When Jack Moylan bore down on the Reading goal the commentator paused until he scored and just said ‘Championship’ as our away fans went wild as did others watching from afar. That moment on April 6th, 2026, will now forever be part of the club’s history and fans will have their personal memories for years to come, just like those who saw us beat Doncaster to clinch the Division 4 title in record breaking style exactly 50 years ago.
So, whilst this team are making more memories for fans, it is fitting that today it has been announced that fan groups, former players and the club are joining forces to lead a new strategy to protect, preserve, and promote the heritage of Lincoln City now and into the future.
As the ‘1884 Collective’, the aim is to create a new and collaborative approach to conserving and curating the history of the club with a focus on the key moments and stories that highlight the club’s identity, and what it means to fans both young and old. The Lincoln City Foundation will also be an integral part through their community engagement work around the city and further afield. Events such as this week’s celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the promotion winning team of 1975/76 is a great example of bringing the club’s history alive.
As a Trust, heritage has always been at the core to what we are about with the fans at the centre of it. We run the online museum led by Steve Freestone, which continues to go from strength to strength, have an extensive archive of programmes, plus numerous pieces of memorabilia.
In addition, we are delighted to have been asked to chair a new Heritage Committee to lead the ‘1884 Collective’ strategy and that aligns perfectly with us holding the Golden Share on behalf of the fans. This new collaboration is welcomed and whilst we have a good foundation, collectively we can achieve so much more, and the fans will be at the centre of it. I am sure Julian Buttery as Heritage Committee Chair, and Phil Scrafton as Fan Elected Director, will work effectively with the other 1884 Collective partners to celebrate our history with fans young and old.
There will be further communication in due course on the initial aims of the ‘1884 Collective’ and how fans can get involved. In the meantime, there is an email address on the club website if you have any burning questions.
Still not there mathematically but it’s 99% certain now. The best season in the club’s history I reckon. Here goes with some more ‘not counting chickens’ focussed words!
Writing this post-AFC Wimbledon and pre-Reading, the Imps need a point to make sure of an automatic place in the Championship next season. Typing those very words ‘place in the Championship’ seems surreal, and few could deny that little Lincoln City have been the team, and the club, of the season in the EFL. Our Trust never stands still in looking how we can be a vibrant fans’ organisation, even in more conventional times. How we carry the supporters’ voice into the boardroom, how we contribute to fan engagement, what we do in the community…it’s all done with passion and ambition. This is going to be the case with knobs on next season as our membership grows and the challenges become tougher. Speaking of challenges, a few of our Trust bods will have a very different one to overcome once that additional point has been gained.
On the evening of 3rd May 2025, after our last game of last season against Wrexham, a gang of us sauntered into town via a number of Imps-supporting hostelries.
Late on one of the more merry members of this band (me) wrote up a rudimentary legal contract complete with an appallingly poor image of the Lincoln Imp, saying that the undersigned would get an Imp tattoo if Lincoln City were promoted in a season 25-26. All five of us signed up.
Minutes later then club chairman and current vice-chairman Clive Nates walked in. Like the fan-friendly legend he is, he willingly signed the scruffy but binding document.
As this season got underway, most Imps supporters would have been happy with a top half or maybe top ten finish in League One. Being close to a play-off spot in Spring 2026 would be phenomenal. Being realistic those involved in the tattoo wager were pretty darn sure we’d be safe from being inked, that’s for sure.
And here we are top of the tree. Top with way more points than anyone else. And that gang of Trust people – and Clive too – from that night out nearly a year ago couldn’t be happier that being an Imp will forever be confirmed by having one inscribed somewhere on our person.
Thanks to all of you who voted over the last few weeks in the Vic Withers Player of the Season award. The voting period finished last night and the results have been passed to the club, with a record number of fans voting.
The FPA host for tomorrow’s game against Leyton Orient is Gavin Gordon. The guests are Warren Ward, Mark Hone and Brian Logan.
Gavin Gordon
Gavin Gordon was a striker who made his senior debut for Hull City just two months after his 16th birthday and went on to make regular first team appearances for the Tigers before he was sold to the Imps in November 1997 when he was still just 18 years old. In his first season he helped City win promotion and was a first team regular. In 2000-01 he scored 10 goals by early December and was the sold to Cardiff City for a six-figure fee. He later played for Notts County. Gavin is chairman of the Former Players Association and covers Imps games as a match summariser for BBC Radio Lincolnshire. Debut vs Swansea City, away 8 November 1997 Lincoln City Record Football League: 87 appearances plus 12 as substitute, 28 goals FA Cup: 9 appearances, 2 goals Football League Cup: 2 appearances, 1 goal Other: 4 appearances plus 1 as substitute
Warren Ward
Warren Ward played for City as a striker during the 1985-86 season finishing as joint leading scorer with Neil Redfearn – despite only scoring eight goals. Warren’s first Football League appearances were for York City before signing for the Imps. He made his Lincoln debut in a League Cup game against his former club and a few days later made his first Football League appearance for City scoring in a 3-3 draw with Doncaster Rovers. He was loaned to Exeter City during the second half of the season scoring three goals in his 14 appearances for the Grecians but returned in April and scored three goals in the final five games of the season but was unable to prevent City being relegated from what was then Division Three. Warren later played locally for several clubs including Boston United. He is a past committee member of our Former Players’ Association.
