Five Lincoln City Players Who Might See Promotion Affect Their Chances Next Season

Erik Ring

I could cry. I really could. I like everything about Erik. He’s exciting on the ball, he can beat players and score spectacular goals. I tipped him to explode this season, and instead, he’s got fewer League One minutes than last time out. He’s played just over 160 minutes this season, not two full matches, while he got 855 last time out. Last season, he had just signed and needed to settle, but this season he was meant to kick on.

I feel for Erik. We shifted shape and that should have suited him, but we’ve had some good luck across the front line. Reeco Hackett, Ben House, Jack Moylan, Dom Jefferies, Rob Street, Frankie Okoronkwo, and Ryan Oné have all come into the team at times, capable of playing wide and perhaps more suited to the 4-2-3-1 (ish) system we utilise. One thing most of those players have is an understanding of the physical elements of the game, which is perhaps where Erik has struggled.

Now, here is the thing. Had we stayed in League One, I have every belief Erik would have moved on. Elite Significant Contribution slots let English clubs sign foreign players who do not meet standard work permit points, provided they meet specific international or youth criteria. In League One, you get two, and with Ivan taking one, if we wanted to sign from abroad, we’d need to move Erik on. In the Championship, you get four.

I’m not saying Erik will definitely stay, but it does open the possibility for him to go out on loan, for instance, and get minutes, so we can realise value on an asset. It’s a big shout, as we’re sure to scour the European market, maybe even go wider, and if there are three we like, then Erik would naturally be the one I’d expect to go.

Still, with two goals and two assists across 398 minutes in the FA Cup and EFL Trophy, we might think there is a player there who could benefit from a loan spell. Remember, we could loan out an ESC player so they can reach the required 60% or more playing time needed to qualify for a full GBE and free up the slot. For the conversion to succeed, the player must hit specific appearance thresholds at the loan club. For a season, as we hold his registration, he would still count as “our” ESC player, but if he got 75% of minutes at, for instance, Crewe or MK Dons, it is my understanding he would convert for us.