Imps striker Chris Fagan has admitted that his first season in the Football League has had a steep learning curve for him. Fagan, a summer signing from the Glenn Hoddle Youth Academy, has endured a bumpy start to his Lincoln City career, finding himself in and out of the starting line-up.
“I’ve got games and that’s what I came here to do, it has been a big few months learning for me. I’ve had to get used to playing league football and it’s a completely different style to what I was used to, but I think slowly but surely I’m getting there. Anywhere I’ve played has been very technical, the build up play was a lot slower, whereas I feel in League Two the ball changes over a lot quicker, we have an attack and they they have an attack it takes time getting used to. I knew it was going to be a challenge for myself and it was going to be hard and I think that’s exactly what it has been.”
The Irishman who has 3 goals to his name so far was recalled to the starting line-up last weekend in the Imps 3-1 defeat at Morecambe but despite the result he was pleased to start alongside Rene Howe upfront.
“I’m just glad to be getting back in the team and hopefully I’ll keep myself there now for a while but to play was good for me. Everyone here is fighting for a game every weekend and the gaffer picks the team that he feels can win the game on the Saturday.”
Lincoln City are in F.A. Cup action on Saturday as they travel to Blue Square North side AFC Telford in the first round. Lincoln have a poor cup record, having not progressed to the second round in six years. The magic of the cup is not lost on Fagan, who will be hoping to make his F.A. Cup debut if he’s selected.
“It’s the biggest competition in England so hopefully we can get a good result on Saturday and have a good run in it. It’s one of them tournaments that everyone dreams of playing in when they’re a kid. The atmosphere is different and anyone can win so its just the magic of the tournament.”
The former Manchester United academy player is under no illusions that AFC Telford will be a tough test for City as they look to pull off a cup upset.
“Everyone has a shot in the cup so we know we’ve got to be ready for it. It’s going to be a tough game, they’re going to come out thinking they have a chance of progressing but hopefully we’ll stop that. It doesn’t matter who’s playing for them just aslong as we know what we have to do.”