Lincoln City’s youngsters will make the short journey across the city on Friday evening as they begin their pre-season programme against Lincoln United.
The game at the Sun-Hat Villas & Resorts Stadium, Ashby Avenue, will be the first fixture of the 2026/27 campaign for the young Imps, offering the academy players an early opportunity to test themselves against senior opposition.
There is a new look in the dugout as well: Isaac Rice will be part of the coaching setup after joining Sam Tillen as professional development phase lead coach ahead of the season. Rice already has considerable experience of the Imps’ academy after initially joining the club on a part-time basis in 2021. He later moved into a full-time coaching role while also working with the University of Lincoln.
The Lincoln-born coach came through the Sheffield Wednesday academy as a player and signed his first professional contract with the Owls in December 2018.
A defender by trade, he made his senior debut in Wednesday’s 2-0 FA Cup victory over Exeter City in January 2021 before leaving Hillsborough at the end of that season. He subsequently spent a short period with Newark before joining Gainsborough Trinity, where he made 58 league appearances and scored once between 2021 and 2023.
He believes the meeting with United will provide a useful physical examination for the squad after their return to training.
“Lincoln United will be a good first challenge of pre-season for the lads,” he told the club’s official comms. “It’s a senior side who will be well-coached, so it will be a physically challenging test, but it will set a good early tone for the season ahead.
“The players have been back over a week now and preparations ahead of both this fixture and the season have been positive, they’ve all come back in great condition and have been working hard every day to make sure they’re ready.”
The fixture has become a regular part of the academy’s preparations and gives City’s young players the chance to experience some of the demands they could face as they progress towards senior football.
You can pay at the gate, £6 for adults, £4 for concessions.
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