RIP Percy Freeman Imp Reading & West Bromwich Albion Legend
West Bromwich Albion and Reading FC both fancied Percy Freeman but it was only Lincoln City that could get the best out of him. The Baggies ended up giving him away whilst The Royals actually gave him back to us for £10,000 less than they paid for him, despite him averaging a goal in every four matches simply because he lost his taste for the game. Percy Freeman aka Big Perce, enigma, gentle giant, goal machine and gracious god of Impdom died today our condolences go to his family. This obituary is the least STMI can do for the legend.
Thank-you for reading Neil Gentleman-Hobbs
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Freeman was old school, a living god to any Imp the right side of their late thirties to fourties. Big, strong and as direct as a Lincoln Loco express train he had a shot like a cannon and a forehead as tough as Hemswell Cliff. Carved from local stone in Newark the legend the left returned and was part of the hospitality team until recently. But Big Perce a gentleman giant in every sense of the word will be a part of the fixtures, fittings and legends of this City forever more.
Alas, he was plucked from his Newark home by Stourbridge before big timers West Brom signed him in 1968 as understudy to England international Jeff Astle (174 goals in 361 games is incredible and he got 31 for Notts County). The apprentice was unable to displace the sorcerer making just three appearances for the First Division side before the late Bert Loxley snared the Lincoln poacher on a free. Percy scored on his debut against Cambridge, settled a huge cup tie against Sunderland (10,789) and got two more to start with a goal in his first four consecutive games. The all action style and towering aerial presence were idolised on a Clanford end starved by a decade of demise (the Imps had been a bedrock of the old second division through the 50s and early 60s). Though we would still finish twenty-first on the bottom rung his 16 goals and 5 braces (Brentford, 2-0, Grimsby 3-0, Bradford 4-1, Torquay A 3-4 and Aldershot 4-4) lit the season and suggested better was to come in the seventies.
Percy got 14 the following season as the Imps flirted with promotion to finish fifth, as the talisman led the line. He got a Hat trick against Exeter (4-1) and brilliant Braces against Colchester away (2-5) and Darlington away (3-3). The crowds returned as Herds rejuvenated Imps played to 16,498 V Scunthorpe (1-0), 15,015 V Cods (3-0 ), where Big Perce waded in with a goal and man of the match performance; and another 12,199 V Southend in a stalemate. Typical gates that season were 7,500, with 2 over eight thousand and another 2 in the nines. The intimidating Clanford End and atmosphere of the Bank had seen the Sincil siege mentality return. Get that this season and we are half way there.
Despite the Imps making the top three at one stage of the season controversy was to rip through the Bank. The popular David Herd was removed (potential legal issues forbid us saying exactly why – so keep that one in your trousers so to speak) with Graham Taylor coming in on 10th December. The young man’s first job was to sell Percy, already on 9 goals including a hat-trick against Bury (4-0), for a whopping £11,500 to Reading. This despite the fact that gates were pretty good too with 7,425 V Burnley Watney Cup (0-1) and 6.657 V Northampton (1-1). Naturally the turbulence and the lack of big Perce had an affect as crowds fluctuated from 3k – 4K when we had enjoyed 4 successive 6k crowds when we were in top 3 prior to Hurdgate.
Percy played regular first team football for a season and a half at Reading but his heart wasn’t in it any more. He became disillusioned and left football completely to work as a scaffolder. He then returned in an hour of need for the Royals to play a dozen games (Played 60 times with 13 goals) before the Imps came in for him. This floated Freeman’s boat and he jumped at the chance. Taylor and the Imps board were pretty chuffed when Reading reluctantly accepted a £1500 fee and a ten grand loss on the deal. They looked on in utter disbelief as Percy’s hunger returned. He and the Imps would ransack the Fourth Division bagging more records than Woolworth’s. Percy would get 23 (plus 2 Cup) and John Ward would hit 29 goals as as the Imps clinched the championship in record-breaking style.
