This is very much outside my wheelhouse, according to some, being critical of Lincoln City!
I’ve been thinking about the permanent players I felt flopped the hardest, the ones that came with big expectations and ended up leaving, having not reached them. I’m not talking about signings who came in as cover and didn’t play, nor loan signings. No, these are permanent signings who, when they arrived, were thought of as key players for the immediate future.
I’m only doing EFL-era (post 2017) as there are far too many to do from the National League. I could do a ’10 Worst David Holdsworth Signings’ alone, and still have a bank of ten in reserve. No, these are only post-2017, and there are some surprising entries on here (according to Charlie Beeston, at least).
Shall we crack on?
10. Billy Knott
Billy Knott’s inclusion at number ten comes with a hint of sadness. A creative midfielder who impressed during a loan spell in the National League title-winning season, Knott was brought in permanently for the EFL return. Fans hoped he would become a key figure. Unfortunately, it never happened: Knott scored twice in his first four games but never truly established himself in the starting XI, making just nine League Two starts.
He was also often played in positions other than his favoured ten role, which stifled his creativity. His one start as a ten ended early, the red card against Notts County proved pivotal, and he was soon out of favour. He eventually left on loan to Rochdale and never regained momentum, later drifting into non-league football. He was a player of real ability, but one Lincoln never quite unlocked.
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