By Nathan Jackson
November 30 2007

2007 has without doubt been an awful year for City and it started with a very wet day at Macclesfield. January produced just one win for an Imps side who suddenly started to lose all they'd worked for. Also in January new players arrived, others left and records and milestones were reached by individuals, most noteably Paul Morgan's 200th League appearance for the Imps.

City started 2007 with a trip to Macclesfield, a ground that City hadn't won at since boxing day in 2002. City did their usual act at Moss Rose by dominating the game but the incompetence of Rob Lewis soon cost the Imps any chance of the points. Within 5 minutes he had awarded Macclesfield a penalty for a handball that occured several yards outside of the box. Kevin McIntyre converted the penalty.

City continued to control the game and deservedly equalised when Jeff Hughes scored for the third game in succession with a neat finish on the right foot. Alas, another dodgy refereeing decision cost the Imps as Lewis awarded a penalty when one of Macclesfield's strikers was barging into Moses and then fell over when Moses stepped backwards. McIntyre again put the ball away to give the Imps their first defeat in over a month.

With that game Paul Morgan played his 200th league appearance for the Imps, and it would also be the last appearance of Shane Nicholson in an Imps shirt. His unsuccessful loan saw him return to Chesterfield on the back of breaking an Imps record for the longest gap between the first game played for City and the last, a gap of 20 years and 40 days.

Ayden Duffy broke his leg before it was announced that the Imps would face Swindon live on Sky in March. Mat Birley returned to Birmingham after his unsuccessful loan spell ended and the first week of January ended with the news that Johnny Thompson, a former goalkeeper with the Imps, had passed away at the age of 74.

In a topsy turvy game on Sky the Imps drew 2-2 with MK Dons on Sky. Lincoln City were shocking and were 1-0 down within a few minutes as Marriott made no effort to get to Izale McLeod's toe poke. McLeod missed a penalty before half time and City were lucky to only be losing 1-0.

The second half started with City winning their own penalty, Dean Lewington handling a Ryan Amoo shot and Jamie Forrester slotted the penalty away forhis first goal of 2007. Spencer Weir-Daley, a loanee from Nottingham Forest then scored his first goal in City colours when he latched onto a through ball and easily put it past the goalkeeper.

City appeared to be hanging on for a win before a 93rd minute penalty was given for a Paul Morgan foul in the box. Morgan was given a red card and thus became the first player during the 2006/7 season to be giving his marching orders. Wilbraham stepped up and set the penalty miles over the bar. However, within a minute Gareth Edds had equalised for MK Dons with an impressive left footed shot into the bottom left hand corner.

3 players left in one go after that as Gary Birch was released from his contract, signing up with AFC Telford a few days later. Luke Foster also had his contract terminated before joining up with Stalybridge Celtic. Neither of them had played a single league game during 2006/7 but that can't be said for Martin Gritton. One of many players not given a chance under the new management and he was loaned out to Mansfield Town for the remainder of the season.

City's home game against Shrewsbury was far from thrilling viewing, City taking a deserved lead from a Frecklington header before Jones equalised midway through the second half for Shrewsbury.

Ayden Duffy signed a new contract before Paul Green joined the Imps from Aston Villa on a contract that will see him here until the end of the 2008/9 season.

Lincoln's game at Bury saw Alan Marriott making his 300th League appearance for the Imps, being beaten early on when Bishop headed a corner in unchallenged. City were again poor and it was a genuine surprise when Forrester equalised just before half time.

City controlled the second half and Frecklington scored a decent header to give the Imps the lead before Fitzgerald equalised for Bury. It was another poor City performance and automatic promotion was very slowly starting to slip away.

Richard Kell departed the Imps after making a grand total of 0 appearances since joining in December. He was replaced with Dany N'Guessan from Rangers. The young French midfielder had been on loan at Boston earlier in the season  and couldn't get off their bench, the move sparked huge question marks over the John's heads as many questioned that if N'Guessan wasn't good enough for Boston's first team then he wouldn't be good enough for ours. Danny Bacon left Sincil Bank after making just 1 appearance in the season.

City were again poor in a home game against Peterborough United, thankfully they couldn't score and missed several vital chances before Stallard gave the Imps their first (and only) win of the month over a side that were on an awful losing run.

The month ended with the reserves coming from 2-0 down to win 3-2 against Blackburn in the reserves League Cup. Nicky Eaden returned on the final day of the month from Nottingham Forest on loan.....great. Tom Wilkinson and Colin Cryan left for Grays and Boston respectively.

So the month ended with City losing just once, but also picking up just 6 points and the pack were slowly starting to catch up.