Honourable Mentions
I thought it only fair to drop in a few honourable mentions, starting with a non-player. It would be remiss to not mention the host of the new matchday live show, Sam Ashoo, who worked for Liverpool prior to hosting the Imps’ show!
Alf Gray also came to us from Liverpool, but like Foley and Platt he didn’t make a senior appearance for the Reds. His career came a little earlier than theirs did though; he appeared for City in the 1934/35 season, making 32 appearances, the last of which came on March 30th 1935 as we lost 1-0 at Crewe.
Finally, and rather cheekily, Liverpool fans might want to look away now. One former Imp made headlines when he played against Liverpool in the early 1980s – Steve Mardenborough. Steve had five minutes of fame as a Wolves player in 1984, scoring the winner against the then mighty Liverpool at Anfield. Wolves were classed as ‘rubbish’ by their own press, rooted to the bottom of the First Division and starting a collapse that would eventually see them playing us in the Third and Fourth Division.
Following that, Steve scored 11 in two seasons for a poor Newport County side before a switch to Darlington, and latterly to us. He managed just two goals for Keith Alexander’s side, one in an away draw with Chester and just one at home in a 2-0 win over Colchester. He was seen as an exciting pacey forward, but just a few games before he scored his only home goal a young man by the name of Darren Huckerby made his debut.
He later had a spell at Colchester and again at Newport but soon found his way into the Welsh leagues when he had probably the best spell of his career first with Inter Cardiff and then with Aberystwyth. He last played for Barry Town in 2003.