Reaction to Cian Hughton's 2010/11

Cian Hughton had a brilliant 2009/10 but a distinctively below average 2010/11 season and it wasn't really a surprise that he was released. An exciting youngster when he joined the Imps in 2009, his performances and impact on the team just seemed to disappear during the last 12 months.

Cian had an amazing fall from grace during the season. He was arguably our best player throughout the 2009/10 season but as soon as Tilson came in this season, Hughton's days at Lincoln seemed numbered and it was a shame as Hughton showed that he had a lot of potential on occasions during the 2009/10 season.

You may have noticed I have just mentioned what he did during last season and not this, the reason for that, and the reason I think Tilson dropped him, was that he was having virtually no impact in the majority of games. Other than the Gillingham game two weeks into the season in which he scored the winner, you'd be hard pushed to find him making a contribution during the opening months of the season….the only problem is that it then kept happening.

The odd goal here and there didn’t make up for him not really contributing during the matches and there would often be games where I didn't even realise he was playing until I got home from the match and saw his name in the list of those who played, such as the lack of impact he was having.

I wasn't at all surprised he wasn't offered a new contract. At the end of the day if you're going to get a new contract, you have to earn it, and to earn it you have to play well throughout the season, something Hughton didn't do.