Billy Knott
Billy Knott was exactly the sort of player I wanted to succeed here. Technically gifted and capable of producing a moment of magic, he had the qualities I love in a number ten. After his loan spell during our National League title-winning season, his permanent arrival in the summer of 2017 looked like an opportunity to reignite a career that had taken him through Chelsea and Sunderland.
There were encouraging moments, but the red card at Notts County interrupted his start to the season and he never really established himself afterwards. A loan move to Rochdale followed in January 2018, and his Lincoln career was over that summer. The sustained influence I had hoped he would have never materialised.
Knott later spoke openly about his depression and relationship with alcohol, which adds context to the difficulties he faced. He has since played for a succession of non-league clubs, including a return to Concord Rangers and a move to Hullbridge Sports. I still think of his time here as an opportunity that never quite came together, rather than a question of whether he had the ability.
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