Former Lincoln City goalkeeper John Vaughan has died at the age of 62.
Vaughan made 77 appearances for the Imps after arriving from Preston North End in 1996, joining a manager who knew exactly what he could offer. John Beck had worked with him at Cambridge United and Preston before bringing him to Sincil Bank, continuing an association that had already brought considerable success.
He was one of several familiar faces Beck turned to as he rebuilt City, an experienced goalkeeper who had been through promotion campaigns and knew the demands of his manager’s methods. By the time he arrived in Lincoln, Vaughan had played his part in Cambridge’s remarkable climb through the divisions and helped Preston win the fourth-tier title.
His Lincoln career would extend beyond Beck’s departure, with his most sustained spell in the side coming during our season in the Second Division in 1998/99. It was a difficult campaign, with City struggling to establish themselves after promotion, but Vaughan provided an experienced presence in goal as we tried to keep our heads above water.
Vaughan earned rave reviews, not least for his display against Chris Waddle’s Burnley in the cup, where we trailed 2-0, but he’d already pulled off three great saves before stopping a Paul Barnes penalty. We lost 2-1 in the end, but the keeper certainly announced himself to City fans in style.
Relegation eventually followed, and he remained involved as we returned to the Third Division. He was an able goalkeeper who never disgraced himself during a period when the club’s fortunes were changing quickly, outlasting the manager whose faith in him had brought him to Sincil Bank in the first place.
His final City appearances came in the opening weeks of the 1999/2000 season, but not before he earned more rave reviews in a cup tie against Hartlepool, with an acrobatic save from another Italia 90 hero, Peter Beardsley, keeping us in a game we won 3-0. Further football followed on loan at Colchester United in the division above, where he had also spent time earlier in his Lincoln spell, and Chesterfield as his playing career approached its conclusion.
Vaughan began with West Ham United before establishing himself in senior football at Fulham. His greatest playing successes came at Cambridge, where he made 178 league appearances and helped the club secure successive promotions, taking them from the Fourth Division to the Second Division.
Cambridge then reached the play-offs for a place in the inaugural Premier League, losing to Leicester City. A spell at Charlton Athletic followed before his reunion with Beck at Preston and, subsequently, his move to Lincoln.
After retiring, Vaughan built a lengthy coaching career, passing on his experience at clubs including York City, Grimsby Town, Huddersfield Town, Birmingham City, Barnsley and Bradford City. Both Huddersfield and Bradford have paid tribute following the news of his death.
His career took him around the country, but those 77 appearances ensured he had a place in Lincoln City’s story too. Our thoughts are with John’s family, friends and former colleagues at this sad time.
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