Imagine turning up to Sincil Bank and seeing 71 home goals (an average of more than three a game!), 111 in all and 74 points (equivalent to 106 with three points for a win). Just like the Keith Alexander era from 202 – 2006 the strength was at the front and back with Ward and Freeman up front; Ian Branfoot (5 goals) and Sam Ellis at the back. That’s not forgetting the work of midfield maestro John Fleming who scored 9 that season (indeed Ellis got 15, Graham 12, Smith 9 and Harding 9.
The highest gate of the season saw us take over 5,000 to Reading (15,900), but with Big Perce pulling out with an injury Wardy got the equaliser in a 1-1 draw. The gates that season were huge with 14,092 witnessing his brace against Doncaster in a 4-2 win. Another 13,880 rolled up for the neutering of Northampton 3-1 and Stoke were humbled 2-1 in front of 13,742. Typical gates were 7,500 plus with 6 gates over 10k. The tide of optimism was infectious and gripped the city. Doubtless GT the young fabulous manager could have played but for his career ending ankle injury. At the tender age of 31 , he was just a year older than Percy and the youngest manager ever to land a football League Championship.
The following season in the 3rd Division saw us finish ninth, going briefly third after a 2-2 draw at home toRotherhamin front of 9,318, with Freeman and Hubbard getting ours. Despite the old bones giving him grief Percy would bag a brace against Tranmere and a memorable equaliser in front of a huge 14,706 at the Bank againstSheffieldWednesday (1-1). Percy would hang up his boots at the end of the season grabbing 9 goals in 27 appearances with 3 as a sub.
The Bank saw some great crowds that year with a 3rd Round FA Cup replay (novelty value) defeat against Burnley (0-1) enticing 11,414; and typical gates of 6,400 with 6 gates over 7K, 2 in the 8’s and 2 in the 9K’s. Both GT and Big Perce left Sincil Bank in the summer of 1977 with Graham going to join Elton John at Watford on the way to a glittering career culminating in the England Manager’s job. Percy got a deserved testimonial before he retired from the professional game to concentrate on his roofing business. He turned out for Boston for a season or two before managing Nettleham, Boston FC and Stamford. Big Perce finally managed local pub team Ivy Tavern FC a watering hole Chris Moyses often frequented.
A quick video of the legend and then a season by season bio
Full Name: Freeman, Ronald Peter
Date Of Birth : 04/07/1945
Birthplace : Newark
Imps record:
Apps : 166 ( League 138) ; Subs : 15 (league 14) ; Goals : 76 (league 64)
Season by Season
1970/1971 : 21st Div 4
Apps : 29 ; Subs : 0 ; Goals : 16
Hat tricks: n/a
Braces: Brentford (2-0),Grimsby(3-0), Bradford (4-1), Torquay A (3-4),Aldershot(4-4).
Highest gates: 10,849 V Notts Co (0-1), 10,789 V Sunderland LC2 (2-1)
Typical gates 3,500 – 4K as we struggled bright start though with 3 7k plus crowds & 8k V Cods.
Season 1971/1972 : 5th Div 4
Apps : 35 ; Subs : 5 ; Goals : 14
Hat tricks: Exeter (4-1)
Braces: Colchester A (2-5) Darlington A (3-3)
Highest gates: 16,498 V Scunthorpe (1-0) 15,015 V Cods (3-0 Scored 1) 12,199 V Southend (0-0)
Typical gates 7,500 with 2 x 8K’s & 2 x 9Ks
Season 1972/1973 : 10th Div 4
Transferred in Dec
Apps : 27 ; Subs : 0 ; Goals : 9
Hat tricks: Bury (4-0)
Braces:
Highest gates: 7,425 V Burnley Watney Cup (0-1) 6.657 V Northampton (1-1)
Typical gates. Fluctuated from 3k – 4K though 4 successive 6k crowds when we were in top 3.
Season 1974/1975 : 5th Div 4
Apps : 11 ; Subs : 2 ; Goals : 3
Hat tricks:
Braces:
Highest gates: Mansfield (0-0) 13,108, 8579 V Shrews (3-0) 8,291 V Cambridge (0-0), 8,032 V Rotherham (2-0)
Typical gates: 2700- 3000 until Nov then 5k –6k with 1 x 7k and 2 x 8K.
