Johnstone's Paint Trophy dates are announced.

City heading to Wembley?
By Nathan Jackson
July 4 2007

Lincoln City now know the dates for the Johnstone's Paint Trophy games for the upcoming season, with the first round to be played nearly 2 months forward of the regular time. The JP Trophy traditionally starts in mid-late October but this year's competition will start during the first week of September with the final scheduled for the final Sunday is March as usual.

City's recent record in the JP Trophy is relatively poor, with Grimsby, Tranmere and Doncaster all dumping the Imps out of the 1st round in the last 3 seasons. In 2003/4 City made the quarter finals after beating Telford and Chesterfield, a very stale performance at Halifax ended City's interest that year....a certain Kevin Sandwith scoring the winner for Town.

2002/3 saw a thriller in the first round at Sincil Bank. Yeo opened the scoring against York before the Minstermen scored twice to take the lead. Futcher equalised with just over 10 minutes to go, but York took the lead yet again less than a minute later. As the game entered the late minute of injury time, two goals within 40 seconds of each other swung the game in City's favour and the Imps progressed 4-3. City went out in the 2nd round, losing in extra time to Shrewsbury.

Scunny dumped City out at the first round stage in 2001/2, just a few months after City have made the Northern Final. After recieving a first round bye, City progressed past Morecambe, Hartlepool, Blackpool and Chesterfield (all at home) to meet Port Vale in the Northern Final. City lost 2-0 on aggregate though and Vale went on to lift the Trophy.

City's latest futile attempt at a cup run will start on September 3rd, with the draw expected in early August. It is the latest evidence that the FA are trying to push everything forward as quickly as possible. The first 3 rounds of the Carling Cup will be done with by the end of September, whereas 2 rounds of the JP Trophy will have already past before they were normally supposed to begin.

When the draw is made it is believed that it will be regionalised in a similar way to last season. This would mean that City would more than likely face one of the following: Bradford, Chesterfield, Darlington, Doncaster, Grimsby, Hartlepool, Huddersfield, Leeds, Mansfield or Rotherham. Two of those sides (or possibly City plus one of those) will get a bye into the second round.

JOHNSTONE'S PAINT TROPHY SCHEDULE

Round 1 - Week Commencing September 3rd.

Round 2 - Week Commencing October 8th

Area Q/F - Week Commencing November 12th

Area S/F - Week Commencing January 7th

Area Final 1st Leg - Week Commencing February 18th

Area Final 2nd Leg - Week Commencing February 25th

Final - Sunday March 30th.