List of Lincoln City F.C. seasons

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Lincoln City Football Club, an English association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, was founded in 1884. The club's first team won the major regional trophy, the Lincolnshire Senior Cup, in the 1886–87 season, and reached the last 16 of the FA Cup in the same year.[1] In 1888, 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. However, the Combination was not well organised and folded in April 1889 with many fixtures still outstanding.[2] Lincoln then became founder members of the Midland League, and won the inaugural league title.[3] After two seasons the club turned professional[1] and joined the Football Alliance; the following year they were elected to the newly formed Second Division of the Football League.[3] Their highest finishing position – fifth in the Second Division – was achieved in 1901–02, and in the same season they reached the last 16 of the FA Cup for the third time.[1] Lincoln failed to gain re-election to the League three times between 1909 and 1920; on each occasion, they won the championship of the league to which they had been demoted, either the Midland League or, in 1912, the Central League, and made an immediate return to the Football League.[1][3]

Eleven young men in striped shirts and plain shorts and one older man wearing a suit pose for a team photo. Three sit on the floor, two cross-legged. Four sit on chairs behind, each in a different, casual pose. One has his foot on a football. At the back, the older man and the remaining young men stand, hands on hips or resting on the chairs.
The Lincoln City F.C. team of 1889–90, founder members of the Midland League

In 1921, Lincoln were founder members of the Football League Third Division North, and ten seasons later won the division title, thus gaining promotion to the Second Division, though for one season only.[4] In 1947–48, Lincoln again won the Third Division North title, and again suffered immediate relegation from the Second. On regaining Second Division status three years later they remained in the division until the 1960–61 season, but then suffered consecutive relegations.[3] The club website rates 1975–76 as "by far the most successful season in the club's history".[5] They won the Fourth Division title with a record points total for any division before the introduction of three points for a win, set new Fourth Division records for most wins and fewest defeats, and were undefeated at home, with 21 wins and 2 draws.[5][6][7]

For many years, teams finishing at the bottom of the Football League had to apply for re-election to the League for the following season – Lincoln made eleven successful applications[8] – but in the 1986–87 season, automatic promotion and relegation was introduced between the Football Conference, the fifth tier of English football, and the Football League Fourth Division.[9] Lincoln finished bottom of the 1986–87 Fourth Division and thus became the first club automatically relegated from the League.[5] They made an immediate return as Conference champions, and until 2011 spent all but one season in the bottom League division.[3] Lincoln reached the promotion play-offs in five consecutive seasons, between 2003 and 2007, but were unsuccessful on each occasion.[3] The 2006–07 season marked Lincoln's 100th season in the Football League; they were the first club to reach that milestone without ever playing in the top division of the League.[8] After a return of only two points from Lincoln's last 11 games of the 2010–11 season, allowing Barnet to overturn an 11-point deficit, they returned to non-League football.[10] Five successive bottom-half finishes in the Conference (renamed the National League for 2015–16) preceded Lincoln's return to the Football League as champions.[11] They combined it with an FA Cup run in which they eliminated three Football League teams, including Championship runners-up Brighton & Hove Albion and Premier League club Burnley. A 1–0 win away at Burnley made them the first non-league club since 1913–14 to reach the quarter-finals;[12] in the quarter-final, they lost 5–0 away to Arsenal.[13] In their first season back, they made their first competitive trip to Wembley Stadium, where they beat Shrewsbury Town 1–0 to win the EFL Trophy,[14] and reached the play-offs, in which they lost to Exeter City.[15] They achieved promotion the following season as champions, and two years later reached but lost in the play-off final.[16]

Since their election to the Football League in 1892, Lincoln have spent 36 seasons in the second tier, 35 in the third, 40 in the fourth, and 10 seasons in non-League football.[3] The table details Lincoln City's achievements in senior first-team competition from their first appearance in the FA Cup in 1884–85 to the end of the most recently completed season.

Key

Details of abandoned competitions – The Combination in 1888–89 and the 1939–40 Football League – are shown in italics and appropriately footnoted.

