|
nav
|
Keith
Alexander Leaves Lincoln
24th May 2006
Lincoln City's supporters are facing up to even more
disappointment today because Imps' boss Keith Alexander
has left the club.
Last week, supporters were left bitterly disappointed as
City were eliminated from the play-offs for the fourth
consecutive season. Yesterday, it was revealed that Jamie
McCombe - Lincoln City's Player of the Season - is
holding talks with Crewe Alexandra and Bristol City.
Now, Lincoln are facing the task of starting again under
a new manager. The club have asked for applications for
the job although John Schofield has been named as The
Imps' caretaker-manager.
Over the past week, there had been mixed signals in
relation to Alexander's future at Sincil Bank. Alexander,
immediately after the play-off defeat at Grimsby Town,
refused to confirm whether he would be at Lincoln for the
new season.
Yet 24 hours later, he was in talks with Imps' Chairman
Steff Wright in regard to the players that he wished to
retain for next season.
Even this morning, Alexander was discussing how he was
hopeful of signing striker Kevin Gall to improve his
side's goal scoring ratio.
No sooner had the Gall story emerged, than Lincoln City
FC were announcing that a 2pm press conference.
Alexander has endured highs and lows while at Lincoln
City. He first came to the club as a player before
becoming the youth team coach. While in this role, he
helped to discover Darren Huckerby, who later played for
Newcastle United, Manchester City and Leeds United.
He was appointed manager in the summer of 1993 but lasted
just one season before being sacked. He returned to
management with non-league Ilkeston Town and Northwich
Victoria, where he rebuilt his reputation.
In 2001, Alexander made a shock return to Lincoln City as
assistant-manager to Alan Buckley. Several months later,
The Imps were facing liquidation and dramatic cutbacks.
In the wake of the financial crisis, Alexander was
appointed manager but on a shoestring budget.
Against the odds, he not only avoided the widely
predicted relegation to the Conference but led his squad
of mainly non-league freebies to a Play-off final.
Lincoln subsequently lost the 2003 play-off final to
Bournemouth. They would later lose the 2005 play-off
final to Southend United, while losing semi-finals in
2004 and 2006 to Huddersfield Town and Grimsby Town
respectively.
All the above were particular low points for Alexander
but the worst occurred in November 2003 when he was
rushed to hospital for life saving surgery for a brain
aneurysm. The good care and skill of the doctors and
nurses involved helped to save Alexander's life and he
later returned to work.
The first sign that things were going badly came in
January 2006 when Alexander and his assistant-manager
Gary Simpson were placed on leave. Alexander was later
reinstated amid furious comments from supporters in
regard to his treatment.
Upon Alexander's reinstatement, he guided Lincoln to
their fourth consecutive play-offs after a dramatic
improvement in their form. However, his return was
short-lived and he now leaves Lincoln City for good.
We wish Keith Alexander all the best for the future and
say a thank you for the memories of two - albeit
heartbreaking - play-off final appearances.
Please click the links to view cheap merchandise for Bournemouth, Huddersfield, Grimsby, Leeds
United, Lincoln City, Manchester
City, Newcastle, Southend or the 2006 World
Cup in
general.
Click here for more Lincoln City news
|
|