Season 1975/1976 : 1st Div 4
Apps : 37 ; Subs : 5 ; Goals : 25
Hat tricks: n/a
Braces:Cambridge (4-2), Scunthorpe (3-0), Doncaster (4-2) Watford (5-1), Bradford A (5-1)Doncaster(5-0) 9 in 6.
Highest gates: Doncaster 14,092 (4-2 bagged a brace) 13,880 V Northampton (3-1) Stoke LC 13.472 (2-1)
Typical gates: 7,500 with 6 gates over 10k.
Season 1976/1977 : 8th Div 3
Apps : 27 ; Subs : 3 ; Goals : 9
Braces: Tranmere H (2-2)
Highest gates: Sheff Wednesday 14,706 (scored in 1-1 draw)Burnley FA Cup 3R replay 11,414 (0-1)
Typical gates 6,400 with 6 gates over 7K, 2 in the 8K’s 2 in the 9K’s
Lincoln Top National League with Macclesfield & Grimsby Town Lurking
Lincoln City sit top with Macclesfield Town grinding the gears of rivals Grimsby Town (3rd) in the current form stakes over the last 8 games. The Silkmen do edge it on goal difference but the Lincoln Loco is gathering steam game by game and the away form is something to be proud of.
Thanks as ever for reading Rose Tinted
Lincoln go for four wins on the spin on Wednesday night at Boreham Wood. A potential banana skin at the newly promoted club struggling to adapt in 20th, the Imps can take solace from having the fourth best away record in the division.
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| Stat | Total | Home | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | 5 | 9 | 4 |
| Matches played | 21 | 10 | 11 |
| Wins | 11 | 5 | 6 |
| Draws | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| Losses | 5 | 1 | 4 |
| Goals for | 34 | 17 | 17 |
| Goals against | 23 | 9 | 14 |
| Points | 38 | 19 | 19 |
| Clean sheets | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Avg. goals scored p/m | 1.62 | 1.70 | 1.55 |
| Avg. goals conceded p/m | 1.1 | 0.90 | 1.27 |
| Avg. time 1st goal scored | 36m | 43m | 30m |
| Avg. time 1st goal conced. | 47m | 40m | 52m |
| Failed to score | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Biggest victory | 2 – 0 | 2 – 0 | 3 – 1 |
| Biggest defeat | 0 – 2 | 0 – 1 | 0 – 2 |
Lincoln Loco Pulls Into Boreham Wood Then?
The three-one Torquay United away romp following on from the Tranmere Rovers and Aldershot Town wins ensured the Lincoln City Loco entered the play-offs. Nosebleed time for one of the longest serving League clubs perhaps ahead of a second successive away test tomorrow night (Wed 25th) at Boreham Wood FC. Moyses mission certainly seems to be gathering steam among the loyalist fans in football but it is the emerging City of Lincoln that needs the Football League every bit as much as the vociferous and Mighty Imps.
Thanks as ever for reading Neil Gentleman-Hobbs
The long-overdue brace from Waterfall (16’& 74′) – it could have been a hat-trick for the centre-half – with hit-man Hearn chiming in with his eighth of the season (25′) saw the fifth placed play-off birth realised but it has been coming. The Mighty Imps go into this one looking for their fourth win on the spin having won four and lost one of their last five excluding the Cup. Then again Lincoln do not traditionally do well in the FA Cup which would afford the much needed gravy to really float the City boat.
