Ahead of tonight’s match versus Accrington Stanley at the Wham Stadium in the Second Round of the EFL Trophy, which will be refereed by Martin Woods, we have done a Q&A with one of their supporters. Thank you to Tony for answering the questions!
NEW QUIZ: How much can you remember from the last time Accrington Stanley hosted The Imps in the EFL Trophy? Have a go at the quiz at the bottom of the page or simply CLICK HERE (opens in a new window)!
Match Thread: Accrington Stanley v Lincoln City
How long have you supported Accrington Stanley?
Following in my granddad’s and my father’s footsteps so really all my life. The fact I was born on Stanley St says it all.
What are your hopes and expectations for the 2023/24 season?
First of all, survival is the main goal but expectations are 10th to 12th with the hope of 7th.
What are your views on your manager?
I’m a big fan of John Coleman, a few fans called for a change after last season but if Andy Holt brought him back that’s good enough for me. He knows this league very well so I don’t see anyone better than John. He gets the best out of young talent and he deserves a chance at another promotion.
Style of play and tactics – direct/passing/hybrid?
As with most teams these days Stanley likes to play out from the back and usually go with a 4-2-3-1 formation but have been known to switch during a match and go with two up front and a back three. They like to play possession football and hit the open man in the channels.
One(s) to watch now and in the future?
Tommy Leigh, Jack Nolan, Rosaire Longelo and Korede Adedoyin all have talent and can change a match on their own but the one for the future is Dan Martin, he’s only 21 and destined for a higher level. He will take the place of Seamus Conneely eventually but I think his upside offensively is better.
Random fact about your Club?
We are named after a street.
Which were your favourite and least favourite matches involving Accrington Stanley?
Returning to the Football League in 2006 and winning League Two in 2018 after beating Luton away. The worst match was being relegated from League One last season.
Which sides do you think will finish in the top seven and which do you think will finish in the bottom two of League Two?
Let’s start at the bottom and go with Sutton Utd and Forest Green Rovers. At the top, the easy choices are Stockport Cty, Notts Cty and Wrexham but I’m not sure they all finish in automatic promotion. Rounding out the top seven I have Mansfield, Crewe, Barrow and Swindon.
What are your thoughts on Lincoln City?
I’ve always enjoyed the matches between Lincoln and Stanley, they are close, competitive matches and fun to watch. There’s no reason why you can’t push for a playoff position in League One.
If you could steal one Lincoln player for your own team, who would it be and why?
Normally I would say Ethan Hamilton as he was a favourite at Stanley but at this point in time I’d say Lukas Jensen as we lost our emergency keeper on Saturday with a broken arm. I think if we had stayed in League One there’s a strong possibility they would both be at Stanley. Both players are too good for League Two, especially on our budget.
What is your prediction for this match?
We generally do well within the Trophy matches at the knockout stages as Lincoln can attest to. I expect this match will go to penalties as well with Stanley coming out on top 4-3 in the shootout after a 1-1 in regulation time.
"He gets the best out of young talent and he deserves a chance at another promotion." (Q&A):https://t.co/LIN0ayGGiR#ASFC #WeAreImps #EFLTrophy
— Vital Lincoln City (@VitalLincoln) December 5, 2023
