May Trust Board Notes available
Please click here to view notes of the Trust Board Meeting held in May 2026.
Rob’s Column for June
With thanks to the Lincolnshire Echo
Just when we thought the season to end all seasons was over and the well-deserved awards and other tributes cascading to individuals and the club itself had finally abated, up steps crowd-favourite Jack Moylan to score a hat -trick on his international debut. I didn’t think it was possible to suffer superlative fatigue. Astonishingly stuff.
We have memories of campaign 2025-26 that will never fade, that’s for sure. But the football industry is a cruel one and failing to prepare for the future is not an option.
Development at the ground is well underway including the massive projects at the south end of the stadium and the work needed elsewhere to be Championship-ready. Looking at the plans I suspect the scope of the former would usually need a building timescale far in excess of the time available, so there’ll be some pulling out of all the stops for certain.
Promotions, relegations, and play-off successes are reaching their conclusions and in only five weeks time we’ll find out who we’re playing and when in the second tier of the English pyramid.
Obviously it’s going to be fascinating how the squad will take shape albeit we’ve got an excellent one already. For many games in the final third of the season we played like a team from a division higher than our League One opponents. Despite that I’m sure there’ll be some additions anyway, to meet the challenge of taking on a lot of massive clubs with ambitious spending plans.
Our Trust has to plan too and we’ve already discussed how we need to be a fans’ organisation that assimilates with a parent club that has reached a very high level. Our fan engagement, community work, and representation within the club generally and in the boardroom in particular needs to be dynamic and professional.
Our AGM takes place on Thursday 4th June at 7.30pm. Our website – www.redimpstrust.co.uk – has the links for you to join us via Zoom and to read our annual report for 2025 during which I think we did an impressive amount of work. All our current board are staying on but there’s room for new people with new ideas. We have a gang of volunteers in addition to those holding official roles, so maybe you can give some thought into joining in one way or another.
Our strap line, as you may already know, is ‘Supporting Our Fans, Our Club, Our Community” and in simple terms that’s what we do. It enhances our enjoyment of being Lincoln City fans no end.
As you plan for season 2026-27 and you think you could help, then let us know – you’ll be very welcome in what will be a momentous time ahead.
On Fans’ Side
The Government has launched a new initiative – On Fans’ Side – which explains in simple terms what the Football Governance Act means for clubs and supporters. Extra heritage protections and ownership tests are at the heart of the Act, while unsanctioned breakaway leagues are prohibited.
Please click here to read more from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Venue Change for Fit Imps
Our permanent charity partner, Lincoln City Foundation, runs “Fit Imps” sessions for anyone who wants to lose weight, get fitter and lead a more active life. They are now held at Birchwood Leisure Centre, as well as in the Co-op Community Hub at Sincil Bank.
Please click here for further details.
Review of the Red Imps Community Trust 2025-6 Season
thanks to our social media officer, Tamyra Beeston
Fan of the Season 2025-2026!
Has any Lincoln City fan been selfless this year? Helpful? Gone over and beyond?
Gone the extra mile – for our fans, our club, our community?
We are running the Red Imps Community Trust Fan of the Season award again and want your nominations to media@redimpstrust.co.uk by the end of June.
Trust give Fowlers Lifetime Membership
Rob Bradley, Mandi Slater and Phil Scrafton of our Trust board were delighted to present Imps chair Rob Fowler and son Andrew with Lifetime Membership of the Red Imps Community Trust for their commitment to Lincoln City.
Thank you and welcome Ron and Andrew!
Rob’s Column for May
Life can be steadily routine, or mundane even, but very important highs and lows crop up now and again involving you, your family, and friends. Births, weddings, and the passing of loved ones – ‘hatches, matches, and dispatches’ as my dear old mum used to call them – are clearly some hugely significant milestones as time goes by.
You could never say sport gives you high and lows at the same level but when sport, and in particular football, is your passion then those competitive triumphs and troubles can come a pretty close second.
I can say with some confidence that I’ve experienced the lowest low and the highest high in Lincoln City’s history. Others may disagree that the events I recount here deserve that description, but it’ll make for interesting debate over a beer if nothing else.
In May 2002 as club chairman and elected Trust rep in the Imps boardroom I represented Lincoln City in the High Court in Birmingham. A number of our brilliant fans were in the public gallery. A few days earlier our insolvency practitioner had suddenly confirmed our survival plan to be put to the judge was inadequate. Last minute we bolstered it up a bit as a result, but things weren’t looking good.
The judge, after all the deliberations and an astounding display by our barrister, took pity on us and granted us more time. Had he been less generous the company would have been thrown to the wolves. The relief was palpable and where there’d been no tunnel, let alone a light at the end of one, there was now hope we could escape from that dreadful low we’d found ourselves in. Days later, as people rallied round, our plan became more robust and the judge granted our administration order. The recovery was underway.
When Jack Moylan sped into the Reading penalty area and lashed the ball into the net to confirm in the most dramatic fashion in front of our 3000 ecstatic fans our elevation to the second tier in English football, that to me was the high to end all Imp highs.
Yes we’d been there before 65 years ago. But the pyramid was so different then. The maximum wage for all players was £20 per week. There wasn’t the disparity in cost between divisions that makes upward progress so much more difficult. Or impossible even. The Championship was just a dream but that dream had come true.
Some highs – like beating a top team – only last a few days and a defeat can puncture that enjoyment. The good thing about this high is that we’ve got weeks and weeks to enjoy it – so let’s do that and savour what next season will bring.
A Thank You to Lincoln City from the Trust
The Trust wished to thank all Imps football staff, over and above deserving award winners, on behalf of our members and all fans for such a fantastic season by presenting them with a framed series of photographs.
These photographs feature the celebrations of promotion and will be in place at the EPC for years to come.
Well done everyone!
(thanks to Adam Thurston for taking the photographs)
