Away travel is one of those subjects that looks straightforward until you actually sit with it for more than five minutes.
On the surface, it feels like a numbers question. How many have we sold? How far is the journey? Where does that rank compared to clubs around us? And, crucially, does it reflect a team currently giving supporters genuine reason to believe? But scratch beneath that and it becomes something much more layered, tied up in money, time, geography, broadcasting and what following Lincoln City actually looks like in 2026.
There is a strong case for bigger away followings right now. We are in the middle of something significant. When a team is pushing at the right end of the table, it is only natural to feel the travelling support should match the energy on the pitch. Eight away games left. Some short hops, Mansfield and Doncaster. Some big allocations, Cardiff and Reading. Some potentially decisive fixtures. On paper, the opportunity is there to make a statement.
And away ends matter. Anyone who has stood behind the goal in a tight ground knows the difference between a well-packed section and one that feels a little thin. A louder, fuller away end can lift players. It can change momentum. It can create pressure. You do not have to romanticise football to acknowledge that numbers and noise can influence moments.
Michael Skubala directly referenced away fans this week after the win at Plymouth. Just over 600 supporters were labelled not there just to watch, but to participate, to help drive the team, not least when we went 1-0 down. It’s important, and it’s another point of pride when we do travel well.
There is also the comparison factor. When you are competing near the top, expectations shift. You inevitably look at clubs in similar positions and ask whether they would be selling out everything in sight. That is human nature. Success raises standards, not just for the players, but for the entire matchday culture around a club.
But here is where the conversation needs grounding in reality.
Away football is expensive. Not just tickets, but travel, fuel, trains, parking, and food. A long-distance trip is not just a Saturday afternoon; it is the better part of a day, two sometimes. Midweek fixtures mean time off work. For families, it can mean a three-figure outlay before you have even considered anything else happening in life. That is not an excuse; it is reality.
Geography does not help us either. Lincoln City are not surrounded by clusters of nearby clubs. Many of our trips are long. A journey that looks manageable on a map can become an early start, a late return and an exhausting turnaround when you factor in public transport. For instance, Mansfield to Exeter is 224 miles, but from the centre of Mansfield to the M1 is 10 miles. Lincoln is 254 miles, 30 miles more, but we don’t hit the first motorway on that journey until 60 miles in. It does make a difference, and bear in mind some of us live another 30 miles the other side of Lincoln. It’s not an excuse, but even Grimsby, 301 miles from Exeter, sees you hit the motorway less than 16 miles in.
Then there is modern broadcasting. For the first time, supporters can reliably watch every away game live. That does not replicate being there, but it does remove the fear of missing out. When the choice becomes £100 plus travel and time, or a fraction of that from your own sofa, people will make different decisions. Especially in a tight financial climate.
What complicates this further is that our home support remains excellent. That tells you engagement is strong. It tells you the connection is there. It suggests people are not turning away; they are simply choosing where to allocate limited resources.
And I am not interested in turning this into a moral hierarchy of support. Circumstances vary wildly. Some live miles away. Some have caring responsibilities. Some work weekends. Some simply cannot justify the cost. None of that makes them lesser supporters.
Would I like to see every allocation sold between now and the end of the season? Absolutely. A full away end in a decisive fixture would be powerful. I do think there is room for the club to keep exploring ways to remove friction at the margins, better coordination, clearer information, and creative thinking. Small nudges can sometimes make a difference.
But I also think we have to recognise the complexity.
Away numbers are not a pure measure of passion. They reflect affordability, infrastructure, geography and the modern game. Encouraging those who can go to make the effort is fair. Guilt-tripping those who cannot is not.
If this season becomes historic, it will not hinge on whether 600 travelled instead of 1,000. Those 600 that can make it will, of course, feel closer and more involved, it is inevitable, but our success will not hinge on it entriely. It will hinge on what happens on the pitch. Some will go to six of the eight. Some will pick the big ones. Some will watch every minute from home.
That is not a lack of support. It is simply the reality of supporting a football club in 2026.
As ever, a thoughtful, well-reasoned piece. It’s a pleasure to read such good prose.