Lincoln City will travel to either National League North side Spalding United or Southern Premier League outfit Stamford AFC in the quarter-finals of the 2026/27 Lincolnshire Senior Cup after the competition was redrawn.
The Imps had been included in the original draw, but those fixtures have now been declared void following a change to the National League System club allocations.
Bourne Town were initially expected to be relegated, but have since been reprieved after another club submitted a voluntary demotion. Their points-per-game record was the strongest among the affected sides, meaning they will remain in their current division and must be included in the County Senior Cup.
The Lincolnshire FA said the original draw had taken place before the final allocations were confirmed and, because Bourne were not included, the first round and quarter-final fixtures had to be redrawn.
City have received a bye through the opening round and will enter the competition before the end of December. Their opponents will be either Spalding or Stamford, who are due to meet before the end of September.
Elsewhere, Gainsborough Trinity will face Lincoln United in the preliminary round, with the winner travelling to Grimsby Borough. Boston United have been drawn at home to either Boston Town or Cleethorpes Town, while Scunthorpe United will visit Grimsby Borough, Gainsborough or Lincoln United. Grimsby Town will host Grantham Town or Bourne.
Lincolnshire Senior Cup History
The competition has a significant place in the history of Lincolnshire football and Lincoln City itself. It can be traced back to the formation of the Lincolnshire FA in 1881, when 16 clubs entered the inaugural tournament.
Spilsby won each of the first three competitions, defeating Lincoln-based clubs along the way. The desire to create a stronger representative side in the city helped lead to the formation of Lincoln City in June 1884.
The Imps won the competition for the first time in 1886/87 and have since lifted it on 38 occasions, a record they share with Grimsby Town.
Its importance gradually declined after Lincoln and Grimsby entered the Football League in 1892, although it remained a regular part of the county football calendar. The format has changed repeatedly, ranging from straight finals and group stages to larger knockout competitions involving clubs from across the Lincolnshire pyramid.
🏆 Lincolnshire FA County Senior Cup – Roll of Honour 🏆
Since 1935, the County Senior Cup has been a proud part of Lincolnshire football heritage – with some of the county’s biggest clubs battling it out for silverware.
Here’s how the honours stack up:
🥇 @officialgtfc – 16… pic.twitter.com/ELoVGKDvNt
— Lincolnshire FA (@LincolnshireFA) June 28, 2025
City’s most recent success came in 2013/14, when they drew 0-0 with Gainsborough Trinity before winning the final 4-2 on penalties. They had also lifted the trophy in 2004/05 and 2006/07 during the previous decade. We were expelled from the competition in 2023 after fielding ineligible players, while we were also under fire in 2011 for sending a weakened side to lose against Grimsby.
Since the competition was expanded in 2015, professional clubs have often used youth or development sides, allowing the county’s non-league teams to enjoy greater success. Boston United are the current holders after beating Grimsby Town 3-0 in the 2025/26 final.
Revised draw
Preliminary round, to be played before the end of August
Gainsborough Trinity v Lincoln United
First round, to be played before the end of September
Spalding United v Stamford AFC
Grantham Town v Bourne Town
Grimsby Borough v Gainsborough Trinity or Lincoln United
Boston Town v Cleethorpes Town
Quarter-finals, to be played before the end of December
Spalding United or Stamford AFC v Lincoln City
Boston United v Boston Town or Cleethorpes Town
Grimsby Borough, Gainsborough Trinity or Lincoln United v Scunthorpe United
Grimsby Town v Grantham Town or Bourne Town
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