The good, the bad and the ugly: our regular look at the shared history between Bristol City and Lincoln City, picking out three figures whose time at the two clubs can be filed under very different headings.
As ever, ‘good’ and ‘bad’ relate to their contribution at Sincil Bank, while ‘ugly’ can encompass a miserable spell, an unfortunate incident or simply a story that did not end well.
There are some obvious names we could have chosen. Jamie McCombe would make a strong case for the good category, while Rob Dickie’s brief loan spell with the Imps offered an early glimpse of the player he would become. Hakeeb Adelakun certainly divided opinion, while Ryley Towler’s Lincoln City story is still being written.
Michael Skubala is the most prominent current connection. He left Lincoln City to take charge of Bristol City this summer, giving this weekend’s meeting an obvious additional storyline. However, this feature will look beyond the man in the opposition dugout, our title-winning, record-breaking coach, and explore three other figures from the shared history of the two clubs.
The Good: Joe Morrell
Joe Morrell came through the Bristol City academy, making his senior debut in October 2013. Loan spells with Sutton United, Margate and Cheltenham Town followed, with the midfielder playing 39 times and scoring three goals during a productive 2017/18 campaign with the latter.
He joined Lincoln City on a season-long loan in June 2019 and quickly became a fixture in the midfield. Morrell made 32 appearances in all competitions, bringing composure and consistency to a side adjusting to League One following promotion.
He almost opened his account in the 5-1 victory over Bolton Wanderers, only for the goal to be recorded as an own goal. Anthony Scully then denied him again in his final appearance, applying the finishing touch to a shot that appeared to be heading in before the season was curtailed.
Morrell’s influence was recognised when he was named Lincoln City Player of the Season. He also made his senior Wales debut during his time at Sincil Bank, later representing his country at Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup.
After leaving Bristol City, he had spells with Luton Town and Portsmouth. He made more than 100 appearances for Pompey and helped them win the League One title in 2023/24, although a knee injury brought his final season at Fratton Park to a premature end.
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