Cod Almighty | Diary

The haves and the will-nots

9 April 2019

So our friends across the Wolds are one win away from a first return to the third division for 21 years. Indeed, their last League promotion was in 1997-98, just like Town and their six-year Conference stint also mirrors the Mariners.

Sadly though, that's where the parallels end. Lincoln are on the up and not just by their antics on the pitch. Thunderdiary has no time for Cowleyball and the eye-roll emoji has been used often this season as Akinde rolled in peno after peno and the duo on the touchline wind up their managerial counterparts.

For what it's worth, I think they'll do well in a higher division and I wouldn't be surprised to see them in and around the play-offs next year.

But their work off the pitch demand closer scrutiny. That much-fabled football fortune was certainly shining on them when they came up but they've proven that by investing in the infrastructure of a football club, by working within the community and by having courage in their convictions: you can build it and they will come.

That last season in the third tier saw an average crowd of 4654. This season is almost double that. That isn't just because they are top of the league. That is good, sensible, strategic planning, with the emphasis on the supporter experience at its heart.

The Cheif Executive, Liam Scully tweets that "The best way to predict the future is to create it" and listed 40 initiatives that have helped them do just that. Among them, things like late night ticket office opening, per-pay pints and 'Danny on the phone system'. These things aren't hard to think about, cost hardly anything but improve the experience. "Working late?" No problem. "Don't want to queue for a drink?" Sorted.  

There's also things like creating ticket offers for friendlies and having beanbags in the supporters lounge for kids - simple stuff.  Then they list the ongoing stadium improvements and that's where I really start to lose my shit.

The crowdfunder that the Mariners Trust launched to improve the environment for disabled fans had a target of £15,000. It's reached - at the time of writing - the princely sum of £250.  The club have now organised a raffle to try and get the money. The prizes? Signed shirts and a £12 replica football.  

That my football club cannot see it within their duty of care to enhance what are apprently fairly ghastly facilities for disabled fans beggars belief. Fuck the "fan zones" and "smoking bubbles" that Lincoln boast of. We cannot even pay to get some proper handrails on some toilet walls.

So actually, I wish Lincoln all the luck in their travels next season. I might not like their on-field fakery and touchline tomfoolery but it's quite clear that they care about their fans and they are all the better for doing so.