FORMER Southend United manager Steve Tilson has been linked to the vacant position at Lincoln City.

The Imps visited Roots Hall on Saturday with Scott Lindsey in caretaker charge following Chris Sutton’s decision to depart Sincil Bank.

But Tilson’s ongoing cash battle with Southend, which has now seen him go almost five months without being paid, could rule him out of a return to management in the near future.

“I’m still on gardening leave at Southend which seems strange when there is another manager in place,” said Tilson. “But they are doing it from a financial perspective and in the end I just hope I get what I’m due.

“I certainly do want to get back in to football but I want to get my situation with the club sorted. I always said the chairman makes the decision and that’s fine but he knows what I’m due.”

Tilson, who was in charge of Blues from November 2003 until last summer, guided Blues to successive promotions at the start of his time at Roots Hall.

He is keen to soon take control of another club but would not be drawn on whether that might be Lincoln.

“In an ideal world I’d like to manage at the highest level I can,” he said.

“But there are only a certain amount of jobs out there and you have to be realistic.

“Whichever club it is, I’d have to speak to the chairman and find out about their ambition — you can’t rule anything out.”

Other contenders for the Lincoln post include another ex-Blues boss Steve Thompson, who would work alongside Mick Harford.