Yippee!! It's back.  Tomorrow sees the dawn of a new season for the Harriers and to be honest it's one that's going to be viewed with some trepidation.

First we have to face up to life without Jan Molby, along with his attractive style of play, and swap that with Ian Britton and his more cautious attitude.  This will see us become more workmanlike with the emphasis on build up rather than going for goal.  At the same time it should see us being a bit more solid in defence but only if he can solve the right back problem and put Abdou back alongside Craig Hinton.  Lee Ayres is not the answer. Secondly, apart from the first half against Reading and during the last of the friendlies, Cheltenham last week, we have looked far from impressive.  Or even near impressive.  We shall be expecting a 100% improvement on those performances.  Is that possible?

Third, we have to start getting used to the idea that we'll be finishing as high as last season.  Can anyone realistically see that happening?  Mid table for us, I think.

So, what will we be getting tomorrow.  Caution.  I don't think the team are playing as a team yet and with the right back position still not sorted I think they'll be lacking a bit of confidence in defence and will just try and stop Lincoln from scoring without really trying to score themselves.  Any goals for us will come from either breakaways or a poor Lincoln showing.

That's quite possible.  Lincoln have, again, been saved from extinction by last minute actions of fans across the country and by their own directors who have, collectively, managed to raise the £450,000 needed to save the club from the administrator.

They have released most of the team from last season and bought in new faces, mainly from non-league.  This is also where the new manager, Keith Alexander came from, serving his apprenticeship at Ilkeston Town.  Who remembers playing them in the Trophy a few years back?

Out went Grant Brown, Steve Holmes, Justin Walker, Dave Cameron and last season's leading scorer Lee Thorpe.  Manager Alan Buckley was also a victim of the financial cutbacks.

In came Ben Futcher (Bosman signing), Dean Cropper (Worksop), Simon Weaver (Bosman signing), Scott Willis (Droyslden) and Simon Yeo(Hyde).  Adie Mike has also thought to have been signed but this has yet to be confirmed.

Of the players remaining at Sincil Bank the following will be missing tomorrow.
Ben Futcher (suspended), Kingsley Black (nose injury), Paul Mayo (foot injury) and Ian Hamilton (illness).


Out for us will be Ian Foster who is serving a suspension carried over from last season and Mark Blake.  He's still recovering from his Achilles operation that he had last season and will not be back until later this year.  Meanwhile new signing Sean Flynn will be grabbing his armband to take on the captaincy until he returns. Scott Stamps will be returning after injury so Ian Joy will be dropping out to make way for him.  I expect Adie Smith to take on the right back position, just as long as it's not permanent.

The mystery is Abdou Sall.  Where is he?.  The club say that he's injured but there never seem to be any progress reports on his injury.  Tomorrow we find out.

Teams

Harriers from:
Brock, Danby, Joy, Stamps, Ayres, Smith, Hinton, Williams, Parrish, Sall, Flynn, Bennett, Shilton, Ducros, Doyle, Broughton, Henriksen, Corbett, Lewis.

Lincoln from:
Marriot, Bailey, Mayo, Morgan, Logan, Smith, Buckley, Cropper, Sedgemore, Gain, Yeo, Pettinger, Weaver, Bimson, Camm, Battersby, Horrigan.