Thanks: Dean Walling
Walling joined the Imps directly from Carlisle for a club-record fee of £75,000 in 1997. He formed part of a formidable defence along with Steve Holmes, Jason Barnett and Kevin Austin as the Imps steamed to automatic promotion. Scored eight goals in his first season including winners against Leyton Orient (1-0), Scunthorpe (1-0) and Hull City (1-0). The powerful defender even bagged the equalising goal in the FA Cup 1st round against Gainsborough, then scored a brace in the replay to give us a 3-2 win.
In that first season Walling epitomised everything good about a John Beck team. He was strong, tough and absolutely 100% committed to the cause. He got forward to cause trouble from set pieces but wasn’t found wanting at the back either. He was called up to represent St Kitts and Nevis due to his performances for Lincoln, and it’s fair to say we got our money’s worth in that first season.
Injury kept Walling out for all but three games of the following season, and he returned just in time to see us relegated back into the fourth tier. He featured in the final day defeat against Wycombe Wanderers before sealing a £15k move to Doncaster Rovers.
He now runs a soccer club in Lincoln, coaching young players and can be found writing for the local paper about all-things Imps related.
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