Twitter Reaction: Who would you have take the free kick?

March 12, 2018 Gary Opinion, Twitter Reaction 0

On Friday I posed a question on Twitter. It’s 89 minutes into our local derby with Grimsby, it’s 0-0 and we get a free kick 20 yards out, just off centre. Which Imp, past or present, would you trust to take it?

The intention was to create debate and that certainly happened. We got some great answers, an overwhelming favourite and a couple of jealous Cods. Here is a look at the best of the responses.

The overwhelming favourite was Peter Gain, a player with a left foot that truly could peel a carrot. Gain is still one of my all-time favourite players to grace Sincil Bank, more cultured than the fourth tier ever deserved to see and on his day, unplayable. He resisted moves to Huddersfield and Oxford during his Imps tenure and scored some goals that still live long in the memory.

Rather oddly, I don’t remember him scoring a free-kick for us, but I’m sure he did.

Here’s a man who answered with my own choice, Dean Keates. The midfield dynamo only had six months at City, but in that time we looked a real threat from dead ball situations. Every time Keates stepped up, I thought he’d score and if we were 0-0 in the last minute against Barcelona, I’d trust him. He’s now manager of Wrexham and sullied his reputation with Imps fans somewhat by demanding a move closer to home before joining Peterborough not long after.

A couple of people also said Jamie Forrester, another interesting selection. There’s no doubt Forrester was class, 2006/07 was perhaps the most dangerous we looked going forward in my time as a City fan and that was down to his guile and Mark Stallard’s raw strength. Again, I can’t specifically recall a free kick he took, but I’m sure his scoring record against Grimsby for us has something to do with his choice.

That gives me some hope for the big game this Saturday. One Grimsby fan questioned how bad we must be if we’re only drawing 0-0 with them after 89 minutes, the other saying he’d be extremely happy if they were holding us to that score! It certainly doesn’t pay to be too cocky though, they snatched a point against Port Vale and, if they could defend, I’m told it might have been all three. They do still have James McKeown in goal too, a superb stopper who hasn’t been helped by his fragile back four.

Below are the ‘best of the rest’, a selection of the other players fans felt might be worthy of taking that precious free kick. Both Bozzie and Sam made the list, I suspect that is more hope than anything as, aside from the odd one or two, we’ve been woeful from free kicks recently. JMD makes the cut too, rightly so for his wonderful effort in the Checkatrade Trophy.

I’ll be posting more of these Twitter questions and reactions over the coming weeks, starting later on today. We’ll be putting together a shortlist for the best Imps side ever, then voting through the blog before finally arriving at the Stacey West’s definitive Lincoln City XI. If you want to take part, please do ensure you follow me on Twitter. If you don’t do Twitter, I’ll allow you to nominate when the articles are released.

https://twitter.com/ImpAlaska/status/972469675807461376

https://twitter.com/10davidwebb/status/972521691929808897