"That requires longevity" - Claim made on future of Lincoln City's owners | OneFootball

FLW's Lincoln City pundit gave his take on whether his club's owner is in it for the long haul.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Lincoln City have had a disappointing season with the Imps struggling to build on a promising 2023-24 campaign.

The City hierarchy appointed Michael Skubala just under 18 months ago and the former Manchester City coach has made some great adjustments, but hasn't quite been able to push them up into the play-offs.

That said, given the club’s size, they are in a strong position and have been well-managed during a period in which they have established themselves as a solid presence in the third tier.

Their next step, of course, is to consistently challenge at the top end of the division, and chairman Clive Nates will be determined to turn that ambition into reality. The 66-year-old has been in position at the LNER Stadium since 2018 and although he has reduced his shares in the club to less than 25%, it appears he is still firmly invested in the Lincoln project.

Lincoln City owner "definitely"

As alluded to previously, from the outside it appears that Nates is doing what he can to make Lincoln an attractive club with a bright future. However, it is always worth delving deeper to understand the views of those closest to the Imps.

With that in mind, Football League World spoke to resident Lincoln supporter, Gary Hutchinson of Stacey West Net, to get his take on whether Nates and Co. are in it for the long haul.

"Our club's owner is definitely in it for the long haul," said Hutchinson.

"I think Clive Nates has been with us since 2016, so it is almost ten years now since he first came in.

"He has been here a decade, and Harvey and his family have been here a while now as well. I don't think there is any question that we are going to have owners who dip in and dip out.

"We have a strong collection of individuals across the board who are trying to manage the club in a sustainable way. It’s not always a fan-favourite sustainability - people want you to put your hand in your pocket when you're an owner. But, as we have demonstrated over the past ten years, steady and slow progression is the way forward for us, and that requires the longevity of the owner."

Lincoln City have a bright future

Football is becoming increasingly driven by finances with each passing season, and while Lincoln are not averse to paying transfer fees, they prefer a more considered approach, carefully selecting the players they sign.

This approach has enabled them to secure some excellent signings, both on loan and permanently, in recent years - players such as Ethan Erhahon, Paudie O'Connor, and Joe Taylor, to name just a few.

Of course, Imps supporters would welcome substantial investment, but if that does not materialise, they can hardly complain about the excellent work that has gone into building a squad capable of competing in the top half of the division.