‘Xmas / NY looks cracking home and away’ – Lincoln fans react to the fixture release, so we don’t have to

June 20, 2019 Gary Headlines, Lincoln City, News 1

I struggle to understand the furore over fixture release day myself. I like to see who we’re playing and when, but you know pretty much what to expect.

You’ll either get a decent Christmas or a rubbish one. If you’re at home Boxing Day, you’ll be on the road New Year’s Day. If you start away, you’ll finish at home.

You’ll play everyone twice and whilst that is a cliche, it’s true. The early fixtures are important, especially for the likes of us. We’re hoping to be in the middle of the pack and that means getting off to a good start. That said, we didn’t start well in 2017/18 and still ended up in the top seven.

Much of the excitement is around away days. Do you play Blackpool at a time when a weekend away is worth it? There is a personal element too, everyone wants a decent fixture on or around their birthday. Still, the general excitement with which the announcement is greeted baffles me.

It’s the same for people who complain they haven’t seen a new kit for example; what’s the rush? We know come the start of August we’ll be playing one of 23 teams, home or away and we’ll be wearing the new kit. Why get all worked up in June about it?

Still, it’s a noteworthy day and from a personal point of view, it’s nice to see a huge Christmas double-header for us. Ipswich and Posh at home in the space of four days; that’s only a little bit tasty.

We were always going to start at home too, given that we’ve been away the last three years and, dare I say, in Accrington, we have a winnable game. That’s not to say it’s easy, far from it, but it’s a low key start to our time in the third tier. Danny will want points on the board early so that we’re not playing catch up from the off. Having Southend and MK Dons in there early is good too, but in the end, we’d have to play everyone at some point.

Rochdale, at home, on the final day. It gives me ‘the fear’ of missing out on play-offs when we needed a 2-0 win and didn’t get it. I think it was 1997, but I might be mistaken. Still, it’s nice to see Rochdale back on the fixture list, they were a staple of my childhood at the Bank.

Because my own reaction is a little *meh* to the fixtures, I thought I’d throw it out to the SW readers on Twitter to give us their thoughts.

1 Comment

  1. For me the excitement comes because it marks the start of the pre season. More practically I can plan which games I can go to as a Surrey based dad. Should be 8 away games I can go to this year v the one last year. And conversly for me I am well happy that MK and Pompey is a midweeker as they are both less than an hour’s train journey there and back and direct line from home and work.

    There is an irony with the Ispwich game. I had planned to go and see friends there and re live the FA cup trip. However if we or Ipswich are still in the 4th round this game will be moved.

    Finally the Blackpool game, been planning to take a few London based mates up to this. But it is the weekend after two weddings so going to miss it sadly. But now with all the fixtures laid out I know where I am going to be and when and can plan accordingly. I know that Boxing day will be in Oxford which will be the first boxing day game I have watched with Lincoln in 8 years having not missed one for ten consecutive years before.

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