‘I’ll Drive You There’ – Ten Lincoln City Players We’d Have Happily Got Rid Of Who Later Excelled

James Wilson

James Wilson joined City permanently from Sheffield United in January 2018, but never quite managed to force his way into a settled back line. A broken ankle did not help, while Michael Bostwick, Luke Waterfall and Neal Eardley all stood in the way of regular football, leaving Wilson with 26 appearances and two goals across his spell. He still played his part in the 2018/19 League Two title-winning season, but a departure felt inevitable given how sparingly he was used.

His career afterwards rather proved the ability was there. Wilson became Ipswich Town’s Player of the Year in 2020/21, then played 83 league games for Plymouth Argyle and helped them win the League One title in 2022/23 before later becoming a regular at Bristol Rovers. He has since joined Cheltenham Town, and his longevity makes his limited impact with the Imps feel more like a case of circumstance and competition than a lack of quality.