Four Years On: National League Team Part II

April 25, 2021 Gary 2010-2019, Galleries, Lincoln City 0

Tom Champion

I do love writing about Tom Champion, and I’m not sure why. Tom was the first scapegoat of the National League season, brought in after we’d won five on the spin, only for us to then draw one and lose two. He was squarely blamed and whilst I can see why, I don’t think it wasn’t entirely fair on the midfielder. He then missed our win against Braintree, only played the last six minutes as we beat Wrexham, before coming off the bench against Bromley to gift them a leveller. That was the end of Tom.

He went back to Barnet and played the rest of their League Two season before moving to Boreham Wood in the National League. He’s been there for four years now, starting 139 games and helping them to the play-offs last season. He played 90 minutes for them yesterday as they were beaten 3-0 at home by Stockport County.

Ross Etheridge

Courtesy Graham Burrell

Ross was widely criticised for fumbling his way through our 2-1 FA Trophy defeat against York City, and he was dropped for the second leg despite Paul Farman’s injury worries. Once the league was won and promotion assured, Ross was involved in the squad. He kept a clean sheet against Maidstone four years ago today and made his final appearance on the closing day away at Southport.

Ross never made it in the professional game, and upon returning to parent club Doncaster he was released. He has since appeared for Nuneaton Town, Stratford Town and most recently, Glapwell.

Elliot Hodge

Elliot Hodge was a strange one, he seemed to have bags of talent when he first joined in 2015, but he never quite made the breakthrough. He played most of his football under Chris Moyses but did appear twice for us in the National League, getting a minute of the opening day win against Woking and 20 minutes as we stuffed North Ferriby. He spent time out on loan with Telford during the 16/17 season, and appeared for Gainsborough and Stamford whilst with the Imps.

The following season, despite barely playing for us, he joined Notts County, appearing four times with one start in the EFL Trophy. Despite another season of few chances, he stepped up again in 2018/19, moving to Burton Albion, making five appearances, two of those in League One. He has since appeared for Leamington Spa and Kettering Town.