Lincoln City get the 2026/27 campaign underway this weekend in the Carabao Cup away at Derby County, and Chris Cohen has given us an injury update.
Pride Park isn’t a new ground: we were there a couple of seasons ago, and went twice in 2023/24 as we also played them in the EFL Trophy. While this is the first game of a big campaign for City, it also feels a little like a dress rehearsal for the big one next weekend at Middlesbrough.
In his pre-match press conference, Lincoln City Head Coach Cohen spoke of the game as the first of the season, dispelling any notion it’s being treated as a pre-season game.
“There’s nothing like the first game of the season,” he told Imps+.
“The boys are ready. Physically, we’ve kept them in a really good place. Obviously, there have been some unfortunate knock injuries, but we haven’t picked up one muscle injury throughout the course of pre-season, which is an amazing testament to the backroom staff, who do a great job.
“The real stuff starts on Saturday. It’s a proper game against a big club who did brilliantly in the division that we’re going into last year. We can’t wait for it.”
There have been some players we haven’t seen much of this summer. Tom Bayliss has been missing for a couple of games after scoring at Boston, while Sonny Bradley and Dom Jefferies both sat out the recent double-header against Doncaster and Barnsley.
Chris revealed that while those players might not make the weekend, they are close to a return, and we don’t have anything to worry about long-term.
“All of them are close,” he added. “It’s just whether it can be this weekend or next weekend. None of them are long-term injuries, but we’re hoping to have a couple back this weekend.
“Whether we rush them back or not is probably a decision we’ll make over the next 24 hours or so. We’ll most definitely put out a competitive team and a competitive squad for the fixture, which is most important.”
City had sold 1,500 tickets for the trip to Pride Park, where we’ll expect to see debuts handed to Andrei Coubis, Mason Melia and Callum Elder, himself a former Ram. Elder said everyone is ‘raring to go’ for what will be a big season in Lincoln City’s history.
“That was a big reason why I came to the football club, the momentum the club has built on and off the pitch. It’s an exciting time for everyone involved with Lincoln City.
“To join a group of players who were winning most weeks and moving into a new season, I think it’s really important that we take the momentum the football club has built up over the last 12 to 18 months and attack the Championship.
“It’s obviously going to be very difficult and competitive, but I think it’s an exciting time for the players, staff and fans, going to new grounds. Everyone is raring to go.”
Comments Welcome!