Last year, the Men’s Football team were the shame of the university.
This year, they are the only sports team from the university to go to a cup final.
It’s been a massive change since last for for the team. Last year, they were banned from all league activity after being found to have taken part in initiations, something banned by the SU.
Many then would have expected this year to be a year of consolidation as they got back to playing regular league football, but instead they surprised everyone by challenging for the title in both leagues. The first team are second in their league, and the second team have already sealed their second place before the league has even finished.
And it is the 2nds who have been on a great run in the Midlands Conference Plate and after wins against Aston 3rds, Leicester 4ths, Bedford 6ths and Leicester 3rds, they now find themselves in the final against Leicester at Stoughton Playing Fields on Wednesday.
The President of the Men’s Football team Will Fry knows how big it is for their team to make it, especially after what happened last year.
“It feels incredible. I can’t even start to describe how good it feels that we’re finally getting recognized as a football society after what happened last year.”
“People have their opinions on what happened but the only thing we could do to win back people’s faith was what we have done this year. I think we’ve overachieved in the eyes of other people and as a society we believe we should have had more for it.”
The fact they made the final is more amazing when you consider that no other Men’s Football team has managed it and they didn’t have to cope with the same amount of controversy and skepticism.
And defender, and goalscorer in the semi final, George Pratt believes it is a big moment for the team. He said “It’s a very proud moment not just for me but the whole team and like I’ve said before I want to do it for the third years and to be part of history.”
One thing that Lincoln will have to prepare for is the fact they have never played the Leicester 2nds before. While the 2nds have beaten their reserve teams earlier in the cup and the 1st team have beaten their 1sts this season, the 2nds are a complete mystery to them. But Fry is still confident despite this.
“We don’t know what they are going to be like, I mean we’ve played their other teams obviously but you have to treat as if it’s any other game you go into. ”
So it’s no surprise that the team are confident of going onto a win against Leicester on Wednesday. And with the chance of forever banishing the events of last year to the dustbin, you can’t bet against them.
History in the Cup
As we said, the Men’s Football team have never got to a cup final before. But what were their records?
1st Team:
2011/12 – Out in 2nd Round – Lost 3-1 to De Montfort 1st
2012/13 – Out in 3rd Round – Lost 5-3 to Loughborough 3rd
2013/14 – Disqualified
2nd Team:
2011/12 – Out in 3rd Round – Lost 6-5 to Bedford (Luton) 3rd
2012/13 – Out in 2nd Round – Lost 3-2 to Coventry 3rd
2013/14 – Disqualified