Mark Kennedy: “He’s an outstanding person first and foremost, we have lots of them.”

Mark Kennedy was keen to address his choice of captain to lead the Imps into his first competitive match versus Exeter City.

You can discuss what Mark Kennedy said yesterday HERE, as well as get involved with our pre-match threads: You can post your score predictions, discuss the starting XI and post your attendance predictions!

Match Thread: Lincoln City v Exeter City

Recruitment: It is very much a waiting game. It is odd that the Imps will be partaking in matches whilst the transfer window remains open and that is something MK has seen reciprocated during discussions with three other managers recently. All the managers are making the point about not having a settled squad for the first three or four games but it is the same for everyone.

“It is what it is. Again being positive, you work at what you’ve got, grateful for what we’ve got and make the most of what we’ve got”.

MK strongly iterated that he is 100% looking for additions during the remainder of the transfer window.

Squad Fitness: MK highlighted Tashan Oakley Boothe as being fine in spite of a recent dead leg injury.

Captaincy: On the appointment of Tom Hopper: “Yes it was straightforward in who it was in picking Tom, but we had lots of outstanding candidates; but I don’t think anybody will be surprised, disappointed or sad that it’s Tom. He’s an outstanding person first and foremost, we have lots of them”.

MK defined the characteristics that Tom brought to the role, a player he was quite aware of in football even before he arrived at the club. Tom offers a lot to the squad both on and off the pitch having a serious number of games under his belt with a feature being the sheer number of minutes he has put in during pre-season training. Tom commands the respect of the other players in the manner he conducts himself resulting in the captaincy being well deserved in spite of there being several other candidates that could easily have been awarded the role due to their attributes.

“My last thing is which I’m a big believer in. You do not need a captain’s armband to be a leader”.

Mark Kennedy: "He's an outstanding person first and foremost, we have lots of them."https://t.co/AoH7XKpSj1#ImpsAsOne #WeAreImps #ECFC

— Vital Lincoln City (@VitalLincoln) July 30, 2022