As expected, the Imps have completed the signing of experienced midfielder Sam Clucas until the end of the season.
The 34-year-old has more than 500 competitive matches under his belt, with more than £23million spent on transfer fees to secure his services, across an illustrious career including two spells in the Premier League with Hull City and Swansea, after previously being in City’s Academy.
The Lincoln-born player has returned to the LNER Stadium until the conclusion of the 2024/25 season, with a club option to extend the contract for a further 12 months.
His career has largely been spent in the top two tiers, having played for Hull City and Swansea City in the Premier League and more than 100 games for Stoke City in the Sky Bet Championship. Last season, he was in the Championship with Rotherham United and, after leaving the Millers in the summer, spent the past two months at Oldham Athletic.
Head coach Michael Skubala said: “This is a different type of signing for the club but a clever one in that Sam is ‘coming home’ towards the end of a fantastic career, wanting to contribute on and off the pitch. He will add knowledge, experience and leadership to the group as well as his undoubted quality.
“Once we can get him up to speed, we also know that Sam can provide us with cover and competition in a vital area of the pitch. He will also help our younger players with the standards that he will set on the training pitch every day.”
Director of football Jez George added: “Sam needs no introduction to our supporters and we are pleased there is an opportunity for him to end his career where it all started for him, at his first club in his home city.
“This is a unique situation but isn’t based on sentiment. Sam played more than 30 times in the championship last season and has come here to contribute. While no-one knows exactly what that will look like, we believe Sam can do that on and off the pitch, potentially even beyond playing. We have been in dialogue with Sam for several months, and, now that he has some games under his belt, this felt the right time for both parties.”
When Clucas does make his second Imps debut, there will be a gap of more than 5,800 days (5861 as of today). The largest gap between debut and final appearance is an honour bestowed upon Shane Nicholson, who made his Imps debut in November 1986 and appeared for the final time on New Year’s Day, 2007, a gap of 7345 days.
Sam has expressed his desire to return to the club in the past. Speaking to Sam Ashoo (and me) on Matchday Live a couple of seasons ago, he said: “Since leaving Lincoln, it was one of my biggest regrets, not getting a real opportunity at my home town club. To this day, I remember when Peter Jackson pulled me in and offered me a one-year deal. I remember walking home and ringing my parents and telling them how happy I was that I’d got a chance to play there.
“I never expected to break into the first team straight away with no experience behind me. I got the one game in the cup away at Darlington, the manager got sacked and with that comes a new manager, new ideas and sometimes you don’t always fit into the plans.
“That’s always one I’ve looked back at, I’d have loved to have played more games, played at Sincil Bank in front of my friends and family. Played there, but played for an opposition team in Hereford! It’s football, you never know what happens in the future.”
Welcome home, Sam Clucas