Former City Prospect Trials With League One Rivals

Credit Graham Burrell

Former Imps academy player Tobias Liversidge has spent some time on trial with Rotherham United this summer, after leaving FA Vase semi-finalists Lincoln United.

Liversidge has been with the Millers for a couple of weeks, getting a ten-minute run out yesterday against Championship side Sheffield United. Steve Evans’ side were beaten 2-1.

The young midfielder spent last season with Lincoln United, and was a regular starter as they got within a single game of a Wembley final, losing to Romford on penalties in the semi-finals. Another former Imp, Jack McMenemy, missed a penalty in the shoot out in that game.

Liversidge was a trainee with the Imps until the summer of 2020, and despite eight goals and six assists in 12 starts, he was released by the club. He joined Spalding United for the 2020/21 campaign, and after a season with the Tulips, he came back to Lincoln, becoming a key part of the Whites’ side.

Operating as an attacking midfielder, the former Priory Academy pupil has previously trialled or appeared for Nottingham Forest, Derby and Liverpool and is now seeking a route into the professional game with Rotherham. Evans isn’t averse to signing project players—this week, he announced the signing of another traillist, Jack Holmes, on a one-year deal.

If Liversidge does land a professional deal, he certainly won’t be the first Imps’ youth player to fall through the cracks and climb back up. Luke Dimech was a trainee at the time of Darren Huckerby, but didn’t get a deal here. He went on to play for Mansfield and Chester before earning 78 caps for Malta.

More recently, Tim Akinola left the club, only to be signed by Arsenal, and latterly move to Chesterfield, while Duncan Idehen left the club without earning a pro deal, but later signed from Grimsby, before moves to Birmingham and Bristol City.