These top tens seem to go down well, so I thought I’d do a bit of number crunching.
I wondered who the biggest Imps stars of the 21st century were? I’m talking about goals, appearances, sub appearances, and even goals per game. It makes for a nice little read in these weeks where there’s not a lot to write about.
I thought I’d start with the big one – the Imps’ leading scorer in league action. We’ve been in three leagues since 2000/01 – bouncing between tiers three and five. The National League, in this instance, counts as a league.
With that in mind, who are the Imps’ leading league goalscorers since the 2000/01 season?
You’re about to find out.
11th Francis Green – 79 starts, 21 sub, 18 goals
Green was one of the first cash purchases for the club after administration, and I was incredibly excited at the time. He seemed to be a technically gifted forward, capable of playing across the front line.
A tidy finisher with quick feet, he often provided a touch of guile to complement the raw physicality around him. His 18 league goals came at a decent rate, and although he never quite hit prolific form, he offered City something a little different in attack.
10th (Joint). Harry Anderson – 100 starts, 42 sub, 19 goals
Harry Anderson became a fan favourite for his sheer tenacity and work rate. Like Francis Green, he signed permanently after a successful loan from Peterborough, and was a key part of the side that returned to the Football League and then won League Two.
His 19 league goals from wide areas were a bonus to his relentless running and dogged pressing. Not always a natural finisher, but what a shift he put in.
10th (Joint). Peter Gain – 175 starts, 16 sub, 19 goals
Two of my favourite players locked on 19 league goals – how poetic!
Peter Gain was of the standout midfielders during the early 2000s. He brought class and control to the middle of the park, with a flair that was better than the level on which he performed.
He wasn’t known for scoring bags of goals, but his 19 league efforts were often stylish, raking drives or late runs into the area. A player who quietly went about his business and let others take the headlines, but his impact was always felt.