Adam Reach has admitted he would not have believed how quickly his decision to drop into League One would lead him back to the Championship with Lincoln City.
The 33-year-old joined City in September 2025 following a short spell with Wycombe Wanderers, bringing considerable second-tier experience to the Imps after previously representing Middlesbrough, Sheffield Wednesday and West Bromwich Albion.
Reach quickly became an important member of the squad as City embarked on their remarkable promotion campaign. His versatility, experience and quality from distance all proved valuable, with his performances earning him an extended contract in January. He went on to help the Imps win the League One title, completing an unexpected return to the Championship just a year after arriving at Sincil Bank.
Reach has remained a key figure since promotion. He scored City’s first league goal of the new season against his former club Middlesbrough and has featured regularly during an encouraging opening run in which the Imps have demonstrated that they can compete at this level.
Previously, he has played more than 200 games in the second tier, and he could have been forgiven for thinking that time had come to an end when he came to us. Asked how satisfying it was to be playing Championship football again, Reach said:
“It’s really satisfying. It’s just gone 12 months since I signed for Lincoln. If you’d said to me 12 months ago that, in the space of another year, I was going to be back in the Championship and competing, then, not to do this club a disservice, I don’t think I would have quite believed it.
“I think what we achieved last year was amazing. On a personal level, to be back in the Championship is great because it’s a level that I believe I’m capable of playing at, and I’ve shown that in the past.
“I’m really happy to be back here. But, as we’ve said in loads of interviews, we’re not here just to make up the numbers. We’re not here just to collect postcards from stadiums. We’re here to compete, and I think what we’ve shown everyone during this first period of games is that we’re more than capable of doing that.”
That belief has been evident throughout City’s opening fixtures. There have already been difficult moments, but the Imps have collected points and produced competitive performances against clubs operating with much greater resources.
For Reach, the past 12 months have brought personal vindication as well as collective success. Dropping into League One could have been seen as a step away from the level at which he had spent most of his career.
Instead, it has allowed him to play a central role in one of the most memorable seasons in the club’s history and earn another opportunity to show that he still belongs in the Championship.
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