Last week, WhoScored named their League One Team of the Season, with Adam Reach flying the flag for Lincoln City.
It was surprising to see a side that had so few representatives from ourselves, while every other TOTS seems to have a plethora of Imps players involved.
Nevertheless, there was still one inclusion, with Reach nailing down the left-back position after a fine debut campaign in Lincolnshire.
Here’s @WhoScored‘s highest rated #SkyBetLeagueOne Team of the Season! 🌟
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— Sky Bet League One (@SkyBetLeagueOne) May 8, 2026
That position was a much-discussed area in pre-season, following Sean Roughan’s departure to Huddersfield Town. With skipper Paudie O’Connor also leaving, those two positions were always going to be key to replace. However, we haven’t just done that; we’ve managed to improve on both players. That isn’t a dig at either of our former employees, but instead praise for Reach and Sonny Bradley, who have both been exceptional this season.
In particular, Reach’s story has been a memorable one. Last season, he was without a club for the first half of the campaign after ending his three-year association with West Bromwich Albion. On the final day of the winter transfer window, the 33-year-old joined Wycombe Wanderers, but was released at the end of the 24/25 season. It left the experienced left-back in the same position as 12 months earlier, with his future in the game uncertain.
After spending pre-season with the PFA, Lincoln finally ended his wait for a new club on the first day of September. It was no secret that we had missed out on other targets, namely Josh Honohan, who eventually signed for the Imps anyway. Fellow summer recruit Ryley Towler had begun the season on the left side of defence, but Reach quickly made that position his own. At the end of his first month in Lincolnshire, he scored a stunning free-kick and provided an assist in a fine away victory at Peterborough United.
Christmas brought the best out of him in a goalscoring sense, scoring in three successive matches. It began with his superb volley against Barnsley, which was named the Imps Goal of the Season last month. Further efforts followed against Huddersfield and Peterborough at the start of 2026. Injury ruled Reach out of the final eight matches of the season, but the job was almost done, thanks in part to the work of the experienced full-back.
What About The Rest Of The Team?
I’m not quite sure how WhoScored calculates their metrics or put together this team, given that some higher-rated players in a handful of positions missed out. Peterborough United goalkeeper Alex Bass was a surprise inclusion, given Posh had the seventh-worst defensive record. However, that was despite his strong performances in goal for Luke Williams’ side.
There can be few complaints about the inclusion of Stevenage duo Carl Piergianni and Charlie Goode, despite the former’s nightmare moment in Saturday’s play-off clash with Stockport County. Incidentally, Bradley just misses out, ranked as the sixth-best player in the entirety of the division this season.
Perry Ng is Cardiff City’s solitary inclusion at right-back, while the midfield four is hard to dispute. I’m a big fan of Amario Cozier-Duberry, and having watched him in the flesh on Saturday evening, he is destined for a Championship loan next year at the very least. Ollie Norwood and Lewis Wing make up the midfield two, while Wigan Athletic’s Fraser Murray’s place can be disputed.
According to WhoScored, he is the 30th best player in the division, with several midfielders, including Jack Moylan, statistically better than him. A TOTS that doesn’t feature the division’s top goalscorer and Player of the Season, Dom Ballard, also feels strange. However, Kyle Wootton and Lorent Tolaj have been excellent for Stockport County and Plymouth Argyle, respectively.
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