Morgan : It's now or never

By Nathan Jackson
November 26 2004

Imps captain Paul Morgan has said the Imps must win promotion this season if the squad want to stay together. After 2 failed playoff campaigns in a row, all but 2 of the Imps' contracts expire in the summer and Morgan told the Echo he believes it's this squad's last chance.

Captain Morgan joined in 2001 from Preston and was made captain in 2002 when Keith Alexander took over and despite being a guaranteed starter if not injured, Morgan still believes if this squad doesn't achieve promotion this time, then this squad is finished. The only players still here next season (unless transfered out obviously) are McAuley and Sandwith, other than that, everyone else's contract expires in the summer.

Morgan told the Lincolnshire Echo, "The lads have been together for three years now and we realise it's time for us to deliver and get ourselves out of League Two - and we believe we can do it," said the Belfast-born stopper.

"A lot of contracts are up in the summer and if we want to keep the squad intact we need to be playing at a higher level.

"If we do go up it gives the players a reason to stay at the club, as it will be a case of moving in the right direction.

"The manager has not told us this has to be the year we win promotion. But we know ourselves as players that after two near-misses, this time we've got to make sure we do."

The Imps face a hard task tomorrow in the form of Yeovil town in a case of 5th vs 3rd in potentially the game of the season and with this division so tight, it could easily come down to the last week to decide the vast majority of placings this season. The Imps have moved up from 23rd to 5th in 12 games thanks to only 1 defeat in that time. The Imps have also won their last 3 league games and have kept clean sheets in 3 of the last 4 games.

"From what I've heard, Yeovil pass the ball around well and have some good forwards who can give us a hard time," conceded 28-year-old Morgan.

"But we are at home and it's up to us to go out and try and win the game. We're full of confidence after playing so well at Darlington last week."

"Yeovil beat us twice last season, but the lads are not thinking about that."

"We don't set ourselves any real targets, although if you want to be in contention for a promotion slot you've really got to be in the top half of the table around Christmas time.