Lincoln City have spent the most money in their history this summer, as the Imps looked to improve their arsenal of players ahead of a first season in the Championship after more than six decades away, writes Olly Burton.
Andrei Coubiș and Mikkel Ladefoged became the first million-pound-plus signings in the history of the club as a result, after their moves from U Cluj and Vasteras, respectively. But what if signings weren’t allowed? What if EFL teams could only field sides made up of academy graduates? What would a current Lincoln City look like, with only players still playing who graduated from our academy?
Here is a potential Lincoln City side that would answer those very questions.
Goalkeeper – Sam Long
Getting us started in this eleven is goalkeeper Sam Long, who currently plays as second choice at League Two promotion favourites Salford City. The twenty-three-year-old joined The Ammies this summer after leaving Bromley, where he was also second fiddle. Long’s time at Hayes Lane was a success, as he earned the fourth-tier title alongside current and former Imps Deji Elerewe and Grant Smith.
Long’s time at Lincoln was a mixed bag, as he had a bright start to his career at City. The ‘keeper made six appearances in his debut season under Michael Appleton, impressing in particular against Plymouth Argyle in a 2-1 victory at Home Park in 2022. A loan to League of Ireland side Drogheda United followed, where Long found more success. Further loans to Boston, Bromley and Falkirk all followed, before he was eventually allowed to leave Lincolnshire in pursuit of more first-team football, signing for Bromley permanently in 2024.
Left Back – Sean Roughan
One of the easiest selections of the entire eleven, Sean Roughan slots into left back in this 4-4-2 formation. The dependable Irishman burst onto the scene as a teenager, starting six League One games at the beginning of the 2020/21 season, before seemingly disappearing for the remainder of that campaign and the beginning of the next.
The turning point in Roughan’s City career came in 2022 as a loan to Drogheda alongside Sam Long helped to prove a point, and when he came back to City at the beginning of 2022/23, he earned his spot back in the team under Mark Kennedy, and didn’t look back for the rest of his time at the club, becoming a virtual ever-present for City.
His move to Huddersfield last summer marked another success for the club, as a sizeable compensation package was awarded to Lincoln.
Centre Back – Hayden Cann
Perhaps the weakest area of the squad, Hayden Cann gets us started for this position. This is not a dig at Cann in particular, who has gone on to be a regular in the League of Ireland, but is rather a reflection on the strength of other positions. Still only 22, Cann only made two appearances for the Lincoln first team, both coming via the EFL Trophy in the 2020/21 season.
Loans to Gainsborough, Lincoln United, Peterborough Sports and Drogheda followed, before moving to Dundalk permanently in the summer of 2024. Since then, he has plied his trade at Derry City and Waterford this season
Centre Back – MJ Kamara
The stronger of the two centre-halves, MJ Kamara most recently linked up with former Imps teammate Erik Ring at Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership. Kamara only ever made one appearance for the Imps, however, playing in the EFL Trophy two seasons ago. The twenty-year-old impressed last season on loan at Glentoran in Northern Ireland, capturing the interest of Tony Bloom’s Jamestown Analytics. Despite offering a new deal to Kamara, Lincoln lost out, and the centre-back moved to Scottish runners-up Heart of Midlothian this summer.
Kamara made just one appearance for The Jambos, playing six minutes of a Europa League qualifier at home to giants Benfica, before heading to Kilmarnock in search of more regular game time.
Right Back – Elicha Ahui
Winning the sponsors’ man of the match award on his first team debut against Newcastle United U21S under Mark Kennedy, Ahui looked to be a potential prospect for the club. A good loan spell at Drogheda in the first half of the 2023 season was followed by a struggle on loan at Ayr United, before heading to Peterborough Sports for the rest of the 23/24 season.
Ahui then returned to Drogheda on a permanent deal in July 2024, where he again impressed, coming to the attention of sister club Walsall. Ahui had to be patient to make an impact for The Saddlers, but has started six of the first League Two matches so far this campaign. Ahui has all the trademarks to make his career a success in the EFL.
Right Midfield – Robert Taylor
One of the most successful players to have ever been a part of the academy setups at Lincoln City, Robert Taylor has had a dream career. The Finn never got a crack at Sincil Bank, as he was loaned to UCL Premier outfit Boston Town for experience, making one appearance.
