Lincoln United manager Chris Funnell is adamant his team is only focusing on themselves as they enter the second-half of the season just off top spot.
He said: “We’re focusing on ourselves and trying to win the next game. I’m not looking to March and April, we’ve got to look at the next game.”
United sit second in the United Counties League Premier Division North, level on points with league leaders Sherwood Colliery with one game in hand, behind on just goal difference.
Chris believes his team have started the season well: “We’ve put ourselves in a really good position, if we emulate what we’ve done in the first half of the season, we’ll be there or there about.
The Lincoln United manager is determined to keep winning. He said: “If the season ended now we would be second, we are trying to be as competitive as possible. We have to work hard to maintain it.”
The side, who play their home games at the Sun-Hat Villas & Resorts Stadium on Ashby Avenue, have won their last nineteen games in a row.
“At any level it’s impressive and really impactful for the club because it creates a feel good factor. I’m really pleased we’ve been able to do that, it breeds momentum,” he said.
He added: “It will come to an end, but it’s about how we react to that. It puts us in a really good position, but we’ve not achieved anything yet.
Chris puts the success so far this season down to support from volunteers and backing from the board, led by new chairman Allen Crombie.
He said: “Allen has had a massive impact. He is a club legend and comes back as chairman just drags people more in to help the football club. It cannot be underestimated, it comes from the top.”
It has been a year of two halves for Lincoln United, suffering relegation from the North West Counties Football League Premier Division last season before their rejuvenated form since the new season began in July.
Chris reflected on the relegation season: “We had been teetering on the edge of relegation for four or five years. Right now we’re in a nice position, we are winning games and people are happy.”
“I was bitterly disappointed to see relegation, but thankful for the opportunity to get us back to where we need to be,” he added.
However, he strikes a positive, hopeful tone as he looks ahead to the rest of the 2023/24 season.
“We want to go as far as we can in cups and push for the league. The FA Vase is the pinnacle for step five and six, we can dream of playing at Wembley.”
Lincoln remain in the Lincolnshire County Trophy, now at the semi-finals stage, as well as the FA Vase.
Chris Funnell’s side travel to South Liverpool on Saturday, January 13, as they look to take one step closer to a potential Wembley cup final.
“South Liverpool will be difficult, they’re second in their league and we don’t think we’ll turn up and roll them over,” he said.
While Chris wouldn’t peg his flag to the mast for his hopes for the second-half of the season he admitted he would be disappointed to not win some silverware. He said: “It will be disappointing not to win anything at where we are at this point in the season.”
Lincoln United sit in a healthy position at the midpoint in their season, in multiple cup competitions and within touching distance of the league table’s summit.