When we’re losing, it is easy to be critical. When we’re winning (or at least unbeaten), it is also easy to look for the negatives.

For instance, I saw a post on one of the social media sites from during our game against Derby which read, ‘Luke Plange is lazy’. Let that sink in for a minute – ten men against one of the in-form sides in the division, we’re drawing and fighting valiantly, and there’s a negative comment. What is it people say? Question everything? My point is a pessimist is never disappointed, and it is easy to criticise everything.

Instead, I think it’s important to have a general view of how things are going, and I must confess, in recent weeks, the positivity has been quite prominent. I feel like this article might just reinforce a few positive vibes flowing around at present or maybe enlighten you about a couple of positives you might not have picked up on. Anyway, I’ve pulled together five reasons Lincoln City fans should be looking to a brighter future in the short and long term.

Form Table

Okay, this is a bit rich coming from me. I always say the only form table that matters is the 46 game form table, but all too often, I see comments about how we’re spiralling because the form table says we are. Well, let’s look at the six-game form table now, shall we?

In the current six-game form table, we’re tenth, but we’re one of only three teams to be unbeaten in that period (Sheff Weds and Barnsley are the others). We have the best defensive record in that table as well – one goal conceded is better than Bolton (2), Wycombe (3) and Sheff Weds, Shrewsbury and Barnsley (4). Even the eight-game form table sees us 12th, and as only one team (Sheff Weds) is unbeaten in that time, we’ve got the second joint-fewest defeats and the best defence.

The point here is since the Boxing Day thrashing by Burton Albion, we’ve been in every game we’ve played, and that’s included Ipswich, Bolton, Derby and Charlton, teams we don’t have any financial right to go toe-to-toe with. I’m not saying the run is perfect, and it could be better, but when held up against the rest of the division, it puts us in and around the top ten teams, which is where we aspire to be over 46 games.

In terms of our expected finish, midtable banality, the Holy Grail before the season started, is already within our grasp. According to the FiveThirtyEight prediction, we have a less than 1% chance of finishing in the top six or the bottom four.