List of Lincoln City F.C. players

The Lincoln City F.C. team of 1889–90, founder members of the Midland League. Players include Quentin Neill (seated, second right) and John Irving (on floor, centre).

Lincoln City Football Club, an English association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, was founded in 1884,^[1] and first entered the FA Cup in the 1884–85 season.^[2] When nationally organised league football in England began, the club joined the Combination, a league set up to provide organised football for those clubs not invited to join the Football League which was to start the same year. When that league folded,^[3] Lincoln became founder members of the Midland League, and won the inaugural league title. They then spent a year in the Football Alliance before being elected to the newly formed Second Division of the Football League.^[2] Lincoln moved in and out of the Football League until they became founder members of the Football League Third Division North in 1921.^[4] They remained in the Football League until 1987, when they became the first club to suffer automatic relegation to the Football Conference.^[5] They returned to the League after just one season, and remained at that level until they were again relegated in 2011.^[2]

All players who have made at least 100 appearances in senior first-team matches for Lincoln City, in league or cup competition, are listed below. Grant Brown holds the record for Lincoln City appearances, having played 491 matches between 1989 and 2002, of which 407 were in the Football League. Tony Emery is the only other Lincoln player with more than 400 Football League appearances, and he and Dave Smith the only other two with 400 competitive appearances in total. The goalscoring record is held by Andy Graver, with 143 league goals, and 150 in total, scored over three spells with the club between 1950 and 1961. Johnny Campbell is the only other Lincoln player to have scored 100 Football League goals. Goalkeeper David Felgate is the only man in this appearance range to have played senior international football while with Lincoln City; he received his only cap for Wales as a half-time substitute for Neville Southall in a friendly against Romania in 1983.^[6]

Key

General

The list is ordered first by number of appearances in total, then by number of League appearances, and then if necessary by date of debut.

Appearances as a substitute are included.

Statistics are correct up to and including 1 July 2016, the first day of the 2016–17 season.

Name

Players marked * were registered for the club as at the date specified above.

Players with name in italics and marked were on loan from another club for the duration of their Lincoln City career. The loaning club is noted in the Refs column.

Positions key

Pre-1960s		1960s–
GK	Goalkeeper
FB	Full back	DF	Defender
HB	Half-back	MF	Midfielder
FW	Forward

Position

Playing positions are listed according to the tactical formations that were employed at the time. Thus the change in the names of defensive and midfield positions reflects the tactical evolution that occurred from the 1960s onwards.

Club career

Club career is defined as the first and last calendar years in which the player appeared for the club in any of the competitions listed below.

League appearances and League goals

League appearances and goals are those in the Football League only. Appearances in the 1939–40 Football League season, abandoned after three games because of the Second World War, are excluded.

Total appearances and Total goals

Total appearances and goals comprise those in the Football League, Football League play-offs, FA Cup, Football League Cup, Football League Trophy and predecessors, FA Trophy, National League and predecessors, and Conference League Cup. Also included are appearances and goals in the following defunct competitions: the Combination, Football Alliance, Midland League, the Central League, Third Division North Cup, Watney Cup, and Football League Group Cup. Matches in wartime competitions are excluded.

International selection

Countries are listed only for players who have been selected for international football. Only the highest level of international competition is given.

Players with 100 or more appearances

Graham Taylor became Lincoln City manager at 28 and led the club to the 1976 Fourth Division title; he went on to manage the England team.^[7]

England international centre forward Mick Harford began his long career at Lincoln City.

Lee Frecklington played for Ireland B while a Lincoln City player.

Danny Hone was one of just three players retained when Lincoln were relegated to the Conference in 2011.^[8]

Table of players, including playing position, club statistics and international selection

