30 Lee Frecklington
‘He’s one of our own’ rang out the day the photo above was taken, Lee Frecklington returning from his stellar career around the Championship to score for the Imps. After emerging from the youth setup under Keith, Freck excelled in the smart passing side that John Schofield built. He was often unplayable, popping up with goals and assists throughout that excellent run; at home to Walsall is one that stands out for me early in the season. After Schofield, it was almost inevitable Lee would go on to better things and he did, moving to Peterborough and later Rotherham. He returned, like a prodigal son, in the 2017/18 season and made an instant impact, scoring against Notts County, as well as bagging the penalty which sent the Imps to Wembley for the first time ever. He played 90 minutes at Wembley, lifting the EFL Trophy, and a year later was captain of the team that won League Two. An injury put paid to much of his involvement in 2018/19, and he was in and out of the team that ended the title-winning season. He appeared once last season against Rotherham in the EFL Trophy, before leaving in the summer. In total, he made 185 appearances for City, scoring 30 goals.
29 Sean Raggett
Injury almost certainly stopped Sean Raggett from becoming an established Championship defender, and the Imps saw some of his very best football. The languid, rangy centre back signed for us from Dover after he was famously rerouted en route to sign for Tranmere in the summer of 2016. He quickly established himself as a key component of our National League winning side, popping up with vital goals and being prepared to put everything on the line for a win. Who can forget his appearance away at Eastleigh, where his 77th-minute goal gave us three points on a day Tranmere smashed nine passed their opponent. This came despite him being bloodied and bruised form the sort of facial injury that would have seen another player withdraw from the action. Of course, his goal against Burnley will be the one that lives in the memory and it was little surprise when he was snapped up by Norwich in the summer. He returned on loan and played a part in our EFL Trophy run, bagging the winner in a 3-2 win against Accrington, but returned to Carrow Road in the winter window. 75 games, 12 goals and a bucket full of memories.
28 Neal Eardley
There was much unrest when Neal Eardley was released from his contract at the end of last year, as it brought down the curtain on an impressive three years in which he won Player of the Season, as well as lifting two trophies. It is tough when any era comes to an end, even more so when the player in question is one of the best full-backs of a generation. Neal Eardley turned up for a trial with us a broken player, having suffered horrific injuries which curtailed his career. he had appeared in the Premier League with Blackpool and from the off, it was clear he had a point to prove. Nicknamed The Postman, because he always delivered, Eardley was a threat from set-pieces, as well as wide areas. He played 137 times for the Imps, including 47 times in our title-winning season. His goals alone earned us four points that season, a wonderful free-kick against Cambridge and another at home to Macclesfield in the dying seconds. Currently appearing for Burton Albion after joining Bozzy there in the summer.
27 John Ward
It is hard for me to write about Ward the player, but I do have an anecdote about Ward the enigma. One of the key drivers behind me being a Lincoln City fan is my Granddad, who passed away in April 1992. On the day he was buried, we dropped a scarf in the coffin which had ‘John Ward – The Lincolnshire Poacher’ on it. this was before I really knew who he was or what he had achieved with the Imps, or in the wider game. Ward scored 90 goals in 224 starts for City, with 29 coming in the 1976 title-winning season. That made him a hero at the club and even after he later left for Watford with Graham Taylor, he was still held in high regard. His career took off as he became England’s assistant manager, as well as a successful boss in his own right. Billed as the ‘greatest manager we never had’, he rightly wouldn’t take over the club he made his name with for fear of sullying his legacy.
26 Andy Graver
If time were not a factor, and every fan knew the legacy of every player, Andy Graver would be number one in every single list. 274 league games, 143 league goals and three separate spells at the club mark him out as one of the greatest ever, and the fact he last kicked a ball for City 60 years ago, yet makes the list at number 26, shows how utterly outstanding he was for the club. He was leading scorer for the club on three occasions, and even earned an England B callup, which he sadly had to miss through injury. He also hit six goals in our record win, an 11-1 mauling of Crewe, and was rightly voted as the Imps all-time number one legend in the 2007 vote. The word legend does get bandied about rather easily these days, but in the case of Andy Graver, it is the very least he deserves.
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The List so Far
100 Jason Barnett
99 Dean West
98 Bert Linnecor
97 Mark Wallington
96 Mark Stallard
95 Paul Smith
94 Albert Scanlan
93 Stuart Naylor
92 Paul Mayo
91 Gary Lund
90 Sam Habergham
89 Andrew Boyce
88 John Whitney
87 Jeff Smith
86 John McGinley
85 David Johnson
84 Liam Bridcutt
83 Lee Beevers
82 Keith Alexander
81 Tyler Walker
80 Phil Turner
79 Phil Brown
78 Bruno Andrade
77 Steve Thompson
76 Scott Kerr
75 Jamie Taylor
74 Phil Stant
73 Tony James
72 Jeff Hughes
71 Alan Harding
70 Dean Walling
69 Jason Shackell
68 John Kennedy
67 Gijsbert Bos
66 Ian Baraclough
65 Dixie McNeil
64 Tony Cunningham
63 Tony Emery
62 John Akinde
61 Terry Cooper
60 Dennis Booth
59 Mark Bailey
58 Lee Thorpe
57 Phil Hubbard
56 Nathan Arnold
55 Adrian Patulea
54 Terry Fleming
53 Stuart Bimson
52 Dick Neal
51 Joe Morrell
50 Jorge Grant
49 Gavin Gordon
48 Dany N’Guessan
47 Justin Walker
46 Bradley Wood
45 George Hannah
44 Davide Somma
43 Bob Cumming
42 Peter Grotier
41 Roger Holmes
40 Barry Richardson
39 John Finnigan
38 George Shipley
37 Tony Lormor
36 Peter Graham
35 Phil Neale
34 Sam Ellis
33 David Felgate
32 Alex Woodyard
31 Richard Butcher
30 Lee Frecklington
29 Sean Raggett
28 Neal Eardley
27 John Ward
26 Andy Graver