With the current EFL season edging towards a conclusion, Lincoln City fans have already been looking ahead to how the squad might be improved this summer, and again the free agents market looks to be rich with talent.
The 2021/22 season hasn’t been the campaign of glittering highs that 2020/21 was, with the loss of key loan players and sales of Tayo Edun and Jorge Grant resulting in a dip in results for the Imps.
Michael Appleton’s side are currently 18th in the League One table with nine games to play, eight points clear of the relegation places, with many supporters looking to next season already and where Lincoln can improve.
The LNER Stadium. | Photo: The Lincolnite
Lincoln City are known for being shrewd in the free agents market, picking up first team regulars Conor McGrandles, Lewis Montsma and Chris Maguire, as well as club captain Liam Bridcutt, for nothing in recent seasons.
Of course, circumstances might change and these players listed could end up signing contract extensions at their current clubs, but with the time ticking down on deals and the season close to its finish line, we decided to look at some potential free agent options Lincoln City could find themselves exploring this summer.
The experienced centre forward was linked with a move to the LNER Stadium in January, before Michael Appleton opted to bring in John Marquis from Portsmouth instead.
Norwood, 31, has scored more than 100 goals in the National League in his career, as well as a remarkable 29 goals in 45 games in League Two, and he has found the net 24 times in 74 League One appearances.
His physicality and link up play could be a great fit for Lincoln’s fluid play style, so long as he has willing runners alongside him.
The former Chelsea youth prospect has played for numerous clubs across his career, but it wasn’t until a loan spell with Wycombe Wanderers in League Two when he managed to get consistent game time.
He has made 57 Championship appearances in his career, most recently for Rotherham United during the 2020-21 season, before he was released by Chelsea and spent a brief time at Los Angeles FC in the MLS.
Now at Huddersfield as a backup option, Blackman, 28, could be the ideal fit to solve the Imps’ goalkeeper worries, having relied on loanees such as Alex Palmer and Josh Griffiths in recent seasons.
With Crewe Alexandra rooted to the bottom of the League One table and staring relegation in the face, it is simply the nature of football to eye up some of the better players and offer them a chance to stay in the division.
Tom Lowery has been a loyal servant to Crewe, and the 24-year-old midfielder could end up being the Jorge Grant replacement Lincoln City have been crying out for since their talisman left for Peterborough United last summer.
With more than 150 appearances to his name already, spread across Leagues One and Two, Lowery has amassed experience beyond his years, and his energy in midfield could be of huge benefit to the Imps next season.
Perhaps the most unrealistic name on here, given that he has played for Barcelona and AC Milan already in his short career, but Alen Halilovic, 25, has had somewhat of a fall from grace in recent seasons after promising so much as a teenager.
After being released by Milan in 2020, the attacking midfield player joined Birmingham City, where he made 17 appearances before leaving for Reading at the start of the 2021/22 campaign.
His contract is up again in the summer, so with Reading struggling to stay in the Championship and Halilovic only making 12 appearances this campaign, could Imps fans dare to dream of a once European wonderkid gracing the turf at Sincil Bank?
The 30-year-old target man, Tom Eaves, has been somewhat of a regular for Hull City in the Championship this season, but he hasn’t really set the world alight, scoring just three goals in 24 games.
In League One there is no denying Eaves’ pedigree in front of goal. Before his move to The Tigers in 2019, he had scored 38 goals in two seasons at Gillingham, and with Hull recently being taken over by a rich investor, you have to feel their ambitions stretch beyond a player of Eaves’ calibre.
Lincoln City have a more than capable centre forward in Tom Hopper, but as proven this season, they cannot afford to rely on a starting 11, it’s a squad game and a player like Eaves could be a huge difference maker.
Brandon Barker – Reading
Brandon is a Royal! ✍
We’re pleased to announce the signing of former @RangersFC winger Brandon Barker, on a deal that will run for the remainder of the 2021-22 campaign.#Royals150 | #WelcomeBrandon
Another player tipped for big things but now struggling at Reading, former Manchester City and Rangers winger Brandon Barker has found first team action hard to come by in the Championship for the Royals this campaign.
He has featured twice since joining in February, and as proven by his loan spell at Oxford United in the 2020/21 season, the 25-year-old is more than capable of performing at League One level.
Given City’s obvious lack of dangerous wide men this season, in the aftermath of not replacing Brennan Johnson and Morgan Rogers, the Imps could have their long term answer in the form of an England Under-20 international looking to get his career back on track.
— Fulham Football Club: Champions (@FulhamFC) April 9, 2020
Michael Hector has fallen out of favour in the Fulham defence since the arrival of Marco Silva as manager, with the former Chelsea centre back limited to just three appearances this season.
He has vast amounts of Championship experience, making nearly 200 appearances at the level, and even has 20 Premier League games to his name, but could he step down into League One in pursuit of regular first team action next season?
Lincoln City’s defensive woes have been no secret, with the Imps struggling to find a centre half capable of playing consistently without getting injured. Hector might be the ideal player to cure that headache for Michael Appleton.
As free agent options go, not many look more plausible than Jordan Shipley, with the Coventry City midfielder looking set to end his six-year spell at the club this summer.
Shipley, 24, has made more than 100 appearances for Coventry from League Two up to the Championship, and it was in League One where he really impressed, playing a regular role as the Sky Blues earned promotion as champions in 2020.
Tom Barkhuizen has been an important player for the majority of Preston’s time back in the Championship, joining the club in January 2017 and making almost 150 appearances in the process.
The 28-year-old is a right midfielder that can chip in with important goals, and given Lincoln’s clear lack of out and out wide players, this could be a deal that makes sense for both parties, given Barkhuizen’s limited game time this season.
