Over the course of the last week, we’ve been asking Stacey West readers to vote for their five favourite Lincoln City players of the 21st Century.
We’re now down to the final 40, and for this article, you’ve got from 40-26. You can listen to the most recent podcast for a more in-depth look at this section.
Across a whopping 565 votes, we got 113 different players, and what was going to be a top 25 has turned into something very different. Earlier, we ran down numbers 59-41, and on the podcast this evening, Chris and Ben will discuss 40-26.
If you missed the podcast, you can hear their discussion, or you can check out the list below. I think we’re getting down to the nitty-gritty now. One vote for Joe Taylor could have pushed him up a couple of places, but now we’re getting to a point where ten or 12 votes separate the different levels.
Next week comes the Top 25 Lincoln City Players of the 21st Century.
All comments welcomed!
40: Lee Beevers
Lee Beevers is another on the list who has had two spells with the Imps. Initially signed from Boston United in 2004, he appeared 188 times for City, bagging five goals, across three play-off campaigns. It was no surprise when he left for League One, but he came back in 2015/16, signing for Chris Moyses as the embryonic National League-winning side formed. Another 64 outings followed, although he managed just 17 in the 16/17 season after suffering an injury.
39: Ben House
Still only 26, House has now reached 156 outings for the Imps, with 31 goals. He was the top scorer in the 2022/23 season, but has since developed into more of a support forward, known for his insane energy and support pressing. He’s still got goals in him, as his brace in the title-clincher at Doncaster Rovers proved.
38: Adam Reach
Reach won a lot of fans in his single season (so far) at Sincil Bank. Clearly still a talent, the former Middlesbrough man popped up with goals and assists, not least a stunner against Barnsley over Christmas. His free-kick against Peterborough wasn’t bad, and despite missing the tail end of last season, he’s expected to play a role in our Championship campaign.
37: Adrian Patulea
Patulea was popular with supporters, perhaps as much for the narrative as anything. He played one season, grabbing 11 goals in 33 outings, but it was his arrival that raised eyebrows, as he carried his wife on his back while doing laps of the training pitch. He ended up in a battle of wits with manager Peter Jackson, before leaving after a season to sign for Leyton Orient.
36: Stuart Bimson
Bimmo is a hugely popular left back who played a key role in the 2002/03 season. He was about before that, scoring the penalty which inflicted Hull City’s first defeat in their new stadium, which made him even more of a hero to Imps’ fans. No-nonsense and uncompromising, Bimmo (along with Mark Bailey), epitomised the Keith era.
35: Morgan Rogers
He had to appear on here somewhere. Rogers had a five-month loan with us in 2020/21, and while still a little raw, he caught the eye every time he got on the ball. A winner at Portsmouth, his first for City, was the pick of the bunch, while he also terrorised MK Dons as we won 4-0 in April.
34: Paudie O’Connor
Paudie was a popular captain who looked gutted on the field for Reading at the end of last season. He left the Imps in search not of more money, but a route into the Championship, and was doubtless torn as he saw us celebrating at their place last season. As fond of a red card as he was of a goal, he appeared more than 150 times for the Imps, and rarely let us down.
33: George Wickens
Wickens had a tough 2024/25, but we watched a learning curve play out, and he really came into his own last season, sharing the Golden Glove with Filip Marschall at Stevenage. He made some big saves, one at Cardiff standing out on an afternoon where I think we really highlighted our title credentials.
32: Ivan Varfolomeev
Popularity doesn’t always come purely from on-pitch activity. That said, our club-record signing has impressed since joining from Slovan Liberec, mixing hard work with a little bit of class. He’s a likeable lad, and that certainly helps drive his popularity, despite relatively few appearances when compared to some on the list.
31: Luke Waterfall
Luke Waterfall and his magic hat helped the Imps to the 2016/17 title, but he was about more than that. He formed a building block of the side, having arrived in 2015, and he captained us to our first-ever Wembley cup win in 2018. He could be relied on for a goal, and was a committed and solid centre half.
