Clubs line up for Imps National League hero

Credit Graham Burrell

Whatever you say, that title is not misleading. He might have only scored one goal, but when it is the winner away at Prenton Park, the home of your biggest rivals, it makes him a hero.

Then, whilst on loan at Woking, he missed a sitter at the Stacey West end that could have cost us a vital win, proving that despite his relatively low number of games, Macauley Bonne was an Imps hero. of sorts. Well, his form this season has turned him into hot property indeed.

Now, the Burton Mail (not the original source of the story, but I refuse to mention the other papers name) are reporting that he’s set to spark a transfer frenzy this summer, with Burton Albion, Portsmouth and Shrewsbury all interested in securing his services.

He’s smashed 20 goals for Leyton Orient this season as they’ve struggled to get a grip of life in the fifth tier. His performances saw him called up to the Zimbabwe national side and have now alerted a host of ‘big’ names to his talents. Portsmouth make a habit of signing non-league strikers, with Ollie Hawkins, Jamal Lowe and Nicke Kabamba all moving to Fratton Park in the last eighteen months or so.

Championship side Burton Albion are planning for an inevitable return to league One this campaign, whilst Shrewsbury would surprise many by switching places with them, possibly putting Bonne a little out of his depth in the second tier.

In my 2016 book ‘Who’s who of Lincoln City’, I described Bonne as follows:

“Zimbabwe born Bonne signed on loan early in the 2016/17 campaign in the wake of Jonny Margetts surprise move to Scunthorpe. Highly rated Bonne had almost 60 League One appearances under his belt for Colchester and he made an immediate impact scoring the winning goal away at Tranmere to put City top of the table. A clash of heads against Barrow left him suffering concussion, and he didn’t impress in the remainder of his loan spell.

Undoubtedly a player that will have a decent career in the bottom two divisions of league football with his pace and eye for goal. He has appeared for his country’s under-23 team and even registered a goal as they lost 2-1 to Morocco.”

If I’m being honest, I stand by that assessment and wonder whether a step up to League One would be the end of the promise he’s showing now. My recollections of Bonne were of a quick and tricky player who wasn’t quite suited to the physical side of the game. He needs regular matches to keep building up that strength and I’m not sure any of his potential suitors could offer that. He could do worse than stay put or search out a League Two side that would give him regular football to ensure a steady and measured development arc.