However, Taylor’s career sparked into life in 2016, establishing himself as one of the leading players in the Finnish Veikkausliiga at RoPS, becoming a Finland international in the following year. This earned him moves to AIK, Tromso, Brann and then, most famously of all, Inter Miami. Taylor became a standout in MLS alongside none other than Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in the country’s most prolific attack in 2023 and 2024. Since then, Taylor has moved on, transferring to Austin in 2025 and then to LA Galaxy this summer.
Centre Mid – Oisin Gallagher
The first player in this eleven still at the club, Oisin Gallagher has made an imperious start to his season at Barnet in League Two. The Ireland U21 international has started all seven of his loan club’s league matches, as they sit top of the division, scoring one goal in that run. This looks to be his most important loan move yet, as previous spells at Peterborough Sports, Drogheda and Boston have all led up to being an EFL regular.
Capable of playing as a six, eight, ten, or even a centre-half, Gallagher has made seven appearances for Lincoln so far in his career. A recent contract extension demonstrates the belief in Oisin from the club, as he is clearly a talent that has a big future in LN5.
Centre Mid – Ellis Chapman
A local lad, Ellis Chapman is one of the players in this eleven that most fans will have wanted to do well at the Imps, but unfortunately that didn’t transpire in the way most had hoped. After making thirty-one appearances for Lincoln either side of a loan to Chesterfield, Chapman moved on to Cheltenham Town to make more regular appearances in senior football.
The midfielder’s big break, however, came in 2024, when he moved across the Irish Sea to link up with Sligo Rovers. Ever since, Chapman has been a mainstay in the LOI, playing heavily for Sligo, Shelbourne and most recently Derry City where he has netted five in fourteen appearances.
Left Midfield – Zane Okoro
The second player of this team still at Lincoln City, Zane Okoro is one of the most exciting youngsters in the EFL right now. At only nineteen, Okoro has already racked up fifty-five senior appearances. The American made his first start for City in style, scoring impressively against Manchester City U21S in the EFL Trophy in 2024.
Since then, a successful first loan to Coleraine followed, where the forward ended up winning the Irish Cup final in May, as well as netting four times on the road to Europe in the league. The next step was Tranmere Rovers, where Okoro has impressed yet again, scoring twice after the first seven games in League Two, also grabbing an assist.
It is certainly expected that Okoro can be a big player for City, as he turned down an offer from Premier League Bournemouth to commit to a new contract at Sincil Bank; such is the faith he has in us, and we have in him.
Striker – Jovon Makama
One of the biggest success stories in the history of the club, Jovon Makama has reached new heights since leaving the Imps last summer. The first ever one-million-pound sale in City’s history, Makama has taken The Championship by storm at Norwich City, proving why he was so highly thought of in Lincolnshire.
In the second half of his final season at Lincoln, Makama was one of League One’s standout performers. Playing as a right winger then, Makama was a bully for left-backs up and down the division, scoring an impressive hat-trick against Bristol Rovers in a 5-0 rout. His form has only improved for The Canaries, where he has grabbed fourteen goals in thirty-four games.
It would not be a surprise to see Makama become a Premier League player in the near future, and any move he makes would secure Lincoln extra money through his sell-on clause.
Striker – Freddie Draper
Another huge player for Lincoln in recent history, Freddie Draper has proved many people wrong since the turn of the new year. Enduring a tough start to his City career, Draper was thrown in at the deep end under Michael Appleton amidst an injury crisis in 2021/22, where he perhaps wasn’t quite ready just yet.
After being seemingly discarded by Mark Kennedy after the FA Cup defeat to Chippenham, Draper bounced back with two impressive loans at Drogheda and Walsall, where he became one of England’s most coveted young strikers. Since returning to Sincil Bank, it hasn’t been all plain sailing, however. A sub-optimal 2024/25 season by his standards could have set Draper back, but last season’s title-winning season is where everything changed.
Draper has since become a fan favourite and one of the first names on the team sheet, showing his qualities in abundance after hitting a rich vein of form in 2026. There is still much more to come from our thirty-four.
Subs Bench –
GK – Isaac Allan – Hepburn Town (On loan from Sunderland)
CB – Charlie Parks – Lincoln City
CM – Tim Akinola – Woking
CM – Billy Brooks – Pitea
ST – Jordan Adebayo Smith – Minnesota United 2
ST – Nathan Odokonyero – Salisbury
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