30: Gary Taylor-Fletcher
Gary Taylor-Fletcher had a big career playing in the top flight, but he arrived at Lincoln after dropping out of the Football League. He always showed absolute class, ability beyond the basement division. His goal against Orient was a redemption of sorts, and his flair helped drive us to two top seven finishes, before he left for Huddersfield Town.
29: Alex Woodyard
Woodyard was the heartbeat of the 2016/17 title-winning side, the engine doing the hard work so others could express themselves. He only scored three goals for the Imps, one away at Forest Green to spark our revival in November 2016, and two as we thrashed Carlisle 4-1 in our first win back in the EFL.
28: Sean Raggett
Sean Raggett would have had a Championship career had he not suffered injury following his move to Norwich. Earned cult status before a ball was kicked after snubbing a National League rival to sign for the Imps, and cemented it with his winner at Burnley in the FA Cup. Played a season-and-a-half at the Bank, but is fondly remembered as a behemoth of the era.
27: Alan Power
Alan Power is the only player to break 200 appearances for the Imps, but he never played in the EFL. He joined following our relegation in 2011, and left following our promotion in 2016. At times, he felt like he was dragging the side through the wilderness, especially in 2013/14, and he still had a role to play in the big season under Danny and Nicky. He scored the winner against Altrincham in the First Round of the FA Cup and coolly dispatched a penalty to level against Brighton.
26: Sean Roughan
A wonderful entry at 26 as far as I’m concerned. Sean Roughan burst onto the scene in 2020/21, keeping Max Melbourne and (for a short time) Tayo Edun out of the side. He then disappeared for 18 months, cast aside by Michael Appleton, only to come back and grow into an excellent left-sided centre back. Left for Huddersfield for a fee thought to be around £500,000, but not before chalking up 149 Imps’ appearances, including every minute of the 2024/25 League One campaign.
100: Ethan Hamilton
99: Francis Green
98: Vadaine Oliver
97: Joe Taylor
96: Alex Mitchell
95: Matt Gilks
94: Carl Rushworth
93: Nat Brown
92: Shay McCartan
91: TJ Eyoma
90: Tyler Walker
89: Jack Muldoon
88: Simon Weaver
87: Nicky Eaden
86: Alex Palmer
85: Ben Futcher
84: Elliott Whitehouse
83: Grant Brown
82: Jack Diamond
81: Paul Smith
80: Janos Kovacs
79: Joe Morrell
78: Lewis Montsma
77: Paul Green
76: Tom Hopper
75: Tom Pett
74: Justin Walker
73: James Collins
72: Lee Thorpe
71: Bruno Andrade
70: Davide Somma
69: Jamie McCombe
68: Jason Shackell
67: John Akinde
66: Matt Green
65: Tayo Edun
64: Ben Wright
63: John Finnigan
62: Ben Sedgemore
61: Brooke Norton-Cuffy
60: Tom Hamer
59: Dom Jefferies
58: Freddie Draper
57: Michael O’Connor
56: Tom Miller
55: Steve Holmes
54: Rob Street
53: Jamie Taylor
52: Terry Hawkridge
51: Ted Bishop
50: Reeco Hackett
49: Ethan Erhahon
48: Mark Bailey
47: Sam Habergham
46: Adam Jackson
45: Regan Poole
44: Lukas Jensen
43: Paul Mayo
42: Scott Kerr
41: Jeff Hughes
40: Lee Beevers
39: Ben House
38: Adam Reach
37: Adam Patulea
36: Stuart Bimson
35: Morgan Rogers
34: Paudie O’Connor
33: George Wickens
32: Ivan Varfolomeev
31: Luke Waterfall
30: Gary Taylor-Fletcher
29: Alex Woodyard
28: Sean Raggett
27: Alan Power
26: Sean Roughan
Comments Welcome!