Football Season Guide

Lincoln City can take plenty of encouragement from their first season with Mark Kennedy at the helm. The rookie Head Coach proved to be a steady Eddie and a top-half finish probably exceeded the expectations of most Imps fans. He had to manage a small squad, built on a modest budget, and had to deal with a series of injuries that had seen them flirt with relegation under predecessor Michael Appleton. He was able to rely on a strong spine of players in goalkeeper Carl Rushworth, centre-back Regan Poole and striker Ben House. The shrewd addition of midfielder Ethan Erhahon in January made them stronger. Kennedy has however lost both Rushworth and Poole this summer, although both departures were expected. Lukas Jensen was relegated whilst on loan with Accrington Stanley last season and appears set to fill Rushworth’s gloves. Erhahon and House will be integral to the Imps success this season but the merits of the new additions to date are up for discussion. Tyler Walker’s best spell came in a previous loan at Sincil Bank but failed to make any impact in a similar loan at Portsmouth. He has plenty to prove as he looks to get his career back on track. Alistair Smith has played a big role in Sutton United’s success in recent years but this is a big step up for the midfielder and it will be interesting to see how he adapts. Kennedy still needs to add to his squad if their status as dark horses is to come to fruition.