The demise of Bury has meant City miss out on playing a rare game on February 29th as it is only the 6th time since City’s formation in 1884 that the extra day has fallen on a Saturday, writes Gary Parle.
2028, when the 29th falls on a Tuesday, would seem likely to be the next chance we get to see City add to the meagre amount of games played with it not being until 2048 when February 29th again falls on a Saturday.
1896 saw City first play on February 29th when the team travelled to Leicester Fosse where in pouring rain, they triumphed 3-1 for just a second away win of the season (seven days after the first!) thanks to goals from Thomas Eyre who scored from almost the half way line, Matthew Gillespie and Frederick Shearman. It was reported in the Chronicle that a “crowd was awaiting on the platform at Nottingham and the City men there had a splendid reception but it was not to be compared with the one at Lincoln where the enthusiasts cheered and cheered until they became hoarse and could shout no longer” On the same day the City Swifts (reserves) beat the 10th Lincoln Regiment 6-0 in the 2nd Rd of the Lincolnshire Cup with the Swifts competing on the competition on account of the club being in dispute with the Lincolnshire FA.
1908 saw the next Football League fixture as a City side 2nd bottom of Division 2 lost 3-0 at Wolverhampton Wanderers in a season that saw the Imps voted out of the Football League.
1936 was the next Saturday and it occurred at a time when the Football League was involved in a dispute with the football pools companies over their use of the fixture list on the weekly coupon. In an attempt to stop there use the League scrapped the original planned fixture list for the Saturday games which stopped the pools companies printing coupons but instead notified the clubs by letter on the Friday before who they would be playing the following day. Lincoln were scheduled to be at home to Rotherham United on February 29th but instead, Hartlepools United, who had expected to travel to Southport, were to be the opponents. It was a blow to the City directors as the Rotherham Supporters Club had arranged for the match to be their annual outing and a large number of visiting supporters were expected to help boost the gate and there was to be more disappointment as Hartlepool duly made the long journey to Lincoln, leaving by train at 7.45 am at a cost of £20, only for the referee Mr Walden to call the game off at noon due to a waterlogged pitch.
1964 was the next Saturday 29th and City visited Doncaster Rovers in Division 4 where both sides had a goal ruled out for offside with the game ending goalless.
February 29th in 1980 was a Friday and saw the only Football League game to date to be played at Sincil Bank as 3820 saw Mick Harford score a hattrick in a 4-0 victory over a Wigan Athletic side making their first-ever visit here. Derek Bell added the fourth as Phil Turner made his debut.
1992 was the last time 29th was a Saturday and City travelled to Gillingham where just an eighth victory of the season was achieved with 30 games played. David Puttnam gave City the lead but Steve Lovell equalised within a minute before two second-half goals from Jason Kabia, his first in the League, secured a 3-1. Ben Dixon made his Imps FL debut coming on a sub.
Just one Imp is known to celebrate his birthday on February 29th as Mike Pollitt was born in 1972 whilst John Birkbeck, in 2004, is the only known death.