-1 draw (Dodds) at home to Bury on New years day was a ‘sickener` too, but we had doubled our points total to 18 and sat in 21st. A goal apiece from Forrester and Frecklington in the last 10 minutes defeated Rochdale at their place. Didn`t do them much harm, they then began a run that would see them reach the playoffs. Oh that we can emulate them and Stockport over the coming 5 months of 2009. We then lost at home to Rotherham 3-1 (Forrester) before beating Dagenham 2-0, through Wright and The Gassman. The Imps were 21st, 7 clear of the bottom 2 and 4 clear of Daggers just below them.
It was the 2-1 home defeat to Mansfield that would really change our season though. With an awful run in, this was a game we needed to win. We didn`t and many fans left Sincil Bank that night fearing the worst. Boulding opened the scoring, Forrester replied with a penalty on the hour. Then, in the 93rd minute, Boulding snatched it at the death. The Stags, though 6 points behind with 2 games in hand, thought they would be dancing on our graves that night. Heaven forbid Daggers were now level with us too.
Now I don`t know exactly what was said the next day, but things changed. Questions over Jacko`s voice had been doing the rounds for a while. But two weeks ahead of any of us knowing why, the Imps were suddenly in a hurry and on a mission. Perhaps they wanted us safe so that Jacko could spend time away.
Peter Jackson paced around his tileless office. He eyed February as the month that would really make or break our season. Draws not being his thing and despite the Mansfield result we had gained 7 points from a realistic 12 against the beatable sides over January. He also fancied Manager of the month and publicly said so ahead of the Shrewsbury game. The addition of Ridley, a loan signing and Ben Wright apart; what could vitamin J do against high fliers who had hammered us 4-0 on opening day. Perhaps more to the point in the grip of midwinter, Shylock Steff was only going to give him one carpet tile per point. The Artful Dodger gave us the lead with a fabulous thirty-yard free kick to settle the nerves. It wasn`t pretty after that but we held out until the 76th minute, when a Davies free kick evened things up. The Imps responded as if their lives depended on it with the Artful Dodger hammering home a thunderous volley amid scenes of jubilation in the away end of a not so Gay new meadow.
Now in 20th on 28 points the Imps won again on the Tuesday night. Dany & Jamie scored in the last 10 minutes with Evans replying at the death. Ok so it wasn`t Brazil, but our newfound determination saw us . Jamie the poacher and homespun Hone helped us overcome Rochdale 2-1 in an inspired, albeit rugged performance, at the Bank. But 9 points in a week was more than Schoeys Imps had mustered by October, and we now sat just 16 short of the mystic 50 points safety barrier. Stallard, Wright and Beevers ensured we hammered Accrington 3-0 away, before inspiration and perspiration turned to desperation.. On Valentine`s Day Peter Jackson called a news conference to explain that throat affliction. We feared the worst when told it was cancer of the throat. I think every Imp remembers where they were & what they were doing the day they heard of the plight of the The Lord of The Imps
It inspired the impossible. Yep we came from behind to beat Maccs 3-1 with Lenny, Jamie and Danny giving us adrenalin rushes for the last half hour. Now 14th the Imps were top of the current form table going into the Rotherham game. A Dodds trademark goal, he curled a jaw dropper into the top corner from 25 yards, opened the scoring. They then got 3 before Wright and Dany combined sublimely as The Swan got the goal of the game. Jacko was naturally given the manager of the month, for the run perhaps or was it as much the bravery, and an unselfish desire to see us through. A clinical finish from Dodds won the game to see us within 7 points of safety. Job done thought the fans. We would carry a Lord of the Imps banner with us, signed by the Great one, from that day until his triumphant return.
Predictably Chesterfield had a field day and hammered us 4-1 with Wright getting one in reply. Forrester got the goal in the all-important away win at nervous Notts. Now 4 points shy of the bull we could start to enjoy things. We lost at Stockport 1-0 then caved in 5-2 at Barnet. Wright was only on for 15 minutes but bagged a brace in the snow. Still 14th we were 13 points clear of Mansfield, with 2 games in hand but on the brink. Next up, high flying Hereford. When Scott Kerr was shown an early red, we feared the worst but rallied magnificently. Young Pembleton starred on his debut, diminutive he may be, but he has the heart and strength of Atlas. Dany got a breakaway, and though they equalised on the hour; justice was done with a penalty. The Gassman bagged it setting Sincil Bank aglow. Those three points were a bonus and ahead of a visit to Posh, just the ticket. They naturally hammered us 4-0, having ‘done` our only decent defender.
Not surprisingly the Franchise beat us 2-1, in a very close game that deserved a draw. The fact that we were 2-0 down prior to Wright finish did not stop a rampant second half display from the Imps. We then went on a run. We wiped the grin off Chesters faces 2-1 with all 3 goals coming in 3 minutes. Forrester bagged our two and the points in the 20th and 22 minute. The 3-1 win over Brentford saw fearless flowing football. King got a deflection, before Forrester and Freck finished things. We then stunned the critics with a 2-1 win at Morecambe. Over 500 Imps partied at the seaside as Wright and Green got gems. Could we finish in the top half to cap our come back? Nope. In true Imp style at the Theatre of the Absurd, we stunned the critics again, going down 4-2 at home to already relegated Wrexham. Wright got one but the joke was on Steve Evans. Beavers punted a 50-yard clearance into the Wrexham box, huge centre-back Steve Evans was under no pressure bar the attentions round the back of Danger mouse AKA Forester, but alas he sent his header over the advancing Ward.
Though still undergoing treatment The Lord of The Imps vowed that such keystone cop defending from the Imps, must at all costs change.
Happy New year
Neil.
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