Recently, I decided I wanted to do an article on former Imps who have played in Europe, but the numbers got a bit insane.
My aim was to find 20. I put it out to Patreons, and that crept up to 30. Once Twitter got involved, we pushed 40, and Malcolm got us to the half century. Since then, I have spent far too much time scouring starting XIs from history to find the odd player to add to the list.
My last count was 63 (64 now I realised Brian Gilmour played in Europe). 63 (64) former Imps who have played in Europe, and that is only the players.
Today, we’re looking at the now-defunct European Cup Winners’ Cup, one I always felt was a favourite. I loved the idea of winning your domestic cup and immediately going into a special European competition just for that. I don’t know why, it has a certain romance about it in my opinion.
This list contains the 12 players who won the ECWC. However, some other winners who also lifted the Champions League are not on this list. For that, you’ll have to see my previous article on the European Cup winners.
Bob Latchford
UEFA Cup (1978/79), Cup Winners’ Cup (1981/82, 1982/83)
Bob Latchford was a prolific striker for Everton during the late 1970s and early 1980s and played a major role in their European campaigns. He scored in three of their four UEFA Cup matches in 1978/79—including one in both 5-0 wins against Finn Harps. Later, while playing for Swansea, he found the net again, this time in the Cup Winners’ Cup appearances against sides like Sliema Wanderers.
One of England’s most feared forwards in his era, Latchford made a surprise late-career move to Lincoln City in 1985, joining the Imps but not making a splash. Though well past his prime and only briefly involved, his time at Sincil Bank added a notable footnote to a career that included European goals and England caps.
Brendan Bradley
UEFA Cup (1973/74, 1975/76), Cup Winners’ Cup (1974/75)
Brendan Bradley was a prolific striker for Finn Harps during the 1970s and played in European competition across three separate seasons. He featured in the UEFA Cup during the 1973/74 and 1975/76 campaigns, and in the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1974/75, appearing against Bursaspor.
All this came after joining the Imps in 1972, where he scored 12 league goals before returning to Finn Harps due to homesickness. Back home, Bradley shattered League of Ireland records, including 235 goals—a record still standing. He once scored all six goals in a 6-1 win and was named Ireland’s Personality of the Year in 1976. Despite modest fame in England, he’s revered in Ireland for his incredible career.
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