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | D | P | Last 5 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cheltenham Town | 22 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 44 | 17 | +27 | 44 | DWWWD | ||
| 2 | Forest Green R… | 22 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 38 | 23 | +15 | 43 | DWDWL | ||
| 3 |  |
Grimsby Town | 22 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 45 | 21 | +24 | 39 | WWWLD | |
| 4 |  |
Dover Athletic | 22 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 35 | 26 | +9 | 39 | WLLWW | |
| 5 | |
Lincoln City | 21 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 34 | 23 | +11 | 38 | WWWLW | |
| 6 | |
Wrexham | 21 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 41 | 26 | +15 | 37 | WWWWD | |
| 7 | |
Eastleigh | 21 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 35 | 28 | +7 | 37 | LWWWD | |
| 8 | |
Braintree Town | 21 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 27 | 18 | +9 | 36 | WDWLW | |
| 9 | |
Macclesfield Town | 22 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 35 | 23 | +12 | 35 | WWWLL | |
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Last 5 | ||
| 20 | Boreham Wood | 22 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 22 | 28 | -6 | 20 | LDWLD |
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Those that cannot go will be huddled around their transistor radios listening to BBC RADIO LINCS with Sportin Hortin and Tommos dulcet tones, a throw back to the traditional values the Cathedral City casts far and wide. The Mighty Imps will however be well backed, as ever, for the long trip to Hertfordshire on the morrow with more than a few borrowing money to go. They should be forgiven for this is Christmas come early for a club managed by a fan who has put his own dough in to fuel the dream and prove he is the man with a plan that can.
Moyses, a firm but fair straight talking man motivator, could get some help with that ahead of the transfer window as the turnstile clicks gather pace. With 3176 at the last Tranmere home game a win tonight could see 3500 at home to Welling on Saturday – and they wont be bringing many. A crowd funder initiative raised £16,440 to fund this side in the summer as the fans did their bit pre-season but now is the time to get on the Lincoln Loco and cheer the Imps over the line with a new crowdfunder initiative – So come on imps back Moyses Mission The Next Goal #teamlincoln.
Bradford Would Beat Chelsea in an Ideal World.
Ahead of the Chelsea Bradford game, a heartwarming preview with a Huddersfield Town and Lincoln City link stirring memories of the oft forgotton 56 who perished in the Bradford fire. May the Bantams win it for them and the great British sense of fair play.
No one is giving Bradford City a prayer against Chelsea FC. However 6000 and the souls of the forgotten 56 will be there hoping for the win our national psyche and ‘sport’ needs. This in the romantic FA Cup, one that allegedy allows underdogs to go from jumpers for goal posts to the glitter of Wembley. That is why every neutral and everyone sick of the rising inequality in modern Britain should be on Bradford City’s side.
The attitude from those awash with Russian cash in SW6 is that one of Yorkshire’s most inspiring clubs should be grateful for the cash bonanza as brave Bradford gallantly get hit for five or six. But, the Bantam’s have been forged by one of the toughest journeys in football. With the Hillsborough disaster getting the column inches to earn the justice it deserves, the Bradford fire and its 25th anniversary was ignored outside Yorkshire. Even the Premier and Football League have conveniently moved the dates for the tributes around the grounds to the 24/25th April. This May the Eleventh will be the the 30th anniversary of an oft forgotten tragedy with Huddersfield’s North Stand Loyal kicking off a terrific Terrier fundraising initiative – HERE .
A brief bit of history is both respectful and due. Having won the Third Division Championship prior to the game a young Peter Jackson (one I count as a friend) was presented with City’s first trophy for 56 years. That same number would die on a day set up for celebration – some families lost 3 generations – with 256 injured as the burns unit learned the hard way to become the best in the world at what it does. The opponents that day, Lincoln. who lost two fans and named their former home end after the two victims, went to Valley Parade again 7 years ago with Stuart McCall and laying wreathes prior to the game.
There is one other massive reason people should want Bradford to win today. Where Chelsea were saved by Ken Bates, then Matthew Harding and then Roman Abramovich who has spent 100s of millions to get them success . Bradford fell from the Premiership and almost died falling into the bottom rung of the Football league. There they struggled under debt repayment plans backed by 11,000 diehards who they rewarded with the cheapest season tickets in the country – costing around a game and a half compared to those Made In Chelsea.
From a purest football perspective Chelsea undeniably deserve to win. But if passion is the fashion Hanson will give the two Blues centre-backs a game they will learn from today. The Bantam’s have an attacking trio that can do damage in any division and they will be really up for it today (fired up just did not seem the right thing to put). London may have all the money and the 12:1 job ratio thanks to the banks etc, but Yorkshire is God’s county.
Come on City! Do it for financial fair play, do it for the fans and do it for the 56.
Yorkshire, Yorkshire, Yorkshire!
