September 9, 2019 11.47 am This story is over 54 months old

Danny Cowley leaving Lincoln for Huddersfield, reports say

End of an era for the Imps
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Lincoln City fans could be left heartbroken on Monday as their much-loved manager prepares to leave for Championship side Huddersfield, according to widespread reports.

— Later update: It’s official. Read more here.

According to the BBC and Daily Mail, Danny and Nicky, who reportedly earn £140k per year at Lincoln, previously rejected a £1.5 million a year deal to join the Terriers earlier this month. Lincoln City FC or Huddersfield made no official comment yet.

The Cowleys originally turned down the approach, but it appears that the Championship side have now got their man to replace caretaker boss Mark Hudson.

If the move goes ahead as expected, it is currently unclear whether his co-manager and brother Nicky will go with him, but it is anticipated that he will.

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.

This means a compensation package would be needed in any deal.

Danny has already been to Huddersfield’s John Smith’s Stadium this season. In August they masterminded a 1-0 win for the Imps in the Carabao Cup.

Over three years in charge

The Cowleys were unveiled as Lincoln City’s new management team in May 2016, having previously been in charge at Concord Rangers and Braintree Town.

In their first season at Sincil Bank, Lincoln became the first non-league side in over 100 years to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. The Imps also secured a return to the Football League by winning the National League title.

More success followed in the 2017 campaign when Lincoln lifted the Checkatrade Trophy with a 1-0 victory over Shrewsbury in their first trip to Wembley in 133 years.

The Cowley’s also led Lincoln to a seventh-placed finish and into the play-offs, where they lost over two legs to Exeter.

In April 2018 the brothers were named as winners of the 2018 Lincoln Civic Award, which was presented to them at a private ceremony in the city’s Guildhall on April 12.

In the brothers’ third season in charge Sincil Bank went wild with celebration after the Imps clinched the League Two title to secure promotion into England’s third tier for the first time since 1999.

Football fans and locals turned out in their droves as the club celebrated with a city-wide coach parade.

Lincoln currently sit fifth in League One after winning four and losing three of their league games so far.