Theo Archibald
Another controversial one, because I like Archibald, but given he was at the club at the same time as Rogers, Johnson, Grant and Scully, his chances were limited.
He arrived from Macclesfield in 2020 with plenty of promise, but injuries and the disruption of the pandemic meant his City career never really got going. He made just 12 appearances, scoring once, and although there were flashes of ability, he never managed to establish himself under Michael Appleton. Even Mark Kennedy’s arrival did not revive things, with Archibald eventually moving on after making it clear he wanted a fresh start.
Leyton Orient proved to be the right move, with Archibald playing regularly, scoring goals and helping them win the League Two title in 2022/23. Serious injury problems later stalled his progress, including an ACL issue that kept him out for a long spell, but he fought his way back into the side and even captained Orient in 2026. His time at Sincil Bank was a missed opportunity, because he subsequently showed he was more than capable of being an effective League One player.
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