Imps insist no approach made for title-winning Cowley brothers

Lincoln City Football Club insisted no approach has been made for their in-demand management duo brothers Danny and Nicky Cowley.

According to reports, Championship club West Brom have already held preliminary discussions and are planning a second round of talks this week.

Another Championship side, Middlesbrough, are also rumoured to be interested.

However, Lincoln City are adamant that the Cowley brothers remain “totally committed and focused on preparations for next season in our new adventure in League One”.

Danny and Nicky were originally contracted to the Imps until the summer of 2021, but in April 2018 the club announced the duo will now stay until 2022 after putting pen to paper for a further year.

That didn’t stop speculation from continuing at a pace for the Cowleys, who led the Imps to the League Two title this season. However, Lincoln City have released a statement to reassure the supporters who hold the duo in very high regard.

In a statement, the club said: “The success we have enjoyed over the last three remarkable seasons has brought us considerable positive coverage and raised the profile of the club, the players and Danny and Nicky Cowley.

“The accolades for our management team have been thoroughly deserved and it is understandable if they attract the attention of clubs at a higher level.

“However, we have had no official approach from any club to speak with Danny and Nicky.

“The board talk regularly with Danny and Nicky who remain totally committed and focused on preparations for next season in our new adventure in League 1.”

Arrival of the Cowleys

The Cowleys arrived at Sincil Bank with good credentials after having led Braintree to the National League play-off final.

Their first season (2016/17) saw Lincoln become the first non-league side in over 100 years to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. The cup run included beating Championship sides Ipswich and Brighton and Premier League outfit Burnley before eventually losing at Arsenal.

Not only did the Imps enjoy the fantastic cup run, but they also secured a return to the Football League after seven wins on the bounce culminated with promotion at Sincil Bank against Macclesfield. That season also saw Lincoln lift the National League title after finishing top of the table.

In April last year Danny and Nicky were named as winners of the 2018 Lincoln Civic Award. It was presented to them at a private ceremony in the city’s Guildhall. The duo were also named as The Lincolnite people of the year for 2018.

More success followed in the 2017/18 campaign as a goal from Elliott Whitehouse helped Lincoln lift the Checkatrade Trophy with a 1-0 victory over Shrewsbury in their first trip to Wembley in 133 years.

The Cowleys also led Lincoln to a seventh-placed finish and into the play-offs in the club’s first season back in the Football League. Unfortunately it ended in play-off heartache after defeat over two legs against Exeter.

In the brothers’ third season in charge Sincil Bank went wild with celebration after Lincoln City clinched the League Two title with a goalless draw against Tranmere on Easter Monday.

The Imps secured promotion into England’s third tier – League One – for the first time since 1999.

There is still plenty time for an official approach to be made in the future, but for now the Cowleys are staying put.