By Nathan Jackson
January 12 2004

"I'll be back" The 3 words that the Imps fans have wanted to hear for 6 weeks. No, there isn't a new Terminator film (yet) but Keith Alexander has confirmed that he wants to be back managing the Imps by the end of January Keith Alexander is ready to return to management but has to wait until at the least the end of January for his chance to come back as the doctors have to establish that he is medically ok to come back after brain surgery 6 weeks ago.

Keith revealed to the echo that he was pleased with the amount of support that everybody has given. Also in a pleasent suprise, his first get well card was from Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson.

"I'm feeling a lot better than I did two months ago," said Alexander.

"The doctors are pleased with my progress, and so am I. It has been much quicker than I expected so I'm delighted to be on my way back.

"Everybody seems to think it's a miracle, but I just try to take things as they come. All I've been hoping for is to get back as quickly as I can, not to be lying in bed.

"I'm fortunate to be here and because of that I'm going to try and make the most of things.

"It makes you think differently about life. Apparently I was gone three times when I was first taken to Lincoln County Hospital, so you do come out with different thoughts, you sit down and think how you might do things differently. You only get one chance, and I'll be trying to bring that home to various people."

"I can remember going to our reserve game at Mansfield in the afternoon on the day I collapsed, and then watching a reserve game at Nottingham Forest later that evening," recalled the City boss. "I drove home, had a bite to eat, went up to bed and the next thing I knew I was being sick for what seemed like an age.

"Then I woke up in hospital - but I haven't got a great deal of recollection from that time.

"There's a good four to six weeks of which I can't remember anything at all, and it's only the past fortnight it's started to come back.

"It was certainly a shock to me. I've had a few pains in my head over the past year or so, if I'm being honest, but the doctors said it was nothing, gave me some tablets and told me to get myself off home.

"My mum and dad have come over from St Lucia, and obviously you wish they were here in better circumstances," he said. "It's been difficult for them, as well as my wife, Helen, and our four kids.

"It was terrible circumstances because I'm not a person who gets ill very often. But everybody has rallied round, and that has been very nice.

"Helen has found it very difficult because she's got a house full of people to care for, plus two kids and me. My mother is in her 70s and she wants to do everything - she wants to mother me which is very difficult to accept!

"My dad is also in his 70s and the older generation like things to be done how they were in the past, which obviously you can't always do.

So will Keith sign the new contract offered to him by the Imps?

"They offered it to me a few months back. It's been backwards and forwards since then but it's very pleasing, certainly in this day and age, that the chairman and the board are sticking to their word," said Alexander. "It means a lot to me.

"I think I've started something here, we have a good nucleus of players, the club is in a better state than it has been for some time, some of the kids are coming through and doing OK so it would be silly to go somewhere else and have to start again.

So watch out Divison 3, one of the best managers IS (going to be) BACK!