Name	Position	Club career	League apps	League goals	Total apps	Total goals	International selection	Refs
Brown, GrantGrant Brown	DF	1989–2002	407	15	469	18		[L 1]
Emery, TonyTony Emery	HB	1945–1958	402	1	424	1		[upper-alpha 1]
Smith, DaveDave Smith	MF	1968–1971	371	52	420	59	English schools	[9]
Marriott, AlanAlan Marriott	GK	2000–2008	351	0	395	0
Hobson, GordonGordon Hobson	FW	1978–1985 1988–1990	333	96	386	105
Neale, PhilPhil Neale	DF	1975–1985	335	22	369	22
Smith, JeffJeff Smith	DF	1958–1967	315	2	351	2
Fraser, GeorgeGeorge Fraser	HB	1901–1911	265	4	330	4
McPhail, DanDan McPhail	GK	1931–1939	309	0	329	0
Whyte, GeorgeGeorge Whyte	FW	1931–1939	299	35	322	37
Pringle, HarryHarry Pringle	FW	1922–1934	292	60	315	64
Middleton, FredFred Middleton	HB	1954–1963	300	16	315	16
Troops, HarryHarry Troops	FW / FB	1949–1958	295	32	310	35
Holmes, RogerRoger Holmes	MF	1960–1971	278	36	307	40
Smith, Paul M.Paul M. Smith	DF	1987–1995	232	27	305	40
Cooper, TerryTerry Cooper	DF	1971–1972 1972–1979	270	12	299	13		[L 2]
Hubbard, PhilPhil Hubbard	MF	1966–1971 1976–1979	261	53	295	60
Schofield, JohnJohn Schofield	MF	1988–1994 2000–2001	250	11	293	16
Finch, RoyRoy Finch	FW	1949–1958	275	56	291	58
Graver, AndyAndy Graver	FW	1950–1954 1955 1958–1961	274	143	289	150
Linnecor, BertBert Linnecor	HB	1957–1964	264	52	287	55
Turner, PhilPhil Turner	MF	1980–1986	239	18	283	20
Grummett, Jr., JimJim Grummett, Jr.	DF	1963–1971	251	19	279	21	England youth	[10]
Kennedy, JohnJohn Kennedy	GK	1967–1974	251	0	278	0
Shipley, GeorgeGeorge Shipley	MF	1980–1985	230	42	274	52
Ward, JohnJohn Ward	FW	1971–1979 1982	241	90	263	99
Grotier, PeterPeter Grotier	GK	1974–1979	233	0	263	0
Gain, PeterPeter Gain	MF	1999–2005	228	21	263	22	Republic of Ireland U21	[11]
Wilson, WattieWattie Wilson	FB	1907–1914	171	6	255	7
Owen, BobbyBobby Owen	HB	1947–1954	246	5	255	5
Peden, GeorgeGeorge Peden	DF	1967–1974	225	15	252	18
Jackson, BobBob Jackson	DF	1956–1964	235	0	251	0
Kerr, ScottScott Kerr	MF	2005–2011	222	8	249	9	England C	[12]
Wright, DougDoug Wright	HB	1948–1954	233	2	246	2	England	[13]
Barnett, JasonJason Barnett	DF	1995–2002	208	6	239	6
Morgan, PaulPaul Morgan	DF	2001–2007	212	2	238	2	Northern Ireland U21	[14]
Jackson, ClemClem Jackson	FB	1909–1920	184	0	236	0
Harding, AlanAlan Harding	MF	1973–1979	209	38	234	43
Felgate, DavidDavid Felgate	GK	1980–1985	198	0	232	0	Wales	[15]
Beevers, LeeLee Beevers *	DF	2005–2009 2015–	166	9	232	11	Wales U21	[16][17]
Holmes, SteveSteve Holmes	DF	1995–1996 1996–2001	201	32	230	37		[L 3]
Leigh, DennisDennis Leigh	DF	1973–1979	206	4	229	4
Thorpe, LeeLee Thorpe	FW	1997–2002	192	58	222	67
Cockerill, GlennGlenn Cockerill	MF	1977–1979 1981–1984	186	35	222	40
Green, HoraceHorace Green	DF	1949–1954	212	14	220	14
Thompson, SteveSteve Thompson	DF	1980–1988 1989–1990	181	8	217	11
Power, AlanAlan Power *	MF	2011–	0	0	216	31	Republic of Ireland U21	[18]
Clarke, DavidDavid Clarke	DF	1987–1993	147	9	214	17	England youth	[19]
