Managers gone within a month of playing Lincoln
There are also plenty of instances of managers leaving within a month of playing the Imps, without Lincoln being their final opponents. These are worth remembering, even if the link to our own result is rather less direct.
In 2016/17, Andy Bishop (Southport) was fired not long after we hammered them 4-0. Gary Mills (Wrexham) and Gary Brabin (Tranmere) both also left their roles not long after an Imps game – Brabin within a week, but with two matches after. In 2018/19, Mark Yates (Macclesfield) left after a City win, whilst Frankie Bunn (Oldham), Neil Aspin (Port Vale), and Darren Way (Yeovil) all lost their jobs within a month of coming up against City.
Kevin Bond (Southend) was the first to go in 2019/20, with a 4-0 thrashing at the Bank fresh in his memory, whilst Simon Grayson (Blackpool) saw his team beaten 1-0 in January, and he was gone a couple of weeks later. In 2020/21, Glynn Hodges (AFC Wimbledon) and Keith Curle (Northampton) both went not long after facing City. In 2021/22, it was Lee Johnson (Sunderland) and Richie Wellens (Doncaster), whilst Liam Rosenior (Derby) left his job less than a month after their 2-0 defeat at our place in September 2022.
Matt Bloomfield lasted 16 days after our 3-1 win against Luton on 20 September 2025, with his departure confirmed on 6 October. The Hatters beat Doncaster, drew with Blackpool and lost at Stevenage between facing us and changing manager. Darren Ferguson followed later that month, dismissed by Peterborough on 25 October, 28 days after our 3-0 win at their place. Posh played four further matches, with a 2-1 defeat against Blackpool proving his final game.
Darren Moore was another casualty before the year was out, leaving Port Vale on 28 December, 29 days after our 1-0 win at Sincil Bank. Vale played five further matches, ending with a 5-0 thrashing at Huddersfield, before he was sacked. Ironically, Huddersfield’s Lee Grant soon joined him, departing on 17 January 2026, 16 days after their 1-1 draw with us on New Year’s Day. The Terriers played four more games after that visit, with a 3-1 defeat at Burton proving Grant’s last.
Later in 2025/26, Ryan Lowe lasted just seven days after our 1-0 win at Wigan, although it was their subsequent 6-1 thrashing at Peterborough that proved his final game before being sacked on 7 February. Kevin Nolan also makes another appearance, this time with Northampton, who dismissed him on 9 March, 20 days after our 4-0 win at Sincil Bank, with five further matches separating that defeat from his departure.
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