Easy to point the finger but Lincoln City need your help

Just a few days ago, I happened to come across an old copy of the Lincolnshire Echo with the back page dominated by Simon Yeo's heroics.

It was the last game of the 2002/03 season and his left-foot volley had just booked Lincoln City's place in the play-offs for the first time.

In the crowd that day was my father, Adrian, and I had accompanied him to see this wonderful team make history.

Sincil Bank was awash with a sea of red and white that afternoon, flags were waved with gusto and the ground was bursting with pride and expectancy.

My dad was amazed to see the transformation. He often recalled the Graham Taylor side which had conquered Division Four in 1976.

Back then, he said, Lincoln had a "bloody good" team at a time when he could run freely around the ground without being pulled up by stewards or security.

It's incredible to think that a decade on from that day when dad and I watched Keith Alexander's side power into the play-offs, Lincoln are no longer a powerful force.

In fact, nine days ago my heart sank as I looked across a barren Sincil Bank to see the lowest crowd on record since the mid-1980s.

Stepping out of the car I had to do a double take because the eerie silence which greeted me was not something to which I was accustomed.

Wrexham were in town, but the ground was dead. A fortress where the ramparts had been beaten down and the soldiers had just about given up.

This was not the Lincoln I had come to know or love back in the mid-90s when I would clasp my grandad's hand and eagerly take my place in the St Andrews Stand.

There's no doubt he will be yelling from heaven for someone to "sort the buggers out" – and he's not the only one.

With the club having its pride stripped away on a yearly basis, understandably the fans want blood.

They are probably at the lowest ebb I can remember and heading into this weekend's round of games, they sit in the relegation zone.

I have my own theories on how the club has managed to reach the ultimate precipice of failure, but that is for another day.

It's easy to point the finger at a time of crisis.

What we really have to ask is: 'is it really time for recrimination at a time when the club needs everybody onside?'

We can ask the serious questions in the summer, but for now Lincoln need as much support as they can muster.

Differences have to be pushed to one side for the good of the club because that is always greater than personalities or politics.

Just as the community rallied in 2002 to stop Lincoln going out of business, we need an operation of similar magnitude. Apathy has infected the city in respect of its football club which is perfectly understandable given the last few years.

I understand the pain, the anguish and the anger.

But for the last eight games, those who have lost their faith need to return to drag City across the line.

The only alternative is to surrender, but giving up is not in this club's DNA – it never has.

Besides, we would only be giving up on generation after generation of support.

Would our ancestors really like us to chuck the towel in?

Would Bill Anderson, one of the club's greatest managers, really want the city of Lincoln to turn its back?

That is why from now until the end of the season everyone has to be focused on making City safe.

Let's fill the ground. Let's revive the spirit of Alexander and stick two fingers up to those who have written Lincoln off.

Let's roar Gary Simpson's barmy army to victory against Telford this weekend.

Let's dig in and fight.

Heck, it may not work.

But whatever fate lies in store at least we can say we tried.

Not affording Lincoln that would be one the biggest crimes of all.