The Out of Contract Players

It was perhaps the most heartbreaking of our play-off final defeats, under the warm Welsh sun in 2005. City, up against Steve Tilson and a decent Southend side, had a good goal disallowed before succumbing to a 2-0 defeat. It was the quintessential Imps side; Gain, Butcher, Morgan, Marriott, Yeo, Taylor-Fletcher, Futcher, McAuley, McCombe, and Bloomer – names associated with Keith’s sides from 2003 onwards.

However, the walk to the stadium was a nervous one. Talk was the GTF had already agreed a move. Yeo was off to New Zealand, and a host of other players were out of contract. The final whistle brought tears and anger, but it also brought uncertainty.

We were instantly installed as second-favourites for promotion the following season, but Marriott, Morgan, Bloomer, Futcher, Sandwith, Gain and Butcher were all out of contract. Yeo opted to go, GTF was released, which has since been revealed as Keith’s decision for the player’s benefit, as Huddersfield wanted him.

“Keith released me,” he told Lincolnshire Live. “There were a lot of rumours that I’d been tapped up but I hadn’t spoken to anybody.

“Me and my wife were living in Lincoln, we were totally settled and I was enjoying my football.

“If Keith had put a contract in front of me, I’d have signed it but he said ‘I’m not going to stand in your way, you need to go and play at a higher level and progress your career’.

“Two or three days later, Keith rang me and said he’s spoken to Peter Jackson at Huddersfield and Gary Johnson at Yeovil [both clubs were in League One at the time] and that they were going to offer me something.”

Butcher was wanted by Preston, Oldham, Rotherham and Bradford. Bristol City and Oldham reportedly eyed Gain. Boston was sniffing around everyone (ironic, given Evans ‘armchair scouts’ comment two seasons later). At least Peter Folkes penned a new deal, whilst Lee Frecklington also signed his first professional contract,

Keith was bullish about the task at hand, acknowledging he needed to make signings. Having lost Ciaron Toner and Marcus Richardson prior to the season’s end, he was desperately short of bodies, and it looked very much like a dynasty might be breaking up. But, who would sign, and who would not?

Several players snubbed Boston. GTF certainly wasn’t interested in whatever Evans was selling, but one man was; Ben Futcher. Just days after the new offer from Lincoln, he was announced as a Boston signing, Evans getting his business done early, as per usual. A two-year deal followed, one not motivated by money, but by the ‘new challenge’.

It sparked anger among Imps fans, causing Futcher to lash out in the press on June 20th. “How anyone can say I lack ambition is beyond me,” he said. “Boston have good players who I’m sure will excel next season and I am excited for the challenge.” Spoiler alert – he played 14 times in the project before moving to Grimsby, making him even more popular with Imps fans.

One player who was not going to follow Futcher for the challenge of playing in front of 2,000 people was skipper Paul Morgan. He opted to stay at the Bank, despite interest from Evans’ lot. It appears City were involved in a bidding war, with Keith admitting, ‘We had to push the boat out, and he is now our highest-paid player, but he’s worth it because he’s been magnificent for the last three seasons’.

There was plenty of arguing over Morgan around the country, with Barry Fry claiming Boston had offered both Morgan and Gain ‘three-year deals on three times as much money as us’. Jim Rodwell at Boston was having none of it. “Nonsense,” he claimed. “If the lads had accepted what he offered, they would have starved to death.”

Five other contracts were still up in the air, but Keith said he was sure Peter Gain would stay. “Peter has also agreed to stay with us, it’s just a case of his contract being drawn up,” Keith said.  Keith was wrong.

After the weekend, Gain signed a three-year deal with Peterborough, and Rodman was wrong; he didn’t starve. He was one of the players who took a pay cut when the club were in administration, and the sticking point had been a mere £50 per week. Lincoln played hardball and lost (in my opinion) the finest player of a generation. It was also something that left the player gutted, as he revealed in an interview with me eight years ago.

“When the club was in administration there was a good three months we didn’t get paid. We were promised to be reimbursed, I only got some but I thought fair enough, I moved on and got on with it.

“After my first season under Keith, I signed the same contract I was on at Christmas, even though I had two solid pre-contract offers from Oxford and Huddersfield for a lot more money. I was loving it at Lincoln and could sense good times were ahead, so I stayed for less money. I really do love Lincoln, the fans, the people and the club itself.”

“I need to clarify this because I feel my relationship with the fans has been tarnished, and I sincerely loved the Lincoln supporters and always will. After two successful seasons, my contract came up again, and I had three offers from Huddersfield (again), Peterborough, and I think it was Rushden. They all offered more money and all it came down to was £50 a week. It broke my heart.”

Alan Marriott also agreed a new deal. Even this is heartbreaking because as he did, he revealed he was eyeing a testimonial, a game to celebrate his longevity and fine service. Sadly, that didn’t happen, but that’s another story.

Richard Butcher also left. The story goes that he signed for Oldham as he was flying off on holiday, and almost instantly regretted the decision when he came back. Along with GTF, who joined Huddersfield in League One, there was no real bitterness at their departures. They didn’t join teams in the same league, they went off to better themselves, and while it didn’t work out for one of them, they tried their luck at a better level.

There was bitterness at Kevin Sandwith’s choice. He seemingly also agreed to a deal to remain with the club, Keith also stating he felt the player would wear red and white the following season. He didn’t. “As far as I was concerned he was all set to sign for us,” raged Keith. “The next this I hear is Macclesfield announcing he has signed for them.”

Finally, Matt Bloomer agreed to stay with the club, although he hadn’t started a game since the 3-2 defeat at home against Wycombe, where they were 3-0 up at half time and he was withdrawn. Bloomer would only start eight more games for City despite penning a new deal.

City lost a lot of the squad, the reason this season feels less familiar than other Keith seasons, but in the Echo dated June 8th, striker Simon Yeo claimed the departures could have been avoided.