Worthy, AlbertAlbert Worthy	FB	1927–1933	198	5	211	5
Fleming, TerryTerry Fleming	MF	1995–2000	184	8	210	12
Nicholson, ShaneShane Nicholson	DF	1986–1992 1966–1997	141	7	209	10		[L 4]
Campbell, JohnnyJohnny Campbell	FW	1933–1939	184	104	207	110
Brown, NatNat Brown	DF	2005–2008 2013–2015	94	8	207	11		[20][L 5]
Puttnam, DaveDave Puttnam	MF	1990–1995	177	21	204	22		[L 1]
Peake, TrevorTrevor Peake	DF	1979–1983	171	7	202	10	England C	[21]
Carr, DaveDave Carr	DF	1979–1983	168	4	202	5
Bimson, StuartStuart Bimson	DF	1996–2003	175	3	201	4
Jones, AlfAlf Jones	DF	1962–1967	180	3	200	3
Mayo, PaulPaul Mayo	DF	2000–2004 2005–2007	168	10	195	14
Ellis, SamSam Ellis	DF	1973–1977	173	33	194	41	England U23	[22]
McMillan, WilliamWilliam McMillan	FB / HB	1898–1904 1906	178	1	194	1
Garvie, JohnnyJohnny Garvie	FW	1950–1956	184	78	192	80
Graham, DougDoug Graham	FB	1951–1957	182	0	191	0
Gardner, AndyAndy Gardner	HB	1909–1919	151	9	191	14
Branfoot, IanIan Branfoot	DF	1973–1977	166	11	189	12
Chapman, RoyRoy Chapman	FW	1957–1961 1965–1967	175	77	187	81
Bean, BillyBilly Bean	HB / FB	1935–1949	171	10	187	10		[upper-alpha 1]
Booth, DennisDennis Booth	MF	1974–1977	162	9	186	10
Barrell, ToshTosh Barrell	FW	1908–1915	141	26	186	43
Smith, Paul A.Paul A. Smith	MF	1997–2003	156	18	184	21
Bressington, GrahamGraham Bressington	MF	1987–1993	141	7	183	9
Harford, RayRay Harford	DF	1967–1971	161	10	182	10
Horne, AlfAlf Horne	FW	1932–1936	166	36	181	39
Freeman, PercyPercy Freeman	FW	1970–1972 1975–1977	152	64	181	76
Blow, CorkieCorkie Blow	HB	1901–1906	162	1	180	1
Grummett, Sr., JimJim Grummett, Sr.	HB	1945–1951	165	12	179	12		[upper-alpha 1]
Graham, PeterPeter Graham	FW	1973–1978	158	47	178	53
McGinley, JohnJohn McGinley	MF	1984–1986 1987–1989	112	18	176	39
Farman, PaulPaul Farman *	GK	2011 2012–	0	0	174	0		[23][L 6]
Wield, TommyTommy Wield	HB	1904–1906 1909–1915	131	5	172	6
Munro, JimmyJimmy Munro	FW	1953–1958	161	24	171	25
Taylor, GrahamGraham Taylor	DF	1968–1973	151	1	170	2
Neal, DickDick Neal	HB	1954–1957 1963–1964	156	15	169	17	England U23	[22]
Fern, TommyTommy Fern	GK	1909–1913	127	0	169	0
Hale, PallyPally Hale	FB / HB	1925–1930	156	4	167	4
Finnigan, JohnJohn Finnigan	MF	1998–2002	143	3	166	4
Watson, WilliamWilliam Watson	FW	1903–1909	120	28	166	47
Downie, MitchellMitchell Downie	GK	1954–1959	157	0	164	0
Hood, RichardRichard Hood	FB / HB	1904–1909	130	1	164	1
Robson, MattMatt Robson	HB	1909–1915	121	3	160	3
Yeo, SimonSimon Yeo	FW	2002–2005 2006	134	42	157	51
Carmichael, MattMatt Carmichael	FW	1989–1993	133	18	156	21
Young, AlfAlf Young	HB	1929–1934	147	5	154	5
Whittle, ErnieErnie Whittle	FW	1950–1954	145	62	151	64
Simpson, BillyBilly Simpson	FB / HB	1902–1907	140	0	151	0
Strodder, GaryGary Strodder	DF	1982–1987	132	6	151	6
Hartley, JimmyJimmy Hartley	FW	1897–1903	138	52	150	56
Richardson, BarryBarry Richardson	GK	1995–2000	131	0	150	0
Battersby, TonyTony Battersby	FW	1998–2002	130	21	150	26
Cunningham, TonyTony Cunningham	FW	1979–1982	123	32	148	42
