"Playoffs would be a disappointment"

By Nathan Jackson
April 14 2004

Chairman Rob Bradley would rather get 3rd than make the playoffs again as it would be more beneficial for the club in the long run and to be honest, we here at theimps.tk (all one of us :P) agree.

In an interview with the Lincolnshire Echo, the popular chairman has revealed he would gladly accept 3rd place instead of going to Cardiff again. Bradley also believes that getting to the playoffs again, would be a disappointment rather than a celebration.

"I think at this stage, having got ourselves into this great position, the play-offs would be a disappointment," said Bradley. "Without a doubt we all want automatic promotion - it would nice to sit back and watch other teams battle it out this season.

"Everyone is talking about the play-offs and the money it brings, but that only comes by reaching the final at Cardiff, and that's not guaranteed.

"Having said that, whatever happens it has still been a fantastic season - as amazing as last season was when you take into account the bad start we made and Keith Alexander's illness."

City's chances of 3rd were boosted over the weekend by the imps getting more points than any of the other teams aiming for 3rd and the attendances show that the Imps are worth watching with an impressive average of 4,650 watching the Imps at home whilst a very impressive average of 750 fans going to watch City on the road (just shows how things have changed since me and Grundy were part of last year's 41 that went to Carlisle). The Imps have taken over 1,000 fans to away games 7 times this season (Scunthorpe, Boston, Hull, Donny, Northampton, Mansfield and Huddersfield) and the majority of those have had good results.

"It has been remarked upon several times this season, and once more at Northampton, on Monday, our fans out-shouted the home supporters."

The Imps were also recently awarded the loudest away team in division 3 as the Imps have only twice been outsung at an away game and that was by Swansea who had 8,000 compared to the Imps 65 and at Hull when the Imps were 3-0 down.

If the Imps qualify for the play-offs, the first leg would take place on May 15 or 16, and the second leg on either May 18 or 19 . The final will be at the Millennium Stadium on May 31.