Six trialists featured as City recorded a 1-0 victory against Doncaster Rovers, with two of them combining in the move that produced the only goal of the game.
The line-up was not the one many supporters expected to see in our final public friendly before the Championship season begins. Rather than fielding a side packed with established first-team players, the Imps used the fixture to examine six players who were not under contract at Sincil Bank.
That made the result almost secondary. There were still important minutes for Andrei Coubiș, Joe Gauci and Josh Honohan, but much of the intrigue surrounded the unfamiliar names alongside them. Some arrived with extensive Football League experience, while others appeared to fit positions in which City may still want additional depth.
There can be several reasons for using trialists at this stage of pre-season. The recruitment team may be considering immediate additions, players may be building fitness while searching for their next club, or City may simply be gathering information before making decisions later in the window. A trial appearance does not automatically mean a contract offer is likely, particularly when so many players are being assessed at once.
Indeed, as Tom Shaw said in his post-match interview, many have come to help us out.
“They’ve come in to help themselves a little bit and get them into a proper game. Some of those lads have been training at the PFA,” he said post-match.“They’ve really helped us today, and we’ll have a conversation with them over the next 24-48 hours. But a few of those players have done really well.”
However, the fact that six featured against strong opposition offered an opportunity to examine what each might bring. The following pages assess how every trialist performed against Doncaster, where they fitted into the system and whether their display suggested they have a realistic chance of earning a City contract.