Austin, KevinKevin Austin	DF	1996–1999	129	1	148	1	Trinidad and Tobago	[24]
West, DeanDean West	DF	1991–1995 2004	123	20	147	23
McConville, PaddyPaddy McConville	FB	1925–1932	138	0	145	0
Ward, YafferYaffer Ward	FB	1915–1923 1925–1926 1930	108	10	145	12		[upper-alpha 1][upper-alpha 2]
Webb, AlfAlf Webb	GK	1899–1904	131	0	144	0
Gibson, WillWill Gibson	HB	1898–1903	130	1	143	1
Butcher, RichardRichard Butcher	MF	2002–2005 2005 2009–2010	124	12	143	14		[L 7]
Futcher, BenBen Futcher	DF	2002–2005	121	13	142	16
Frecklington, LeeLee Frecklington	MF	2003–2009	124	21	141	23	Republic of Ireland B	[25]
Fleming, JohnJohn Fleming	MF	1975–1979	121	17	141	18
Ball, AlfAlf Ball	FW	1913–1921	97	13	141	23		[upper-alpha 1][upper-alpha 2]
Alcide, ColinColin Alcide	FW	1995–1999	121	27	140	31
Atkin, ArthurArthur Atkin	FB / HB	1913–1924	96	2	140	3		[upper-alpha 2]
Neill, QuentinQuentin Neill	FB	1888–1894	59	0	139	3
Dinsdale, BillyBilly Dinsdale	FW	1926–1931	126	89	136	103
Green, RussellRussell Green	HB	1957–1963	125	8	135	8
Simpson, FreddyFreddy Simpson	FW	1902–1908	124	37	133	39
Odonnell, DennisDennis O'Donnell	FW	1901–1905	118	31	133	37
Hughes, GordonGordon Hughes	MF	1968–1971	117	9	131	9
Miller, PaulPaul Miller	MF	1997–2001	116	11	131	12
Maidment, TomTom Maidment	FW	1926–1931	126	43	130	47
McClelland, JohnJohn McClelland	FW	1958–1961	121	32	130	34
Green, PaulPaul Green	DF	2007–2011	117	4	130	4
Manning, JackJack Manning	FW	1911–1915	90	9	130	20
Miller, TomTom Miller	MF	2012–2015	0	0	129	11		[26][L 8]
Smith, JamesJames Smith	FB	1931–1936	116	3	127	3
Harford, MickMick Harford	FW	1977–1980	115	41	126	46	England	[27]
Davis, DarrenDarren Davis	DF	1988–1991 1995	105	4	124	7	England youth	[28]
Trevis, DerekDerek Trevis	MF	1970–1973	108	18	123	21
Irving, JohnJohn Irving	FW	1889–1897	51	10	123	43
Kendall, JackJack Kendall	GK	1922–1924 1928–1930	117	0	122	0
Deacon, DickieDickie Deacon	FW	1936–1939	111	22	121	25
Milner, JohnJohn Milner	HB	1963–1966	109	6	121	7
Whitney, JonJon Whitney	DF	1995–1998	101	8	121	11
Pegg, FrankFrank Pegg	FW	1926–1931	115	51	120	51
Brooks, TomTom Brooks	DF	1965–1971	113	1	120	1
Sedgemore, BenBen Sedgemore	MF	2001–2004	107	5	120	6	English schools	[29]
West, GaryGary West	DF	1985–1987 1991 1991–1992	104	5	120	6	England youth	[30][L 9]
Fenwick, BobBob Fenwick	FW	1920–1926	76	2	120	5		[upper-alpha 2]
Smallman, FrankFrank Smallman	FW	1889–1896	58	23	120	53
Parr, HarryHarry Parr	FW	1946–1950	112	13	118	13	England amateur	[31]
Bryan, JackJack Bryan	HB	1919–1922	75	1	117	2		[upper-alpha 1][upper-alpha 2]
Meacock, BobBob Meacock	HB	1935–1938	106	0	116	0
Guest, BrendanBrendan Guest	DF	1976–1980	104	2	116	2	England youth	[32]
Green, FrancisFrancis Green	FW	2003–2006	100	18	116	20
Gordon, GavinGavin Gordon	FW	1997–2000	99	30	115	33
York, AndyAndy York	FB	1927–1930	106	6	114	6
Redfearn, NeilNeil Redfearn	MF	1984–1986	100	13	114	14
Heward, BrianBrian Heward	DF	1961–1966	97	2	114	2
