Imps midfielder Tom Pett is looking forward to returning to the Lamex Stadium this weekend as the Imps get back to SkyBet League Two action following recent FA Cup success.
The former Stevenage man, who spoke in Thursday's Press Conference, spoke of the excitement of seeing some familiar faces at the Lamex Stadium.
“I am really looking forward to it and especially seeing some of the old faces I was used to seeing there," Pett said.
"It is a local one to my family so they will all be there watching and it was one I looked for on the fixture list at the start of the season.”
The 27-year-old who celebrated his birthday on Monday joined the Imps on a two-and-a-half-year deal from Boro in January 2018. During the four seasons he spent with Stevenage the midfielder scored 20 league goals.
“I think they have some good players, they have recruited well from the money they got for Matty Godden and Will Wilmot leaving in the summer," he said.
"They have good individuals such as Ben Kennedy and Joel Byrom who have played a lot of game so they won’t be a push over.
“I really enjoyed my time with Stevenage and if it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be where I am now.
"I owe a lot to the fans and the club so hopefully I will get a good reception,I have always had good things to say about them. I still stay in contact with some of their players but it is a game I am looking forward to.”
The former England C international continued by speaking about when he returned to Wealdstone with Stevenage in 2015 for a pre-season game.
“I have only ever been back to a former club once when we had a friendly with Wealdstone, it was strange because we were in a different changing room.
"I’m sure it will be strange on Saturday because I was there for four seasons but hopefully we will take three points away from their ground.”
Pett has scored three goals for the Imps this season with his last coming against Northampton in Lincoln’s 3-2 FA Cup first round win at the start of November.
The midfielder began to speak about the adaption he's had into a more central midfield role this season, alongside the experience of Lee Frecklington and Michael O'Connor.
“I think it was a slow start, it was always going to be hard coming in during January. I had to get used to living up here and living for myself. I got used to the way we play and towards the end of last season the fans started to hopefully see what I was about," he added.
“I went into pre-season and felt I started the season in a good place, I feel my performances have been consistent. It’s no good if you are giving a nine out of ten performance one week and then five or six the next. That’s one thing I have been working on and hopefully the fans can see what I can produce.
“It is different playing alongside Frecks [Lee Frecklington] because he is a different player to Micky [Michael O’Connor] who likes to sit in the middle of the pitch and dictate play from there, whereas Frecks likes to bomb forward more than Micky.
“They are both great players so I am learning off both of them as they are experienced players who have played a lot of games. I feel that both of them bring the best out of me.”
Lincoln face a trip to Goodison Park as they face Everton in the FA Cup third round in the new year.
Pett explained how he was pleased with the draw, especially as he might come up against former Arsenal star Theo Walcott: “It was actuallt my girlfriend who told me the draw was going to be on my birthday so I was hoping we got a lucky draw.
“When it first came out, I thought ‘Oh Everton’ but then I thought they have done really well this season and you just have to look at some of the players they have. They have world class players who are in the Premier League for a reason.
“I watched Theo Walcott for years as an Arsenal fan so it will be good to line up against him. The gaffer has drummed into us that we have six or seven games leading up to that so we have to concentrate on that.”
The match at Stevenage has sold out for City supporters at the weekend, but ticket information is available for our remaining December fixtures HERE.