Many Lincoln City fans of a certain age may not know that we were the first club to be relegated automatically out of the Football League.
I remember all too well, because that awful season, 1986/87, was my first as a Lincoln City supporter. I recall my Dad and Grandad crying at the Swansea result in May, wondering why football had to be so heartbreaking. Of course, it led to a historic season the year after, one which was my first full season as an Imp and one I can never forget.
When we went down, we hadn’t been bottom all season. 45 games, we’d avoided being team number 24, and yet, on that final day, we hit the basement and slipped through the trapdoor. In 1988, we hadn’t been top all season, but as the cool February evenings were replaced by early morning bird song and Kylie Minogue’s ‘I Should Be So Lucky’, the Imps began to get lucky.
Two home draws, with Sutton and Telford, handed the advantage to Barnet, but they blinked as well. They lost to Enfield, and then faced Altrincham on the same day that Dagenham played host to City. We started the day five behind them, but could we move to within three points of the title favourites?
In London, the Imps lined up with Richard Wilson in goal, then Clive Evans, Shane Nicholson, Graham Bressington, Trevor Matthewson, Steve Buckley, Gordon Simmonite, Dave Clarke, Phil Brown, Paul Smith and Mark Sertori. Andy Moore and Tony Simmons made up the bench.
Dagenham had already been beaten heavily at the Bank, 3-0 early in the season, and confidence was high again. The Daggers would end the season in 22nd, dropping to the Isthmian League, and it was very evident early on they were little threat to the Imps. However, little threat doesn’t mean no threat, and Tony Flynn headed against the bar early doors to sound a warning. However, the next time Wilson was called into action was the 86th minute, with the game done and dusted.
With John McGinley suspended, Brown, Smith and Sertori prowled the front three positions, and did so with aplomb. Moments after Dave Clarke had hit the bar, Brown rushed through the defence with more than a hint of offside, and slotted home. The Imps led 1-0, and never looked back. Dagenham were incensed, and their boss John McCombe was sent off for his protests.
Brown then added a second before half time, a delicious Paul Smith ball seeing our nippy forward collect in the area and finish from close range. Bressington and Smith then had efforts cleared off the line before half time as City ran riot.
Just three minutes after the restart, the Imps got a third. Sertori, even then described as being known for his ‘aerial talents’, skinned his full back and crossed for Clarke. In truth, Dave Clarke had no business in the GMVC having previously been capped by England youth, and he made no mistake by smashing the ball in. The keeper even got a hand to it but was unable to prevent it from nestling in the back of the net.
The game went a little quiet after that. Of course, with no phones few knew that Altrincham were beating Barnet, and it took a last-gasp Bees’ effort to salvage a draw. That sent the 300 travelling Imps home happy – they knew a win on the following wednesday against Welling would see us move level on points with Barry Fry’s side, albeit with an inferior goal difference.
Finally, the tables had turned……
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