Corbett, FredFred Corbett	FB	1936–1939	103	0	113	0
Lormor, TonyTony Lormor	FW	1990–1994	100	30	113	34
Bannister, CharlieCharlie Bannister	HB	1897–1901	106	1	112	1
Bailey, MarkMark Bailey	DF	2001–2004	98	1	111	4
Bloomer, MatthewMatthew Bloomer	DF	2002–2006	94	3	110	4
Foster, BertieBertie Foster	FW	1906–1912	67	1	110	9
Johnson, DavidDavid Johnson	FW	1993–1996	88	13	109	23
Stillyards, GeorgeGeorge Stillyards	DF	1945–1949	100	2	109	2		[upper-alpha 1]
Branston, TerryTerry Branston	DF	1970–1973	100	1	109	1
Saunders, JamesJames Saunders	GK	1906–1909	65	0	109	0
McCombe, JamieJamie McCombe *	DF	2004–2006 2016–	87	7	108	10		[33]
Young, DickDick Young	DF	1949–1954	100	2	106	3
Lee, JasonJason Lee	FW	1991–1993	93	21	106	22
Nisbet, GeorgeGeorge Nisbet	HB	1906–1909	62	1	104	2
Brown, PhilPhil Brown	MF	1987–1990	43	3	104	24
Sheridan, JakeJake Sheridan	MF	2011–2012 2012–2014	0	0	104	4		[34][L 10]
McNeil, DixieDixie McNeil	FW	1972–1974	97	53	103	53
Dykes, DonDon Dykes	HB	1949–1958	95	4	101	4
Forrester, JamieJamie Forrester	FW	2006–2008	90	35	101	37	England U18	[35]
Weaver, SimonSimon Weaver	DF	2002–2004	88	4	101	5
Bell, DerekDerek Bell	FW	1979–1983	83	33	101	40
Simmonite, GordonGordon Simmonite	DF	1982–1985 1987–1988	72	0	101	0	England C	[36]
Savage, TedTed Savage	HB	1929–1931	96	3	100	3
Fletcher, RodRod Fletcher	FW	1967–1971	92	29	100	31
Burch, RobRob Burch	GK	2008–2010	92	0	100	0	England U20	[37]
Wallington, MarkMark Wallington	GK	1988–1991	87	0	100	0	England U23	[22]
Hone, DannyDanny Hone	DF	2007–2011	85	3	100	4

See also

• List of Lincoln City F.C. players (25–99 appearances)

Footnotes

Player statistics include games played while on loan from:

References

General

• Appearances and goals up to and including the 2012–13 season from individual player pages linked from the alphabetical list at the Lincoln City FC Archive: "The players". The Lincoln City FC Archive. Lincoln City F.C. Retrieved 1 May 2016.  Although this site is partly subscription-based, only free-access sections are used for reference. If pop-up login dialogue boxes appear, press the "Cancel" button to proceed.
• Appearances and goals from the 2013–14 season onwards referenced individually to player pages at the Soccerway website: "Lincoln City FC". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 1 May 2016. 
• Wartime appearances: Rollin, Jack (2005). Soccer at War 1939–45. London: Headline. pp. 354–55. ISBN 978-0-7553-1431-7. 
• Playing position (pre-1940 players): Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6. 
• Playing position (post-1940 players): "Lincoln City: 1946/47–1986/87 & 1988/89–2010/11". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database. Neil Brown. Retrieved 6 May 2013. 
• Playing position (post-2010 Football Conference players) from individual player pages linked from Lincoln City's squad statistics at Soccerbase: "Lincoln FC Player Appearances". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 May 2016. 

Specific