Former Lincoln City goalkeeper Scott Loach has joined Eastwood CFC ahead of the 2026/27 season.
The 38-year-old has made the move from Newark Town, having helped them reach last season’s United Counties League Premier Division North play-off final. They were beaten 2-0 by another of his former clubs, Grantham Town.
Loach arrived at Lincoln City as a teenager after being spotted playing for Southwell United. He had previously spent time in the Ipswich Town academy before returning to Nottinghamshire, where he also had a spell with Chesterfield.
The goalkeeper joined City’s Centre of Excellence in April 2003 before signing scholarship terms the following year. Although he did not make a senior appearance for the Imps, his development included a succession of loan spells in local non-league football.
His first temporary move came with Bourne Town in August 2004, before he also represented Radcliffe Olympic and Boston Town. Further spells followed with Spalding United, Lincoln United and Grantham Town as City looked to give the young goalkeeper experience of senior football.
Loach was never on the books as a professional at Sincil Bank, but his potential had attracted attention elsewhere. Watford signed him in April 2006, with the Imps receiving a reported £50,000 fee, and he signed his first professional contract with the Hornets shortly afterwards.
#NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/69T1GaMhPA
— Scott Loach (@S1goalkeeping) August 14, 2023
It was at Vicarage Road that Loach established himself in the Football League. After gaining further experience with Stafford Rangers, Morecambe and Bradford City, he broke into the Watford side and made more than 150 league appearances for the club.
His performances also earned international recognition. Loach represented England at under-21 level on 14 occasions and was part of the squad that finished as runners-up at the 2009 European Under-21 Championship. He was later called into the senior England squad, although he did not win a cap.
The goalkeeper returned to his boyhood club Ipswich Town in 2012 and later played for Rotherham United, Bury, Peterborough United, Yeovil Town, Notts County and York City. Longer spells followed with Hartlepool United, Barnet and Chesterfield before he finished his professional career at Derby County.
Loach announced his retirement from professional football in June 2024, but returned to playing with Wakefield the following March. He subsequently joined Newark Town and has now continued his career with Eastwood, who finished seventh in the ninth tier last season.
Although he never made a first-team appearance for the Imps, Loach’s time at Sincil Bank proved to be an important step in a career that eventually brought more than 500 appearances across professional and non-league football.
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