Cameron Stewart
Cameron Stewart arrived at Sincil Bank with Manchester United schooling and plenty of Championship experience. He had come through United’s academy, reached the first-team bench for a Champions League trip to Wolfsburg, and then established himself at Hull City after an initial loan. Further spells with Burnley, Blackburn Rovers, Charlton Athletic, Leeds United, Ipswich Town, Barnsley and Doncaster Rovers followed before he joined the Imps in October 2017.
On paper, a winger with that background looked worth a punt for Danny Cowley’s side. There had been England appearances at under-17, under-19 and under-20 level, and his early promise at Hull had suggested a player capable of doing rather more than filling a squad place. Unfortunately, the Lincoln version never really got going.
He made eight appearances in all competitions, with no goals and a single assist in the EFL Trophy against Peterborough. He managed four shots during his 347 minutes playing for City, all of them a miss. His contract was terminated by mutual consent at the end of 2017/18, and the former United youngster’s Lincoln career ended without much to remember it by.
Richard Flash
Richard Flash was the sort of signing who got me excited in those pre-internet days: a former Manchester United youngster, a teammate of Michael Appleton (missed out of this team) and someone who had roomed with David Beckham. He had been highly sought after as a schoolboy, coming through United’s Manchester Eagles feeder side in the Midlands before joining the ranks at Old Trafford. However, a knee injury sustained at 14, followed by further problems at United, severely restricted his development.
Graham Taylor took him to Wolves and then Watford, from where he arrived at Lincoln on loan in October 1997. John Beck described him as a little bullet in midfield, which sounded promising, although midfield was not an area Beck was particularly famous for letting the ball in. Flash made five appearances, starting the draws with Cambridge United and Torquay United before coming off the bench in victories against Scunthorpe United, Brighton and Darlington. They were useful results in a promotion season, but his own contribution was limited.
There was a cruel final chapter at Plymouth Argyle, where another dislocated knee effectively ended his career before it had properly begun. He made only 11 Football League appearances altogether, despite having been regarded as such a promising youngster. As we explored in our longer look back at Flash’s career, he subsequently went to university, gained a master’s degree and moved into sports business education. The United pedigree was real, but injuries ensured that the football career never matched it.
Albert Scanlon
Albert Scanlon was one of the original Busby Babes, a Manchester-born winger who joined United’s ground staff in 1950 and signed professional forms two years later. He won two FA Youth Cups and made his senior debut against Arsenal in November 1954, eventually scoring 35 goals in 127 first-team appearances. Unlike several players in this XI, his Manchester United connection was substantial.
He was also a survivor of the 1958 Munich air disaster, suffering a fractured skull and a broken leg among his injuries. Remarkably, he recovered in time for the start of the following season and went on to play throughout the campaign. He left Old Trafford for Newcastle United in November 1960, joining a club managed by his uncle, former United winger Charlie Mitten.
Scanlon arrived at Sincil Bank in February 1962 and rarely missed a match during a stay that produced 47 league appearances and 11 goals. Sadly, it coincided with our first relegation to Division Four, and we were heading towards a bottom-four finish in that division by the time he left for Mansfield Town in April 1963. His Lincoln spell came during a miserable period for the club, but his career, and particularly his recovery after Munich, makes him one of the most notable names to have worn both shirts.
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