Oli Hawkins

August 31st 2017, was a rough day for City. As well as the Akinola deal falling through, it’s also widely believed we missed out on another striker, Oli Hawkins. Hawkins was well known to the Imps – he’d been a big part of the Dagenham side that pushed us for the title in early 2017, as well as Jordan Maguire-Drew and Corey Whitely. However, Hawkins was young, eager and fitted the profile of a striker Danny and Nicky loved.

It’s understood a deal was struck with Dagenham, and he even attended the ground on the 30th to have a look around. Like Darren Rogers, we expected him to return the next day and sign for the club. Only he didn’t; he went to the South Coast and penned a deal with Pompey in League One.

He’s since appeared for Ipswich and Mansfield, getting a red card for the Stags in a play-off final, before joining Gillingham, where he recently bagged a last-minute winner against Grimsby Town.