Leeds Cellino, Sheffield Wednesday’s Milan & Lincoln City’s Chris Moyses: 3 Saviours Key Week
Leeds United, Sheffield Wednesday and Lincoln City are three clubs that deserve a break. Yes there are probably plenty of others that can put a decent case for success from tiers two to five in the football pyramid, yet the loyalty of the supporters of these three have been tested to the limit given the heritage of the clubs and, the potential to compete at much higher levels. Were it not for three heroes the respective clubs would have buckled financially. As for the weight of expectation, well that is the thing that will ensure these three institutions will rise again, despite the challenges that still confront them, with the next seven days pretty key.
Massimo Cellino faces the Football League this week, defending his right to continue to lead Leeds back from the brink. If anyone is fit and proper in the people’s game it is one of the most passionate men in football. A dream come true for the vulture press, from comedy of errors to villain to hero, the man holding folding for The Whites, has gone through managers almost as fast as the Leeds cash cow has gone through the Italian’s greens. Yet the fans love him – over twenty thousand signed a petition to get the League to change their mind – yet still the League seek to ban him from being chairman until the middle of March.
This is a man who went in with the away support and sang during a hammering at Brentford, in that moment he epitomised and bonded – apt given the Leeds anthem Marching on Together, something that has kept this fantastic football club alive as it lurched from one crisis to another. You would think one on the League committee would realise that as he was a steward of the club during a head-on cash crash. Oh Massimo, insane no, idiosyncratic certainly, passionate definitely, Massimo Cellino is the man for all seasons – for all the right and just a technicality or two of wrong reasons.
Leeds lost £23 million last season as they attempted to turn a huge ship. Think of an oil tanker that you need to put in reverse to ensure it stops in three miles time. The League made no exceptions and promptly slapped a transfer embargo on a Leeds side that has youth at its heart but needs a few older heads to ensure it survives a relegation battle this season. Love them or hate them football needs Leeds far more than it needs a committee that is quite happy to ignore parachute payment inequality yet preside over matters of fit proper and fairness as it munches through the prawn fuelled by financial windfalls from The Premiership.
Two Christmas’ ago Milan Mandarić, the saviour of Sheffield Wednesday went round the Sheffield Children’s hospital. He ensured the board and players were there to a man and of course Owl, giving time and care with Milan doing every single bed personally. One who clearly cares he had saved the club and this latest modest gesture made me realise why he deserved the huge banner in the kop – yes Liverpool do not have the monopoly on that or home end passion whatever the media tell you. The message red ‘The city is ours – Xbajia Milan’, (thank you’ in Serbian, Milan’s native tongue.
Milan has gone on to get the Owls promoted from League One humility – perhaps the hard earned virtues of the steel artisans – and then plugged £5 million a season losses in the championship, This has paved the way for Stuart Gray to cobble together a side that is four points from the play-offs. This, in the face of competition from the ex-Premiership princes who are rewarded with parachute payments in exchange for failure. Four thousand saw rebate rewarded Fulham beat the Owls 4-0 but they were unbowed. A packed away end at Forest yesterday sang non-stop and was rewarded with a 2-0 win over a side that spent big and nicked a much prized Owl to boot! Timely? Could be as this week a Thai consortium could well make some of the most incredible supporters in world football’s dreams come true, but only if Milan feels they care deeply for the club and can do it justice.
The Owls had a deal collapse for £40 million in the autumn, this one will be ten million less, so it is not about money for Milan it is about passing a torch. A torch that lit the touch paper for the peoples’s game. For Sheffield rules football is where it all started, the steel city is arguably still the spiritual home of football. It was the birthplace and therefore to say The Wednesday have as much a top-flight birthright as The Arsenal, seems more than fair. A quick completion of the deal with the Serbian remaining as steward could give Gray the three players he needs in the window – and just maybe a fair wind to the promised land. It would be one in the eye for Fulham who spent £11 million on Leeds McCormack in August and Forest who robbed The Owls blind for winger Michail Antonio in the summer.
