The fee Lincoln City agreed on for Rob Street is set to increase as a result of our promotion to the Championship.
The Imps secured promotion this weekend with a 2-1 win at Reading, while Bolton and Stockport only drew, doubling down on our elevation to the second tier. Now, we’re just a couple of games away from winning the division and making a little bit of history.
It’s great news for Lincoln City fans, but also good news for Cheltenham Town. They sold us Street for a nominal five-figure fee, with add-ons reported to be worth up to £100,000. One of those add-ons is linked to promotion, and as Jon Palmer reported, it has now been triggered.
Lincoln City’s promotion to the Championship will earn Cheltenham Town a modest sum as part of the Rob Street transfer deal #ctfc
— Jon Palmer (@JonPalmerSport) April 6, 2026
The amount Cheltenham get is likely to be small, probably around the same amount we got fined for the Exeter melee, but that is pure guesswork. We’re likely to see a big return as well – Street was the subject of a £1m bid over the summer, but he stayed put, and has played a key role in our promotion.
Indeed, he won the League Two title last season with Doncaster, and many hoped he could come back and do the same with us. He’s played in 40 of our 41 league matches this season, starting 35 and scoring eight goals. With his two League Cup goals, he is on double figures, along with Reeco Hackett and Jack Moylan.
It’s fair to suggest some of our other players could be the subject of additional payment based on promotion. We have paid fees for a number of players, the likes of Dom Jefferies and George Wickens, potentially incurring additional payments for our promotion.
Cheltenham, under Steve Cotterill, have just about staved off the threat of relegation from League Two this season. They’re on 43 points, ten clear of Barrow on 33, and with a game in hand. They’re unlikely to get rich from the Street sale, but their fans are likely to once again debate why he was sold so cheaply, when his potential was obvious to them, and his value had rocketed as expected.