The Stacey West were sad to hear of the loss of former midfielder Trevor Meath recently, a player whose time at Sincil Bank was defined as much by resilience and determination as it was by raw ability.
Meath, who has passed away recently, remains a hugely respected figure among supporters who watched City during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Strong, wholehearted and fiercely committed, he became a popular figure in a relatively short spell with the club, despite injuries cruelly limiting what many believed could have been an outstanding Lincoln City career.
Born in Wednesbury on March 20, 1944, Meath first attracted attention while playing school football in Staffordshire. Chelsea reportedly showed interest in signing him as an apprentice, but he instead chose to continue training as an electrician while playing local football with Darlaston. That route eventually led him to Walsall, where he became a professional and made 67 league appearances, scoring 11 goals.
Ron Gray brought Meath to Sincil Bank in October 1969 for £4,000 as City looked to improve a disappointing start to the season. He made an immediate impact, debuting in a 1-0 win over Exeter City before helping inspire a superb 4-0 victory against York City days later. Reports at the time praised his strength and determination, qualities that quickly made him a fan favourite.
His performances during the 1969/70 campaign hinted at a player capable of driving City towards promotion. Memorable displays included a dominant outing against Grimsby Town, immortalised by the Echo headline: “Big Trevor Makes MinceMeat(h) of Grimsby Town.” However, tragedy struck shortly afterwards when a serious knee injury against Gainsborough led to complications that required the kneecap to be amputated.
Few players would have fought back from such a setback, but Meath did. He worked tirelessly to regain fitness, even cycling regularly to and from the hospital as part of his rehabilitation. He eventually returned to action, featuring during the 1970/71 and 1971/72 seasons, often filling in across multiple positions as City battled injuries elsewhere in the squad. Yet another devastating knee injury, suffered at Doncaster in October 1971, ultimately brought his Football League career to a premature end.
Although his time in the game was shortened, Meath left a lasting impression on those who watched him play. Former supporters regularly spoke of what might have been had injuries not intervened, and he remained widely regarded as one of the club’s finest players of that era.
In total, Meath made 48 appearances for Lincoln City, scoring five goals, while his overall Football League career produced 110 appearances and 16 goals.
The thoughts of everyone connected with the Stacey West will be with Trevor Meath’s family and friends at this sad time.
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