–Tom Farmery and Bradley King contributed with this report
Chris Sutton last night tendered his resignation from his position as manager of Lincoln City Football Club. He takes with him assistant manager Ian Pearce as they both declared their reasons for leaving to be personal.
Yesterday marked Sutton’s one-year anniversary at Sincil Bank having taken over from Peter Jackson as City boss in 2009. The former Celtic man ensured Lincoln’s survival in League Two last year but this season has seen a string of indifferent performances and only two wins in a total of nine league games.
Many will feel that the decision has come too soon and that the 37-year-old should have received a better financial backing than what has been made available to him. Ever since January, Sutton has consistently complained about the budget open to him and that the loan market has been the only option to pursue.
Under his tenure Sutton managed Lincoln in a total of 50 fixtures winning 14, losing 23 and drawing 12. Last night’s goalless draw looked to be a result which could act as the base for a revival in form for Sutton’s men- but the match will now go down in history as Sutton’s last in charge.
A press conference will take place at the Hydravision Boardroom at Sincil Bank at 6pm on Wednesday evening.
If he hadn’t resigned surely he would have faced the sack as results and perfomances under him have been nothing short of disastrous. Having supported the Imps since 1946 I have to say never have I felt so frustrated, what with his lack of motivation and wierd team selections, which proves once again that top class players don’t as a general rule make good managers.
He seemed reluctant to search non league for hungry young strikers prefering to take on the likes of Drew Broughton who has never been a goal scorer and ignoring the glaringly obvious fact that a midfield general as well as commanding centre half should have been one of his top priorities along with a born goal scorer and lets face it they are born not made. He certainly showed no emotion from the bench and his press interviews were awful.The board have a very very difficult job choosing his successor with plummeting gates a worrying factor. Nothing short of say a five or six game winning streak will tempt back those lost supporters who quite rightly are fed up with watching the likes of Scunthorpe leaping two leagues above us in such a short time and unearthing strikers capable of scoring 20 to 30 goals a season. Not only that they are able to sell them at huge profit and then go out and find someone equally as good. Says a lot for their scouting staff so why can’t we do the same? Long suffering supporters like myself deserve better so here’s a message for the board.You have made too many bad appointments in the past so for Gods sake get it right for a change and give us something to cheer about, we have been in the doldrums far too long.
A true supporter with 64 years experience. John
Thanks for your comment John.
I think Sutton’s demeanour was down to personal interpretation. Did he ‘show no emotion’ or was he calm, collected and unflappable? Everyone will make their own decision on that, but it seems the pressure did get to him in one way or another.
This is a massive appointment that the board now have to make. Out of interest, who would you like to see get the job?
I would like to see John Ward as the new manager because he served his apprenticeship under Graham Taylor, Surely one of the best managers we ever had at Lincoln and given the money to strengthen after we won the 4th div title would surely have done the business,and John has experience of management but the board must make money available for him to work successfully.