1981/82 – 4th In Division Three
I think this is more a team over the ages, from 1979/80 when they finished second in the Fourth Division, right through to the end of the 82/83 season, one with such promise. You could perhaps cap this just after Christmas in ’83, with us well ahead in Division Three, having only missed out on promotion on the final day of the season the year before.
I think there is a stronger argument for Murphy’s 80s side to be the best ever than 75/76. Why? They were consistent across a promotion and the next 18 months, as well as operating on the tightest of budgets. We once played a keeper as a striker due to a lack of players, and were still promotion candidates. That’s mad.
Look at what the players from this era went on to do: Mick Harford played for England, Trevor Peake should have done. Shipley, Cockerill, Hobson, Cunningham and Thompson all played in the top flight. David Felgate represented a home international side, the first ever from Lincoln, and even the discarded apprentice, Wayne Biggins, ended up playing for Celtic.
There wasn’t quite the synergy between board and team, and that ultimately put paid to the progress, but there is a big shout for this to be the best Lincoln City team ever.
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