He would be a real coup for any team at League One level, and his obvious qualities could help push the Imps in the right direction towards the top half of the table next season.
The only player on the list to already be a free agent, Andre Wisdom has been without a club since leaving Derby County last summer, but still has plenty more to give in the game.
The 28-year-old versatile defender started his professional career at Liverpool, before loan spells at Derby in the Championship, Red Bull Salzburg in Austria, and West Brom and Norwich in the Premier League.
The former England Under-21 international joined the Rams on a permanent deal in 2017 and made 145 appearances for Derby, including during his first loan spell, and to date he has not made the step down to League One before. Could Lincoln City be the platform for Wisdom to get back into football?
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Proposed outdoor dinning spaces in Sleaford’s market square will help to rejuvenate and reinvent the town centre, council officers have said.
They have recommended two restaurants’ outdoor seating areas are given permission to help boost trade within the town.
The Burger Lounge and The Solo Bar & Restaurant have requested permission to expand their seating into the town’s Market Place.
The space is currently used as an ad hoc car park, but there are hopes the dining areas will take greater advantage of the square.
The spaces will be located outside of the restaurants, each measuring 9m by 3m, and will ensure there is enough room for the market to continue.
North Kesteven District Council has pointed to the success of the nearby Sessions House’s outdoor space, saying it has helped to “revitalise this part of the Market Place”.
It says: “Outdoor seating at some cafés and the staging of the ‘Welcome Back Fund’ event post-pandemic has shown what can be achieved, and that this attractive space has far more to offer residents and visitors than simply car parking or the ‘legacy’ market, which has struggled to remain viable as shopping habits have changed.”
Both restaurants expect to take on another two part-time staff as a result, and will operate the areas 9am to 11pm subject a licence.
However, not everyone is happy about the application.
Burton & Co solicitors, which occupies the space between the restaurants, has complained that the application will restrict customers’ access and have a detrimental impact on their business.
However, council officers say it is unlikely to be affected, and the business will benefit from greater passing trade.
A report into the application concludes: “The proposals are considered to be an important element of rejuvenating and reinventing Sleaford’s town centre to allow multi-purpose visits to support its vitality and viability in a manner that will not only support expansion of the businesses directly affected but will more generally support trade within the town.”
The planning committee will decide on it at their next meeting on Tuesday, June 7.
The winners have been announced for the inaugural Lincolnshire Business Excellence Awards 2022 organised by Stonebow Media, publishers of The Lincolnite, in partnership with the University of Lincoln Research & Enterprise.
Almost 300 people gathered at the Engine Shed in Lincoln on May 26 to celebrate business achievements and find out who won in the 11 categories.
The evening was hosted by Lincoln actor Colin McFarlane, with delicious food from city caterer Salted Orange.
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
The 2022 winners and finalists are
SME of the Year
— Sponsored by University of Lincoln Research & Enterprise
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
ADHD 360 Limited – WINNER
Hanworth Country Park
Pallinc
TFM Countrystore
UK Alternative Energy
Family Business of the Year
— Sponsored by Wright Vigar
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Streets Heaver Healthcare Computing – WINNER
Daisy Made Farm
Fox (Owmby) Limited
R H Smith & Sons Wigmakers T/A Smiffys
RW Stokes Tea and Coffee
Exporter/International Business of the Year
— Sponsored by Duncan & Toplis
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
R H Smith & Sons Wigmakers T/A Smiffys – WINNER
Legless Limited
Liz Drury Voiceovers
Makan Bites
Specialist Heat Exchangers
Business Innovation/Innovator of the Year
— Sponsored by Productivity Programme
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Blossom and Best – WINNER
BeamOut Studios
Firmative Media
Live Like Loyalty
Seraph Technologies Limited
Agri-Food Business of the Year
— Sponsored by Stonebow Media
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Jones Food Company – WINNER
JRH Water Management
Seaweed Culture
Charitable Business of the Year
— Sponsored by Ringrose Law
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
MENTalk Lincs CIC – WINNER
Headway Lincolnshire
Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance
LIVES
Sophie’s Journey
Environmental / Sustainable Business of the Year
— Sponsored by Lincoln Minster School
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Seaweed Culture – WINNER
Evolve Flowers
JRH Water Management
Systematic Print Management
UK Alternative Energy
Rising Star of the Year
— Sponsored by University of Lincoln Research & Enterprise
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Jonathan Brewer, Tradeglaze (Lincoln) – WINNER
Cheryl Ellron, Makan Bites
Hannah Lockwood-Geck, Fizzco
James Hopkins, DBS Digital
Tom Remington, The Strait and Narrow
Business Leader of the Year
— Sponsored by Lincoln Science & Innovation Park
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Phillip Anderton, ADHD 360
Julie Priestley, DBS Digital
Michael Jones, Hairdressing Supplies Lincoln
Sara Boland, Influence Landscape Planning and Design
Wendy Clarkson, Fizzco
Business of the Year
— Sponsored by Productivity Programme
Photo by Steve Smailes Photography www.stevesmailes.co.uk
Witham Group – WINNER
KryptoKloud
Lincolnshire Wildlife Park
RW Stokes Tea and Coffee
The Strait and Narrow
Andrew Stevenson Award
Luke Smith – Seaweed Culture – WINNER
This award has been created to honour Andrew Stevenson’s legacy after he sadly passed away in December 2020. During his time as Founding Director of Research & Enterprise at the University of Lincoln, Andrew developed and enabled an accessible infrastructure for Greater Lincolnshire Businesses, launching numerous platforms and initiatives. Hundreds of SMEs in the region have benefited from these programmes, raising innovation potential, and driving forward local economic growth.
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