Three Former Lincoln City Players Have Contracts Extended Under Title-Winning Boss

Three former Lincoln City players have seen their contracts extended at Colchester United, as Danny Cowley sets out to challenge for the play-offs next season.

Danny has always liked to work with players he knows and trusts, and he has three former Lincoln City players at Colchester, although he didn’t manage one of them while he was at Lincoln. Teddy Bishop joined at the start of the 2021/22 season, to replace Jorge Grant, and while he oozed talent, he also suffered from injury issues.

He played 30 times for them last season, and appeared a further 37 times last season, and that has been enough for Danny to trigger an extension in his contract. The former Ipswich Town man is still only 29 and should have a huge impact in League Two when fit and firing.

Jack Payne was a Cowley signing, and it could be argued that we never saw the best of the attacking midfielder. He scored the first goal of the Michael Appleton era, but was also out of the door fairly quickly in 2020. His crimes were probably starting in the abhorrence against Sunderland, where we trailed 3-0 at half time, after which he came off, and having five minutes at the end of the 2-1 defeat against Southend United that season.

He’s done well since, impressing for Swindon and having decent spells at Charlton and MK Dons. He’s thrived under Danny at Colchester, netting 13 goals last season and adding six assists. Now 30, he is still in his prime and will spend another season in Essex looking to head up the table.

Finally, a Lincoln City legend (in my opinion), a holder of three winners’ medals, Harry Anderson, is also set to stay in Colchester. He is a firm Cowley favourite, having been signed six times by Dan and Nick during his career. He scored 11 times last season and added four assists, proving he still has that ability we lauded during his time with City. Unbelievably, Harry is still only 29, and can have a big role to play next season.

Colchester have also confirmed that one-time Lincoln City loanee Fin Barbrook has returned to Ipswich Town. Fin was on loan with the Imps earlier in the season, but only played EFL Trophy matches. He played 16 times for Colchester, seven of those coming as League Two starts, and he bagged a last-minute goal on the final day of the season as they ran riot at Cheltenham.