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So to Lincoln a club that has seen committee culture and poor stewardship ensure it has failed to realise its fantastic potential and even fall from the Football League. Where the City went forward the club did not until a local lad with gas connections, Chris Moyses, started putting his own money into the team recently. He needs to Lincoln are losing money and the team and budget continues to suffer with the fans suffering death by a thousand cuts as teams continue to scalp perceived giants in the Conference. After beating the bottom feeders, a 3-1 win at local rivals Grimsby – thanks to a wonder goal from Charlee Adams (a Birmingham loan thanks to Moyses) – the Mighty Imps trounced top-dogs Barnet 4-1. Both Grimsby and Barnet have budgets 3 and 4 times more than Lincoln respectively.
Yesterday 10-man Lincoln lost 4-0 to Eastleigh who missed four penalties and moved into fifth. For the long suffering Imps it could have been just a bad day at the office, yet they still sit five points off Eastleigh and the play-offs. Yet one feels that Chris Moyses will continue to put football first at Lincoln now that he is a managing director in football terms ie the manager and a director. Lincoln pioneered that concept when chairman John Reames combined both roles. He also wore his heart on his shirt and Lincoln did see exciting times under him, albeit when he was back in the directors box.
Lincoln hold the record for returns to the Football League and, although this may be a season too early perhaps the Moyses approach can work. He too is at a key moment this week. A win over Aldershot – the side that relegated The Imps in front of a teary battle weary 8,000 at Sincil Bank – will see his philosophy continue to restore the fantastic faith the Imps have. Defeat will be a sad slap in the face for the first Lincoln green shoots for many a season.
The local lad, who is Lincoln born and bred and was a well-known face on the terraces in his time, has told his team to play their football as opposed to worrying about the competition. Brave indeed but when a youngster like Connor Robinson rounds off the rout in a 4-1 win over Barnet you know there is pride in his side. If that can infect the missing thousands Lincoln will return to the promised land. The City can and will sustain a Championship team one day.
Wednesday call time on GT-F deal – now that would be a signing!
Sheffield Wednesday have sent former Huddersfield Town and Lincoln City idol Gary Taylor-Fletcher back to Leicester City after an unsuccessful loan spell.
The 33 year-old played his final game for the Owls against Huddersfield, of all clubs, although he was substituted in favour of Atdhe Nuhiu during the second half. GT-F started two of his four games but failed to galvanise a Wednesday side that is having no luck in front of goal. A particularly poor (stonewall penalty) decision and the crossbar denied them in a 0-0 draw that is becoming symptomatic of a side that has the potential to be there or thereabouts despite the financial inequalities in ‘the Premier two’ in all but name.
GT-F would be just the job for Lincoln City during the autumn of a career that has seen him score in the top five divisions of English football. GT-F bagged 30 goals in 93 appearances in all competitions for Big Keith’s Imps and is another of ex-manager Simmo’s finds that have gone on to play in the top flight. With 19 goals in all competitions he finished his first season as the 2003/4 player of the year. Gary then broke a 106 year record scoring in our opening 6 games of the 04/05 season before Peter Jackson, lured him to Huddersfield Town, playing him largely as a winger (Abbot and Booth both took some dislodging in their prime) in a first season that yielded 15 goals and then 11 the season after.
Blackpool signed the mercurial front-man in their first Championship season with his début coming in a 1-0 win over his current club Leicester City. He capped his rise from non-league to the Premier League with a 30 million 39th minute strike in the 09/10 play-off final at Wembley to wipe out those sad memories for the Imps against Southend. Blackpool released him in the summer of 2013 with Leicester offering him a one year deal. Promotion as Champions saw GT-F get a years extention, although he failed to get a look in and then failed to shine at Sheffield Wednesday on loan.
