Sean Roughan hit 100 appearances for the Imps on Saturday against Stevenage, a fantastic landmark for a player who is still only 21 years of age, writes Kyle Fox. He reached this feat in just over four years at the club, which included a loan spell to Drogheda in 2022.
Sean was a player we originally acquired as a scholar when he was just 15 years of age after being spotted and impressing Jez George whilst playing for Pheonix FC in his hometown of Dublin. Some interesting insight on what went into that transfer was brought to light by Jez George in the transfer deadline day special. This included the fact that the club organized his Irish leaving certificate at Lincoln Minster School which is also where the headmaster of the same school taught Sean mathematics one to one. The club also arranged for an Irish tutor from Nottingham to help Sean with his education. These examples emphasise what the club saw in Sean and the talent he possessed even at such a young age.
During his first year with the club, Sean worked his way through the club’s scholarship program throughout the 2019/20 season. This was, of course, the season that was cut short due to the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, which brought the end to all football in the 19/20 season shortly afterwards. Later in the year, it was decided all English football would be brought back but played behind closed doors. This coincided with Sean signing his first professional contract with the club in July 2020.
To the surprise of a lot of Imps fans, Sean actually started six games in the first three months of the 20/21 season as a left back and didn’t look out of place. He started these games ahead of Max Melbourne and Tayo Edun, the other choices at left-back in the squad at the time. After this period, though, his time as City’s left back came to an abrupt end that season. I felt that Sean’s treatment from Appleton was very harsh and odd. Bringing a very young player into the squad and making him your starting left back in the first month of the season to then cast him to the bench. Then, limit him to just a handful of opportunities in cup games in the first half of the season. It was confusing and undeserved, especially from a manager who had built a good reputation for developing young players.
To make matters worse, Sean was then removed from the squad entirely in the back half of that season and was given no more opportunities in the first team. This must have been tough and a confidence knock for Sean. Especially when you consider that it meant he went back into the youth team a few months after being a starter in the first team. Amidst the success of that season, I was always puzzled by the treatment of Sean by the head coach and felt it was wrong. As we all know, though, he got one up on Appleton in the end, but I’ll come back to that point.
In May 2021, Roughan actually had a trial with Premier League side Southampton’s youth side and played one game. This was to discuss a possible deal between the two clubs for the player, which never came to fruition.
Sean’s absence from the first team continued in to the 21/22 season whilst Appleton was still manager. His only appearance in the first half of the season came against Bowers & Pitsea at home in the FA Cup. The club then decided to send Sean on loan to Drogheda United in January 2022 to help aid his development. This really gave him the opportunity he needed and kick started his pro career. He was excellent in his time back in Ireland, racking up 15 appearances in the first half of the season. His loan ended after the first half of the season in Ireland in June when he joined up with the Lincoln squad for pre-season ahead of the 22/23 season.
This is the season where Sean first became a consistent and key player in the Lincoln City team under the new head coach at the time, Mark Kennedy. In the first few games of the season, he was behind summer signing Jamie Robson, so once again, he had to bide his time. But, early in the season, Kennedy decided on a shift in formation to a back three. Roughan then found himself with more opportunities in the first team due to his ability to play as a centre-back and a wing-back in Kennedy’s system. He made 40 appearances in all competitions this season, where he managed two goals and two assists.
In the 23/24 season, Roughan became an even more prevalent figure in the team and, throughout the season, was still used as both a left wing-back and a left centre-back many times. He was a consistent starter and a good performer for the first couple of months of the season under Kennedy, but this time, there was another challenge for Sean. This came off the back of Kennedy singling Roughan out for criticism in his post-match interview after a 2-0 loss away to Peterborough United after missing a chance. This was a sign of things to come from Kennedy and was one of the reasons why he was relieved of his duties in October 2023.
A few weeks after this game came Charlton at home, where Roughan was able to enact some revenge on Michael Appleton (head coach of Charlton at the time). This was a game where he and the whole City side were excellent, and we ran out 3-1 winners, including a goal from Roughan himself. Michael Skubala was appointed the new head coach a few weeks after this match on 13th November 2023. This saw Roughan start under the new head coach on the bench, and he didn’t start a game again until Bolton was at home towards the end of December. After this, he became an integral part of our unbelievable run of form in the second half of the season, very often going under the radar when always putting in great performances. He rightfully won Young Player of the Season 23/24 for his consistency, reliability and versatility. Sean made 44 appearances in all competitions last season, racking up another two goals and two assists.
Fast forward to now and Sean is one of the first names on the team sheet and is currently unmovable as City’s starting left centre back. He has started this season very well (2 assists and a goal in just 4 appearances) and his brilliant development continues even though he is a top performer in League One already at just 21 years old. He has a very bright future ahead of him.
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