Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw have been appointed head coaches of Lincoln City.
Cohen and Shaw step up from their previous roles as assistant head coaches after playing a key role in one of the most successful periods in the club’s recent history, culminating in the Imps’ Sky Bet League One title-winning campaign in 2025/26.
The duo have been instrumental in helping shape the club’s football identity and environment, both working closely with the players and leading training every day throughout the remarkable title-winning season.
Chief executive Liam Scully said: “Chris and Tom have made an enormous contribution to the success we have enjoyed as a football club, and particularly during our League One title-winning season.
“They are outstanding coaches, brilliant people and have fully embraced the culture, standards and identity we have worked so hard to build at Lincoln City.
“The relationships they have developed with the players, staff and supporters have been hugely important, and we believe this appointment provides continuity, stability and an exciting opportunity to continue moving the football club forward.
“Winning the League One title with 103 points was an incredible achievement, with Chris and Tom playing an integral role. While that undoubtedly earned them serious consideration, the club’s work to identify and appoint the next head coach has been a transparent, ongoing and thorough process, even when Michael was in position, involving a range of external candidates.
“Ultimately, Chris and Tom have been appointed because we believe they are the right people to lead the team and build on the progress already made.”
Chris enjoyed a long playing career as a versatile midfielder, coming through at West Ham United before spells with Yeovil Town and Nottingham Forest, where he became a hugely popular figure, made more than 300 appearances in all competitions and twice won the club’s Player of the Year award. Injuries eventually brought his playing days to an end in 2018, but he quickly moved into coaching, initially with Forest’s Under-23s before joining Luton Town as first-team coach under Nathan Jones in 2020.
He was later promoted to assistant manager, followed Jones to Southampton in 2022, and then had his first spell with Lincoln City in November 2023, assisting Tom Shaw during his interim period. After returning as assistant head coach under Michael Skubala in January 2024, Cohen briefly moved to Stoke City later that year before coming back to the Imps’ coaching staff for a third spell in November 2024.
Tom spent his career playing as a midfielder, beginning with Rushden & Diamonds and later taking in spells with Tamworth, Kidderminster Harriers, Cambridge United, Alfreton Town and Chester, as well as a brief appearance with City after his move into the club’s academy setup.
His coaching career has been closely tied to youth development and Lincoln, having worked in academy roles at Nottingham Forest and Derby County before becoming Lincoln’s lead PDP coach in 2018. He later combined that role with a spell as Gainsborough Trinity head coach, was promoted into City’s first-team staff in 2022, and then stepped up as interim head coach after Mark Kennedy’s departure in October 2023, overseeing three wins from seven matches before Michael Skubala arrived. Shaw remained as assistant head coach, earned his UEFA Pro Licence in 2025, and later signed a new Lincoln contract running until 2029.
Sporting director Jez George added: “Chris and Tom were very close to being in these roles already, with autonomy to lead every training session, unit meetings and taking responsibility for devising individual game plans. Under Michael’s watch, they also designed, developed and finessed the game model.
“We know this goes against convention, but our job is to do what we think is right for Lincoln City at this time. This provides us with maximum continuity for squad that achieved 103 points last season and clarity at a crucial time leading up to the opening of the transfer window.
“I have experienced working with Danny and Nicky Cowley, who as brothers were as close as you could get to head coaches and when we discussed the way in which this will operate with Chris and Tom, it was disingenuous to portray the relationship as head coach and assistant as it is genuinely a 50/50 partnership.
“They have worked together, as equals, for two years and will continue to do so. Therefore, they are both our head coaches, and they will operate in the same way as last season except they will also now have ultimate responsibility, between them, on selecting the team.”
With football currently on holiday, neither head coaches are not thought to be around the club, and we’re likely going to have to wait a short time before we hear from them on their promotion to the top job.
The Stacey West obviously congratulates the pair on their promotion and cannot wait to see what the future holds.
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