He will be a free agent in the summer (34 in June) and would be a talismanic addition to any ambitious lower Football League or Conference side. Gary averages a goal every four games (101 in 398 League games plus 16 in 51 Cup appearances) not bad for someone who has spent most of his time cutting in. He would put 500-1000 on the gate at Lincoln – good business surely?
| STMI biopic | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gary Taylor-Fletcher | ||
| Date of birth | 4 June 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | Widnes, England | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Club gig in the game | |||
|
Current team
|
Leicester City | ||
| Number | 12 | ||
| Senior stats | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1999–2001 | Northwich Victoria | 49 | (16) |
| 2001 | Hull City (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2001–2003 | Leyton Orient | 24 | (1) |
| 2001–2002 | Grays Athletic (loan) | 4 | (3) |
| 2002 | Dagenham & Redbridge (loan) | 3 | (1) |
| 2002–2003 | Dagenham & Redbridge (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2003–2005 | Lincoln City | 92 | (30) |
| 2005–2007 | Huddersfield Town | 92 | (26) |
| 2007–2013 | Blackpool | 237 | (39) |
| 2013–date | Leicester City | 21 | (3) |
| 2014 | Sheffield Wednesday (loan) | 4 | (0) |
Manchester County Court Verdict: Lincoln City Supporters Trust Elections Declared Invalid
Lincoln City Supporters’ Society, according to a press release, has lost a court case against former Lincoln City Football Club Associate Director Michael Foley who is also a Gold Member of the Supporters’ Trust. Mr. Foley has been awarded costs.
The press release is as follows.
LINCOLN CITY SUPPORTERS TRUST ELECTIONS DECLARED INVALID.
At a Hearing in Manchester County Court on Monday November 24, elections held by Lincoln City Supporters’ Society (the Trust) in June 2012 and May 2013 were declared invalid, void and of no effect. The elections concerned are those that took place for positions on the Society Board prior to the AGM in May 2013 and the election of a nominated Gold Supporter Director to the Board of Lincoln City Football Club in June 2012. At the Hearing, His Honour Judge Stephen Davies found that candidates for election to the Trust Board in 2013 had been wrongly disqualified from standing and in both cases that the true and correct version of Rule 54(a) had not been applied. The claim had been brought by former Lincoln City Football Club Associate Director Michael Foley who is also a Gold Member of the Supporters’ Trust. Mr. Foley has been awarded costs.
No further statement will be issued at this time.
Imps Move for Birmingham Midfielder shipping Ledsham to Telford.
Adams made his Blues first team début as a substitute at the St Andrews spiritual Blues home in the FA Cup Third Round win over Bristol Rovers last season. He then joined the Imps until the end of the seaon along with keeper Townsend who is currently warming the bench at Sincil Bank after featuring up until the FA Cup exit. Adams, a veritable wealth of nations in Lincoln midfield terms, played 14 games during the spring of 2014 and became a cult hero with the faithful, filling in as a central defensive midfielder (CDM). Charlee can also play on the flank and in the middle in both the CDM and CAM positions.
Twenty’s plenty then for number 20 Adams who will be just 20 in January, but he has been unable to break into a struggling Blues side racked by poor form and finances that almost make our lot look generous. He is a confident lad solid, good distribution and positional sense who will act as a shield to a central defensive pairing that lacks pace. Birmingham do have an option to bring him back after the initial 28 day emergency youth loan expiry, however the chances are he could be ours until the end of the season.
Adams signed a one year deal last May with a further years option suggesting a loan will be as good as we get, unless Moyses wants to part with money during the winter window or in the summer. Charlee may not be the only new face at the Imps according to the grapevine, with rumours of a centre-back on the horizon too. This may have something to do with ends to the loan spells of both Audel and Sam-Yorke in January. Indeed the summer will see a clean deck for the manager unless he wants to tie a few to contracts over the coming months.
| STMI Biopic | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Charlee Shaun Adams | ||
| Date of birth | 16 February 1995 | ||
| Place of birth | Redbridge | ||
| Height/Weight | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) /12st 2lb (77.1kg) | ||
| Playing position | Midfield R/L/C CDM/CAM | ||
| Current-gig-in-the-game | |||
|
Current team
|
Birmingham City (Lincoln loan) | ||
| Number | 20 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2009–2011 | West Ham United | ||
| 2011–2013 | Birmingham City | ||
| Senior stats | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2013– | Birmingham City | 1 | (0) |
| 2014 | Lincoln City (loan) | 14 | (0) |
| 2014– | Lincoln City (loan) | 0 | (0) |
Newton Needs New Deal or Lincoln will follow Stockport County.
