Former Lincoln City forward Derek Asamoah is still going at the age of 45, with the Keith Alexander-era Imp signing for Whitstable Town.
Asamoah, who played for City during the 2004/05 and 2005/06 seasons, has joined the Oysters following their promotion to the Isthmian League South East Division. Whitstable won the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division last season, finishing top with 87 points from 36 matches, and they have now added one of the most travelled former Lincoln players of the modern era to their squad.
The one-time Ghana international had most recently been with Sittingbourne, having continued to score goals well into his forties. His latest move takes him to Whitstable under manager Lee Martin, the former Manchester United, Ipswich Town and Charlton Athletic player.
Asamoah’s Lincoln spell came after he had fallen out with Mansfield Town boss Carlton Palmer. Keith Alexander brought him to Sincil Bank, where there was immediate excitement around his pace. He was quick, direct and capable of unsettling defenders, but the end product never quite matched the threat.
He made 35 league appearances for the Imps, scoring twice, with both goals coming at Sincil Bank. The first came in a 2-1 win over Oxford United, while the second arrived in a 3-1 victory against Chester City. That performance helped prompt Chester to take him on loan, and the switch brought a far sharper return in front of goal.
Asamoah scored eight times in 17 league games for Chester, a striking contrast to his two goals in 35 league appearances for Lincoln. He had looked like a player who might become a real force in League Two, but City rarely saw enough of that final action. The speed was obvious. The frustration was that it did not often turn into goals.
When Asamoah left, Alexander summed up the mixed feeling around his departure.
“I’m sorry to see him go as he’s been a good servant to the club, albeit at times you want more of an end product. He’s a crowd pleaser and a likeable lad and I wish him all the best.”
That lack of end product at Lincoln did not stop Asamoah from building a remarkable career. He went on to play for Shrewsbury Town, Nice, Hamilton Academical, Lokomotiv Sofia, Pohang Steelers, Daegu FC and Carlisle United, among others. He also won four caps for Ghana and scored once for his country.
His Carlisle spell is probably the one many outside Lincoln remember best. Asamoah scored at Anfield in a League Cup tie against Liverpool in 2015, with Carlisle eventually losing on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
Now, more than 20 years after first arriving at Sincil Bank, he is still playing. Whitstable are the latest stop in a career that has stretched across England, Scotland, France, Bulgaria and South Korea, and one that shows little sign of ending quietly.
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