Debut vs York City away 20 August 1985Lincoln City Record:Football League: 15 appearances + 6 as substitute, 8 goalsFootball League Cup: 1 appearanceOther: 1 appearance
Mark Hone
Mark was a midfield player who signed for the Imps from Southend United in the summer of 1996 making his first team debut when he came on as a substitute at Torquay United on the opening day of the season. Mark made 53 Football League appearances with a further 13 appearances in cup games during his two seasons at Sincil Bank. He scored a total of four league and cup goals. In his first season Mark appeared in both legs of the Football League Cup second round tie against Manchester City when City won 4-1 at Sincil Bank and 1-0 at Maine Road – two games which will long live in the memories of those Imps fans who were there. Mark was also a regular the following season when City which won promotion to third tier football. He left the club in the summer of 1998 and later played for Kettering Town, Welling United, Lincoln United and Spalding United. His son Danny also played for City making them among the few father and sons to have both appeared for the club in the Football League.
Debut vs Torquay United, away 17 August 1996 as substitute
Lincoln City record:
Football League: 48 appearances + 5 appearances as substitute, 2 goals
FA Cup: 4 appearances, 1 goal
Football League Cup: 7 appearances + 1 appearance as substitute, 1 goal
Football League Trophy: 1 appearance, 0 goals
Brian Logan
Brian Logan is a former youth team player who joined the Imps as a 15 year old in August 1969 when the club’s then manager Ron Gray was looking to sign and develop young players. Brian made an appearance for the first team in a friendly match within a few months of joining the club and also played for the A team in the Lincolnshire League but later left Sincil Bank without appearing in the Football League. He continued playing in local football and was later involved in coaching Lincoln Moorlands. He continues to be active playing in over 70s football. Brian is well-known locally for his involvement with Lincoln Golf Centre which he has owned and run with his family for over 20 years.
Issue 7 of Impress will be available from the RICT Pod this Saturday. There’s 24 pages and still only £2. This issue features an interview with legend of the promotion season 1975/76, Phil Neale.
Cathedral exhibition competition winner Jack Wilkins presents the Red Imps Community Trust March Player of the Month award to Conor McGrandles – underlining again what a great season he’s having.
The FPA host for tomorrow’s game against Wimbledon is Matt Carmichael. The guests are Paul Miller, Jason Lee, Terry Cooper and Tony Cunningham.
Their details are here:
Matt Carmichael
Today’s host is Matt Carmichael who is vice chairman of the Former Players Association.
Debut vs Scunthorpe, home 19 August 1989
Lincoln City Record
Football League: 113 appearances plus 20 as substitute, 18 goals
FA Cup: 4 appearances plus 1 as substitute
Football League Cup: 9 appearances plus 1 as substitute, 1 goalOther: 7 appearances plus 1 as substitute, 2 goals
Paul Miller
Paul Miller was a midfielder who first made his name with Wimbledon where he spent seven years. He made 80 top flight appearances for the Dons including their first ever Premier League match against Leeds United. Paul moved on to Bristol Rovers before signing for the Imps in August 1997. He spent four years at Sincil Bank making over 100 first team appearances and was a member of the 1997-98 promotion winning team. He has since continued to live in the Lincoln area.
Debut vs. Chester City, away 9 August 1997
Lincoln City Record: Football League: 93 appearances plus 22 as substitute, 11 Goals
FA Cup: 5 appearances plus 1 as substitute
Football League Cup: 4 appearancesOther: 4 appearances plus 1 as substitute, 1 Goal
Jason Lee
Jason Lee began his football career as a trainee with Charlton Athletic before Steve Thompson signed him for the Imps in March 1991. He quickly developed into a very effective striker both as a goal scorer and a creator of chances and was a regular in the team. He was leading scorer in 1992-93 and was then sold to Southend United for a six-figure fee. Jason went on to play for clubs including Nottingham Forest, Watford, Peterborough and Notts County finishing with a career total of over 500 senior appearances.
Debut vs Scarborough, away 2 March 1991
Football League: 86 appearances plus 7 as substitute, 21 goals
FA Cup: 2 appearances plus 1 as substitute, 1 goal
Football League Cup: 6 appearances
Other: 4 appearances
Terry Cooper
Terry Cooper initially signed for City in December 1971 on loan from Notts County. He went back to Meadow Lane after making three appearances for the Imps but in the summer of 1972 he made a permanent move to Sincil Bank. Terry, who started out playing in midfield, switched to centre-back with great success and went on to play almost 300 first team games for City. He was a key member of the 1975-76 team which won the Division Four championship and was twice voted Player of the Season by the supporters. Terry left Sincil Bank in the summer of 1979 and later played for Bradford City and Rochdale.
Debut vs Stockport County home 18 December 1971
Lincoln City Record:
Football League: 268 appearances plus 2 as substitute, 12 goals
FA Cup: 15 appearances plus 1 as substitute, 1 goal
Football League Cup: 13 appearances
Tony Cunningham
Tony Cunningham was a powerful striker who was brought to Lincoln by Colin Murphy from non-league club Stourbridge in May 1979. He made an instant impact on his debut in a League Cup tie against Barnsley and marked his first City game with a goal. Tony remained a regular first team player during his three full seasons at Sincil Bank and finished as leading scorer with 15 league and cup goals in 1981-82 when the Imps narrowly missed out on promotion to second tier football. He was sold to Barnsley in September 1982 and and made 40 League appearances for the Reds scoring 11 goals before joining Sheffield Wednesday in November 1983. Tony later played for clubs including Manchester City and Newcastle United making a total of almost 500 senior appearances before ending his career with Wycombe Wanderers. One of his sons Karl later also played for the Imps.
Debut vs Barnsley, home (Football League Cup) 11 August 1979
Lincoln City Record:
Football League: 111 appearances plus 12 as substitute, 32 goals
FA Cup: 5 appearances plus 1 as substitute
Football League Cup: 13 appearances, 8 goalsOther Games: 6 appearances, 2 goals
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