Reeco Hackett
Reeco Hackett had actually started to establish himself at Portsmouth by the time City came calling, but there was never a sense that he had completely nailed down a place at Fratton Park. Pompey had signed him from Bromley in January 2020, only to send him back there on loan later that year and then on to Southend United, before he eventually became more involved during the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons.
Even then, he remained in and out of the side, making 60 league appearances across his Portsmouth career, and there were plenty of supporters unconvinced by him, particularly when he was asked to operate as a wing-back. He clearly had attributes, but the feeling from some Pompey fans was that he was not reliable enough in that role, and when City paid an undisclosed fee for him in June 2023 it was hardly seen as Portsmouth losing one of their key players.
At Sincil Bank, Hackett has become something very different. He scored seven league goals in his first season, eventually developed into one of City’s most dangerous attacking players and hit 11 in the title-winning 2025/26 campaign. By August 2026 he had 22 league goals in 103 appearances for the Imps and a contract running until 2029, a remarkable progression for a player who had never quite become indispensable at Portsmouth.
Some great names there from the past including my favourite GH. Goid article.