Ahead of Oxford’s home clash against Lincoln City, we spoke with one of Vital Lincoln’s members, Nigel, and he has kindly answered our questions.
Read More: League One Preview: Oxford United v Lincoln City – Team News, Form and Prediction
Thoughts on last season?
Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Missing out on the playoffs and the short turnaround meant that we were ill-prepared rest or recruitment-wise.
Michael Appleton started the season with cancer (thankfully now fully recovered) and we lost Palmer, Edun, Grant, Johnson and Rogers from the playoff squad. Recruitment was difficult and largely unsuccessful including missing out on a number of forwards on/around the deadline meaning we went into the season numerically light, especially in forward areas.
For the whole season, we had the injury list from hell, including the remainder of our experienced and key players such as Bridcutt, Montsma, Walsh and Hopper.
We fielded (I believe) our youngest ever team, with the bench not even remotely filled on a number of occasions. Somewhere along the way, Appleton lost his mojo and for whatever reason, in an already depleted squad, there were at least three players who I swear he wouldn’t have played even if meant not putting out a full side.
The side looked unfit, unhappy, and disjointed and we never had settled partnerships anywhere on the pitch. We couldn’t buy a win at home, regularly losing to the struggling teams like Gillingham and Doncaster, but thankfully dug out some memorable away wins at Wigan, Plymouth, Sunderland and Charlton which ultimately saved our bacon. The season fizzled out and in hindsight, as disappointing as it was after the one previously, it could have ended up much worse.
It wasn’t a massive surprise that the club and manager mutually decided to go in different directions with Appleton retaining his reputation and the respect of the fans and board for what he had achieved. His leaving was handled very professionally and history will show Appleton was a successful manager in his time at the Imps.
How would you rate your transfer window so far?
A mixed bag. Rushworth in nets is a loan signing from Bournemouth and looks very solid. Another loanee Oakley-Boothe hasn’t hit the ground running but flying winger Garrick on loan from Swansea came off the bench and got Man of the Match on his first appearance after injecting some much-needed pace and directness.
Permanent signings have been made to bolster the squad numerically and in depleted positions, some for now and others with half an eye on the future. Overall, despite losing McGrandles to Charlton and flying wing back Bramall to Rotherham, I feel we are already in a healthier, more balanced place this season than last.
Where do you think you’ll finish this season?
Mid-table, lower half, somewhere around 14th.
Who do you think will finish in the top six?
In no particular order: Ipswich, Wednesday, Bolton, Peterborough, Derby, Barnsley.
Who do you think will finish in the bottom four?
I’ve already changed my mind on some from pre-season! Cheltenham, Burton, Morecambe, Port Vale.
Key player(s) for Lincoln City?
Poole, Poole, and Poole – centre back. He probably single-handedly kept us up last season and was the ONLY contender for Player of the Season awards. It would be great to get a fully recovered Montsma back for the second half of the season; currently still in recovery from an ACL.
Any absentees through injury or suspension?
Quite a few have been absent due to injury/illness but it looks like most of them are on the cusp of returning so we will have the luxury of not selecting one or two to even make the bench. Long-term absentees remain the aforementioned Monstsma and the perma-absent Walsh.
Thoughts on Mark Kennedy?
Speaks and engages well, seems a decent man manager and whilst this is his first real job as a number one, he openly talks about his pathway having been deliberately staged to reach this point.
He has an impressive array of coaching roles at top clubs and academies and has been brought in with that in mind in order to fit in with the club model of playing attractive football whilst developing young players for the betterment of the team and future sales. He has made a solid if unspectacular start and after last season, I will take that.
A word on your team’s playing style
4-3-3. Will try to keep it tight on the road. Where possible, we will play out attractively from the back but unlike the Appleton Imps version, we will not be afraid to go more direct if it’s required for reasons of pragmatism or simply to mix it up. When the heat wave passes, we’re expecting to see a higher more aggressive press than the Appleton low block counter-attack.
Any Oxford players you would like to see in your team?
Matty Taylor is ALWAYS a pain and obviously, Brannagan would fit into any League One side.
Thoughts on Oxford?
You won’t struggle and I see you finishing just outside the playoffs. Like many a club in this division now, it seems that no matter how well you recruit and try to compete, there are currently just too many clubs that are splashing ridiculous amounts of cash, whether they have it or not, and until those clubs thin out a bit it will be terribly difficult for Oxford to break into that top six.
What do you think the score will be?
We will get better as the season progresses so you are playing us at a good time. Oxford to nick a tight game 2-1.
Random fact about your club?
Glasgow Rangers knocked us out of the fifth round (equivalent) of the English FA Cup in 1887.
