TV pundit Adam Virgo has tipped Lincoln City to have a successful League One campaign.
Writing in his Football League Paper column (4/8/19 pg.13), Virgo said the Imps could well be a Championship club next season. The basis for his prediction was the management duo of Danny and Nicky Cowley remaining in charge at Sincil Bank despite a summer of speculation linking them with a move away from the club.
He called the Cowleys meticulous planning and attention to detail ‘elite level stuff’ and added he felt new signings such as Jack Payne and Jorge Grant would improve ‘an already quality squad.’
Cowley has been at pains to publicly play down Lincoln’s chances regularly commenting that his first target is to guide the Imps to fifty points. However, Virgo believes that after two promotions in three years, Cowley will deep down feel the ‘Imps can go again’ and upset the League One apple cart after creating momentum in a project he has put his ‘heart and soul into.’
The Imps certainly impressed in their 2-0 opening day victory over Accrington Stanley when their smart interplay and attractive football was in stark contrast to the long ball style they are labelled with by many observers.
They face a much more difficult task on Saturday when they travel to one of the division’s promotion favourites Rotherham United. Although the season is still very much in its infancy, if the Imps get a positive result on Saturday, Virgo’s prediction will start to look an astute one.
Our View
Virgo is not the first pundit to predict big things for the Imps this season.
However, the reality is that while the first eleven may arguably be a match for anyone in the League, finances are dictating a squad that is high on quality but low on depth.
The Cowley’s prefer to work with a small, tight-knit group, but they do look short on numbers.
If they can add a few additions over the coming weeks, then Virgo might be right but at present most Imps fans would be content with a top-half finish in their first season in the third tier since 1998.