Sean Newton showed just why Lincoln City need to get him signed up to a new contract with a hat-trick against Alfreton Town last night. Indeed in the two FA games he waded in with four goals plus an assist as his form continues to get better and better. Stockport County fans were gutted when Simmo picked the bones of their relegated side two years ago. The Hatters had honed him to England C standard.
Thanks for reading Neil Gentleman-Hobbs
The risk is that he will go for peanuts in the January window or for free in the summer. Class left-backs have been few and far between at Lincoln and Newton’s assist rate has been second to none ever since he went to Stockport, becoming the Captain and an intrinsic part of the team. He left them for free upon relegation to join the Imps, who are risking the same after failing to deliver a new deal in the summer.
Newton has scored ten goals in sixty-nine appearances for the Imps with a trademark free-kick and is unplayable on the counter week in week out. Not a bad return for a full-back, but then he has also pitched in with 8 assists this season and 17 last, in league and cup competitions.
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| STMI Biopic | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Sean Michael Newton | ||
| Date of birth | 23 September 1988 | ||
| Place of birth | Liverpool | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Club information | |||
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Current team
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Lincoln City | ||
| Number | 3 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2005–2007 | Chester City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2007–2008 | Chester City | 2 | (0) |
| 2007 | Southport (loan) | 13 | (1) |
| 2008 | Droylsden (loan) | 15 | (1) |
| 2008–2009 | Droylsden | ? | (5) |
| 2009 | Barrow | 4 | (0) |
| 2009–2012 | AFC Telford United | 110 | (4) |
| 2012 | Stockport County (loan) | 7 | (1) |
| 2012–2013 | Stockport County | 43 | (6) |
| 2013– | Lincoln City | 69 | (10) |
| National team | |||
| 2009– | England C | 2 | (1) |
Imps Smash Alfreton – The FA Cup Run’s alive
The timely trouncing of Alfreton Town signals time for an up moment in our relationship with our beloved local football institution then? The Mighty Imps responded to the undeserved and unhealthy pre-match pressure in style with a 5-goal humiliation of Alfreton (bodes well for Boxing day as they brought just 68 from Derbyshire last night) to cruise into the First Round of the FA Cup. The much needed Cup run is under way with £12,500 in prize money bagged plus our share of a combined 2415 gate. So less their coach money and the costs of staging the games the Imps should be about £25,000 towards cutting that £150,000 deficit. Role on the trip to Eastleigh.
Thanks for reading Neil Gentleman-Hobbs
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c
Lincoln 5 V 1 Alfreton (H/T 2-0)
Imps: Newton 6, 42, 62 (pen), Sam-Yorke (79, 81)
Alfreton: Wood 74
Ref Mr Joyce Att 1529 (68 Reds)
Lincoln City 4-4-2 Diamond
Farman;
Miller, Brown, Audel, Newton;
Mendy
Power Nolan
Bencherif
Burrow Tomlinson
*
Alfreton 4-4-2:
Clayton, Hawley.
Bradley, Courtney, Keane, Shaw
Wood, Graham, Davies, Rowe-Turner
Howell
On six minutes the Imps clicked. Newton sized up one of the free-kicks he is famous for after Nolan’s sortie had been brought to a premature end. Taking three strides he curled a 20-yarder round the wall with aplomb. Bar a couple of half-chances the Imps dominated possession during the remainder of the half and doubled their lead with Newton bringing the house down. On forty-three and forty yards out he hit a curler (ok the wind played a part) that bemused Howell the stand-in keeper to complete a first-half brace.
A penalty looked to have made the game safe after Power had been felled in the box. Up stepped Newton to slot into the corner. Alfreton founOn seventy-four minutes the ten men rallied with Shaw’s cross finding the head of former Mariner Wood to head home at the far post.
Time for super-sub Sam-Yorke’s late show with a brace of pace and grace. On 78 minutes Newton hit long and Sam-Yorke hit top gear before roasting Rowe-Turner and then slotting home. Three minutes later it was high-fives as Sam-Yorke poached a rebound from a fierce Connor Robinson half volley.
savethemightyimps 