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Yellowbelly League Blues

By: Graham Howes
Date: 09/01/2002

LINCOLNSHIRE League soccer seems to be in permanent cryogenics with only Scunthorpe at the moment giving their fans some minor success. The County of Lincolnshire should be able to produce one Premiership club, considering the nearest is miles away.

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However all 3 clubs in league are in a mess either financially or unable to move from the football wilderness. Even Anglia with currently Ipswich, Norwich in the past, having success. More scrutiny of the Premiership reveals 3 main regions dominate.

Lancashire, North East England and London tend to provide the majority of clubs. The Midlands region despite the odd success is failing miserably and seems to be suffering from Yellowbelly clubs problems such as finance or trapped in the wilderness.

Back to our region. Why is Lincolnshire struggling to even produce one successful side despite the potential fanbase? In Football terms Lincolnshire has only 3 main threats to stop us achieving the promise land.

  • Hull City, the club if it got its act together and there is evidence this is now happening. With the events on the field and off it with a new stadium around the corner.
  • Nottingham, both Forest and County are in such a financial mess at the moment a threat is unlikely. However County are currently in a take-over with owner Mr Pavis selling the club. So County may be a realistic threat in the near future.
  • Basically the third main threat is ourselves Lincolnshire. The ambition or desire is missing.

Of the 3 main Lincolnshire clubs ourselves Grimsby, are best equipped, just needing one promotion.

GRIMSBY

However lack of finances will in the end destroy the dream. The business community doesn't seem notice the potential and is failing to see how rewarding backing a drive to the Premiership would be to the people of Lincolnshire.

SCUNTHORPE

Despite flirts of success the club seems to get a bloody nose when they reach the dizzy heights of second division football. The inevitable in the end happens they go back down to the basement.

LINCOLN

Basically you could say the capital of Lincolnshire on grounds it is the regions City. Despite this in football terms they are the worst of the regions efforts. Lincoln seems to get a bloody nose if they move above halfway in the third division at the moment.

Yet despite the efforts of all 3 clubs. 2 of our non-league counterparts are showing the region can succeed with good planning and management.

BRIGG TOWN

Showed they could be one for the future if they moved up the non-league ladder by reaching the FA Cup first round. Brigg also did not disgrace themselves and put up a gallant effort when losing to Tranmere.

BOSTON UNITED

At the moment proudly sit at the top of the conference and is only half a season away to becoming the fourth musketeer of the region. I wish them all the best.

Despite our league efforts although you can say it is on a smaller scale the region is proving if desire is there, you can achieve success. However what Brigg achieved, in my opinion, was huge and they should be applauded for there efforts. Boston equally is showing a massive effort to bring the region some glory. Last season they stayed up despite being, to my knowledge, the only Part-time side in the conference. Boston this year being professional and with the ambition to succeed, are at the moment reaping the benefit.


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