June 11, 2022 12.00 pm This story is over 21 months old

Lincoln City to play Grimsby Town and Sheffield United in pre-season schedule

A free to attend game, local derbies and more

By Local Democracy Reporter

Numerous trips across Lincolnshire, Championship opposition and a game you can watch live for free are on the agenda for Lincoln City’s pre-season schedule this summer, as the club prepare for a new year in League One.

The regular season is set to start a bit earlier in the EFL this year, with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar taking place through the winter months rather than the summer off-season.

This means that the League One season will start for Lincoln on Saturday, July 30 and finish on May 6, pending any scheduling alterations throughout the campaign.


Read: Where Lincoln City need to strengthen for next season


The fixture list for the EFL will be released on Thursday, June 23 – allowing Lincoln City to see who they will be playing when – but their pre-season opponents have now been revealed.

The Imps’ pre-season schedule will begin on Saturday, July 2 with a runout away from home against fellow Lincolnshire side Gainsborough Trinity, kicking off at 3pm.

Ten days later they will face Championship side Sheffield United in a behind-closed-doors match at a neutral venue that is yet to be announced, and on July 16 it will be another away match – this time against Hartlepool United.

A trip to Blundell Park is next for City, as they take on Grimsby Town – fresh off their promotion to League Two – on Tuesday, July 19 at 3pm. This is followed by the first home match of pre-season, against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, July 23.

Lastly, the side will face West Ham United’s under-23s squad at the LNER Stadium on July 26, again kicking off at 3pm. This game will be free entry for fans of both teams, forming part of a family day at the stadium being put on by Lincoln City Foundation.

A ‘City XI’ side will also be fielded for three additional fixtures during pre-season, and they are as follows:

  • July 13 – Sleaford Town (A)
  • July 20 – Lincoln United (A)
  • August 2 – Eastbourne Borough (A)

The games will be a first opportunity to see new manager Mark Kennedy‘s tactics and philosophies of football, as he prepares for his first season at the Imps since replacing Michael Appleton.