The planned friendly between Lincoln City and Hull City at Cottingham, scheduled for today, was called off at the Imps’ request.
It was reported by Hull Live that we were scheduled to face the Premier League side this afternoon, with both clubs looking to get minutes into the legs of players. However, reporter James Hoggarth tweeted this evening to suggest Hull were now looking for another fixture after the Imps’ game was cancelled.
🐯 Hull City boss Sergej Jakirovic told @mikewhitesport on Saturday he’d hoped to get game time minutes for a few players in a friendly against Lincoln City today. I understand the game was cancelled on The Imps’ request. The club is looking for another friendly shortly #hcafc
— James Hoggarth (@jameshoggarth) October 20, 2026
There is no further information about why the game was cancelled, but it is highly possible that there were playing reasons. Many of the Under 18s were playing at Ashby Avenue this evening, including the likes of Stacey West Patreon-sponsored Leo Fifield, and Kian Sagoo. That could have left the Imps short of numbers for a rotational outing.
It does seem pertinent to try to get minutes into some players, particularly the likes of Josh Honohan and Ethan Wheatley, should they be available. That could be part of the problem: Wheatley is coming back from a knock, and Mason Melia is also coming back from injury. If those players weren’t deemed able to appear, as well as having a number of youth players unable to travel, the game becomes arbitrary rather than functional.
It does feel like the first team need a bit of a break, which sounds ridiculous after a three-week international break, but the eight days leading up to Millwall were hugely testing. Playing with nine against West Ham for so long, and then having around 60 hours to get to London and face the Lions must have been both a physical and mental strain, and the key is to prep as well as possible for Burnley.
If that means losing the Hull City fixture, so be it.
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