By Nathan Jackson
May 14 2007

In 2003, making the playoffs was the greatest feeling in the world, nothing could beat us, 4 years later and everyone's opinion has changed, including my own. This is the true story of a Lincoln fan who was full of hope but eventually turned into a fan who does more moaning than cheering, this is my apology.

In the space 50 games watching the Imps this season, I've gone from being optimistic about the season ahead, to firmly believing that we would finally gain automatic promotion , to being demoralised and cynical about getting promotion at all this season.

4 years ago I felt such pride as Keith Alexander lead out his non-league Legion onto the Millennium Stadium pitch. Although we lost that day, there was no sense of sorry or regret, just pure unadultered pride. 2 years later and we made the return to face Southend United. I had genuine hope and butterflies in my stomach that had kept me away all night, I stepped into the Millennium Stadium at 1:30pm and about 4 hours later I left having just watched one of the biggest half-arsed performances I had ever seen in my life. It was then that my cynicism started,

I subsequently starting picking the smallest of faults with players and made mountains out of mole-hills. I've blamed Marriott for letting in goals that he had little chance of saving. I've blamed Scott Kerr for taking rubbish set-pieces, ignoring the fact that he was taking them on rubbish pitches and in the middle of gale force winds. I've blamed Jeff Hughes for lacklusture and lazy performances, not taking into account that footballers often have bad games. I slagged of Stallard for not putting in a maximum amount of effort and being lazy on the pitch, something I am often doing myself.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry to the players. I'm sorry for constantly slagging some of you off for not being perfect on the pitch. Maybe I just crave disappointment, after a life of abandonment and disappointment I have come to expect it every time, then again, it might just be that I'm an arsehole that expects the impossible. I'll let you all be the judges.

I only wish I could go back to 4 years ago and look at myself. I would see a clean-shaven 18 year old with a semi-decent haircut and eyes that indicated that I still believed anything is possible, it would seem like looking at a competely different person to who I am now. You wouldn't think that young fellow on the right was me, you can see how much pride I had to be wearing that shirt.

That was back when I didn't know what we were about to embark on.

These playoffs are hell on Earth, they can turn the happy into the cynical and destory your soul. However, despite being a cynical person, I still firmly believe that we can go up. It something I've fooled myself into thinking in recent years....but this somehow feels different.

No longer are we a Lincoln that will just roll over and die. Long gone are the days of hoof (well, mostly) and we have proved time and time again this season that when we play our football, no-one in this division comes close to matching us on the pitch.

I urge all City fans not to go down the same route I have done and remain optimistic for the rest of the playoffs. Come down to Sincil Bank and sing your hearts out for the players who have proved most people wrong again. Create the same atmosphere that we had against Scunthorpe in 2002/3, re-create the atmosphere that we took to Huddersfield that night.

If the fans turn up then it is guaranteed that the players will.

I refuse to let the players go out on a whimper in the playoffs to yet another mediocre side that had late decent run to get into the playoffs. This is our time, this is our year, this is our City. Bristol Rovers are coming to our turf and let's make them wish they'd never come.

Let's get to Wembley.