Progress is NOT being made, end of conversation!

Despite the claims of some fans, Lincoln City are not progressing under Chris Sutton. Many cite Peter Jackson as the reason for the struggling, but Sutton has guided the Imps to a League position that is five places lower than when Jackson left.

2,569 fans, 138 of which came from Burslem, were in attendance when Lincoln City were effectively confirmed as relegation candidates. It was the lowest home League crowd since August 26^th 2002 when only 2,444 saw the Imps comfortably beat Macclesfield Town. The worrying thing about that number is that it will almost certainly keep going down unless things change quickly.

It's the biggest sign yet that Lincoln City fans are not happy with what is going on down at Sincil Bank, and Tuesday night won't exactly do much to convince those in attendance that it's worth staying at Sincil Bank much longer.

Whether it's the fact that the Imps have only won once in the League with a goal from opening play since Sutton arrived, or whether it's that he brings on Pearce when we're losing, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Pearce spent the vast majority of his career in defence and that alone indicates that he himself doesn't have faith in his ability to make him up front.

Or how about the players who have won the two FA Cup games. These players were near enough the same squad that Sutton had in his first two games, so he's already seem those players win 4 games.......yet he then goes and changes it more often than Katie Price acts like the talentless media-whore that she is. What about when all these loanees go back to their parent club? You'll be forced to play the squad that you've effectively told "You're good enough for non-League games, but not for the first team?"

This supposed mass clearout that will happen during January looks less and less likely, simply because who would want players such as Swaibu and Hone, people who can't even get on the bench for a League Two side battling relegation? Hone used to be linked to Wolverhampton Wanderers, not he'll be lucky to get scouted for clubs in divisions two or three divisions below League Two.

Then there is the fact he is bringing in loanees that aren't actually much better than what we already had. Nathan Baker just hits the ball as hard he can in any direction without actually looking where he's kicking it.....we already had Janos Kovacs for that. Or how about Eric Lichaj, a young left back who wants to prove himself.....but we already had Luca Coleman-Carr for that. It's all well and good trying to replace members of the squad with loan players, but you have to take into account that the players you bring in generally need to be better than those you already have at the club, something which we only really have with Torres and Herd.

Some fans you tell you that you just need to be patient, but we are in a relegation battle people, we simply can't rely on Grimsby and Darlington constantly failing to win. With a very difficult month ahead, we will struggle to pick up points if we don't improve, and even just one Grimsby win will put major pressure on us.

Make no mistake, we are not invulnerable to relegation and that is the way we are heading. Spin it however you want, claim that the defence in improving (even though it is still conceding), claim that Sutton is trying to do things that right way, but the FACT is that we now haven't won in nearly two months against anyone from our division. Yes, we beat two non-League sides, but as it currently stands, that just looks like good practice for next season.

Blame Peter Jackson as much as you want, but the FACT is that were 17^th when Jackson left, we are now 22^nd under Sutton. If you think that is progress and/or an improvement that you must be looking forward to a season (at least) in the Blue Square Premier. Jackson left having won 40% of the games he had taken charge in the League this season, Sutton has only won 22.22%.....maybe it's not the squad.....maybe it is the tactics.