When Neymar completed his record-shattering €222 million transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, all sense of logic was lost in modern football. How could one player ever justify such an eye-watering price tag?
There have, of course, been several nine-figure deals signed off since then, with pockets becoming ever deeper. How are those operating on the metaphorical string of a shoe supposed to compete with rivals that are seemingly in possession of an infinite ball of yarn?
In circumstances such as that, skills of man-management and clever recruitment variety are put to the test. Examinations can still be passed with flying colours even when established learning tools are in short supply.
Stepped up the ladder
Follow all this afternoon’s action on the #EFL Match Centre! 👇
⚽️— EFL (@EFL) February 14, 2026
Lincoln City are proving as much in 2025-26, having done so for the best part of 10 years. With odds seemingly stacked against them, the Imps have trimmed those in football betting markets focused on the League One promotion race into 1/6.
Favour continues to be earned within football tips, with Michael Skubala’s side now 5/2 to claim the third-tier title outright. Having previously stepped up the ladder as champions of the National League and League Two, it is easy to get a taste for trophy-winning exploits.
Lincoln have knocked on a door that leads into the Championship before, but never found anybody at home. They intend to ring the bell and rattle the letterbox this time around.
Gatecrashing parties has become something of a calling card for the Imps. Nobody can be sure who invited them, but they are certainly going to make their presence known.
A loyal fan base has been doing its bit on that front, with a racket being made at venues around the country, whether they are accommodating or not. The value of passionate support in the stands cannot be overstated.
Skubala has admitted as much, acknowledging that the club’s supporters are “so good”. He has pointed out that they are “not just coming to watch, they’re coming to be part of the result”.
Everything at Sincil Bank is a team effort. The sum of all the parts may not quite add up, but somehow it still works. When that happens, you know you are onto a good thing, and it is best to sit back and enjoy the ride.
Points make prizes
🏡 Back on home turf. pic.twitter.com/2xixoz2p7i
— Lincoln City FC 🇺🇦 (@LincolnCity_FC) February 14, 2026
When it comes to League One wage bills, Lincoln sit 17th in the standings. If spending power were intrinsically linked to places in the table, then the Imps would be casting anxious glances towards a relegation battle unfolding below them.
Fortunately, as is the case in many other walks of life, it is points that make prizes in football, not money in the bank. The Imps continue to put plenty of those on the board as collective gazes are cast in an upward direction.
Of course, it would be nice not to worry about bills and to boast a budget that rivals the GDP of an entire country, allowing cash to be splashed in rather reckless fashion, but not everybody can operate in those circles.
Lincoln are never going to sign their own version of Neymar – which is not an altogether bad thing – but they are proving that a rare commodity still exists in modern sport. Value for money may be hard to find at times, in an era of billionaire owners, but it has not disappeared entirely, and it is that which continues to ensure that playing fields are not tipped entirely in favour of the haves over the have-nots.