Michael Skubala has set his Lincoln City team a task each game, and yesterday at Port Vale, the task was simple. Go and be heroes.
His Lincoln side sat on the cusp of history. Already on 100 points, already promoted to the Championship, it would have been easy to let the standards slip in the final game.
Port Vale were already down, we were already up, but there was one more record to get: 29 games unbeaten. With the usual patterns of play, the standard Lincoln City application and that relentless attitude, they made history.
“No better way to go and attack the Championship,” Michael said after the record fell.
“We wanted to finish on a positive. I thought the first 20 minutes of both halves, we were electric. Really good.
“Then the game settles and we have to reinforce things at halftime and then the subs come on and do their job.”
The subs did their job fine, and even with ten minutes to go, City leading 2-0, everyone was tracking back to help keep a clean sheet, George Wickens’ 19th of the season. This was never about one man, or even three or four, but a whole squad that surely have a claim as the best Lincoln City squad of all time.
“It’s just they’ve been amazing all season,” added Michael. “When you look at the moments of this season, it’s a historical season. I’m not sure you can replicate what this group has done.
“They should be heroes to the city because when you actually think about it, the wins they’ve got, the unbeaten run, going away to Cardiff, the points, just unbelievable.
Unbelievable it is, but after 45 games, there was still a job to do. With many sides already on the beach, others getting involved in end-of-season goal fests, we had almost as much to play for as anyone. The unbeaten run now stands at 29 matches in the league, the longest in a single League One season ever.
“We just said today, let’s have one big push today because when you get that close to an unbeaten record, go and be legends and I think that’s what they’ve done.”
Michael, I think a whole city agrees with you.
Be interesting to know how many of the 75/6 players could be good enough to replace the current starting lineup.