Chris Sutton admits "continuity will be key" if Lincoln City are to enjoy success under his leadership next season.

The Imps boss admits his policy of raiding the loan market for players since his arrival is only a short-term stop-gap to see him through until the end of the season.

Lincoln have set a record for the amount of debutantes to have turned out at Sincil Bank in a term that has largely been spent fighting the drop.

But as Sutton begins to cast his eye on next season, he says fielding a settled side will be his main focus.

"We are a team that is very much a work in progress," said Sutton.

"We are not the finished article, but we want to be in a position to have a team that has plenty of continuity.

"Since I've been here, I'm not sure how many players we have used and we've had to exploit the loan market.

"But that's because we are scrambling for results. It's not ideal and that's not how we will move forward long-term.

"It's the short-term that's important and staying in the league which is the immediate focus and I don't want to be in this position in 12 months' time.

"We have to turn this club round and to do that we'll have to get a group of players in who we can work with and who play week in, week out.

"Continuity is going to be key."

For Chris Sutton's exclusive "Sutton Speaks" column, buy today's Lincolnshire Echo.