Seasons

More information Season, League ...
List of seasons, including league division and statistics, cup results and top scorer
Season League[3] FA Cup[3][17][b] League Cup[3][18][c] Other[3][18][19] Top scorer(s)[d]
Division[e] Pld W D L GF GA Pts Pos Competition Result Player(s) Goals
1884–85 — ——————— — R3——— Walter Fox2
1885–86 — ——————— — R1——— No goalscorer—
1886–87 — ——————— — R5——— Billy Gregson2
1887–88 — ——————— — R3———
1
1888–89 Combination 14626171914[a] QR1——— George Hallam2
1889–90 Midland2016227519341st R2 ——— Frank Smallman17
1890–91 Midland187653421203rd R1——— Isaac Moore16
1891–92 Alliance2265113765179th QR2——— John Irving12
1892–93 Division 22273124551179th QR4——— Frank Smallman19
1893–94 Division 228116115958288th QR2——— Don Lees17
1894–95 Division 2301002052922013th QR1——— Albert Flewitt13
1895–96 Division 230941753752213th QR3——— Billie Gillespie15
1896–97 Division 230522327851216th QR5——— Billie Gillespie10
1897–98 Division 230651943821714th QR4——— Hugh Robertson17
1898–99 Division 2341271551563112th QR4——— Hugh Robertson22
1899–1900 Division 234141284643369th QR3——— Jimmy Hartley16
1900–01 Division 234131274339338th QR4——— Jimmy Hartley11
1901–02 Division 234141374535415th R2——— Tom McInnes14
1902–03 Division 2341212646533010th R1——— Jimmy Hartley12
1903–04 Division 2341112841583012th QR3——— Freddy Simpson11
1904–05 Division 234121274240319th R1——— Dennis O'Donnell15
1905–06 Division 2381212669723013th R2——— Jack Martin20
1906–07 Division 2381212446732819th R2——— William Watson11
1907–08 Division 2 ↓ 38932646832120th[f] R1——— Billy Langham13
1908–09 Midland ↑ 3829548638631st R1——— Billy Langham22
1909–10 Division 23810111742693115th QR4——— William Hunter8
1910–11 Division 2[g] ↓ 387102128722420th QR5——— Fred Haycock6
1911–12 Central ↑ 32181228130481st R2——— Walter Miller21
1912–13 Division 2381510135052408th QR5——— Tosh Barrell13
1913–14 Division 2381062236662619th R1——— Billy Egerton7
1914–15 Division 2381191846653116th R1——— Billy Egerton14
1915–19
The Football League and FA Cup were suspended until after the First World War.
1919–20 Division 2[h] ↓ 429924441012721st R1——— Billy Chesser8
1920–21 Midland ↑ 3827389540571st R2——— Pip Rippon27
1921–22 Division 3N381461848593414th QR5——— Bob Chambers12
1922–23 Division 3N3813101539553613th QR4———
7
1923–24 Division 3N4210122048593219th QR5———
12
1924–25 Division 3N42188165358448th QR5——— Harry Pringle15
1925–26 Division 3N421752066823915th R1——— Harry Havelock18
1926–27 Division 3N4215121590784211th R3——— Billy Dinsdale25
1927–28 Division 3N42247119164552nd R3——— Billy Dinsdale29
1928–29 Division 3N42216159167486th R3——— Billy Dinsdale24
1929–30 Division 3N421714118361485th R2——— Harry Roberts21
1930–31 Division 3N422571010259572nd R2——— Billy Dinsdale25
1931–32 Division 3N ↑ 40265910647571st R2——— Allan Hall[i]45 ♦
1932–33 Division 24212131772873718th R3——— Allan Hall23
1933–34 Division 2 ↓42982544752622nd R3——— Chick Reed7
1934–35 Division 3N42227138758514th R2—Football League Third Division North CupR1 Johnny Campbell18
1935–36 Division 3N42229119151534th R1—Football League Third Division North CupSF Johnny Campbell30
1936–37 Division 3N422571010357572nd R2—Football League Third Division North CupR1 Johnny Campbell36
1937–38 Division 3N42198156650467th R2—Football League Third Division North CupR1 Johnny Campbell14
1938–39 Division 3N421292166923317th R3—Football League Third Division North CupDNE[j] Walter Ponting19
1939–40 Division 3N3111673[k] ———— Walter Ponting[28]3
1939–45
The Football League and FA Cup were suspended until after the Second World War.
1945–46 — ——————— — R2[l] ——— Geoff Marlow3
1946–47 Division 3N421752086873912th R3——— Tommy Cheetham30
1947–48 Division 3N ↑ 4226888140601st R1——— Jimmy Hutchinson[m]32 ♦
1948–49 Division 2 ↓428122253912822nd[n] R3——— Jock Dodds13
1949–50 Division 3N42219126039514th R1——— Jock Dodds21
1950–51 Division 3N46258138958585th R1——— Johnny Garvie21
1951–52 Division 3N ↑ 46309712152691st[o] R3——— Andy Graver[p]39 ♦
1952–53 Division 24211171464713915th R3——— Andy Graver18
1953–54 Division 2421491965833716th R4[q] ——— Andy Graver25
1954–55 Division 24213101968793616th R3——— Johnny Garvie13
1955–56 Division 2421810147965468th R3——— Tommy Northcott20
1956–57 Division 2421462254803418th R3——— Tommy Bannan14
1957–58 Division 2421192255823120th R3——— Jack Grainger10
1958–59 Division 2421172463932919th R3——— Roy Chapman15
1959–60 Division 2421671975783913th R3——— John McClelland18
1960–61 Division 2 ↓42882648952422nd R4R1[A]—— Roy Chapman16
1961–62 Division 3 ↓469172057873522nd R1R2—— Brian Punter8
1962–63 Division 4461392468893522nd R3R2—— Brian Punter17
1963–64 Division 4461991867754711th R3R3—— Alan Morton21
1964–65 Division 4461162958992822nd R3R1—— Bud Houghton11
1965–66 Division 44613112257823722nd R1R1—— Barry Hutchinson20
1966–67 Division 4469132458823124th R1R3—— Roy Chapman21
1967–68 Division 4461792071684313th R1R4[r] —— Roger Holmes17
1968–69 Division 4461717125452518th R3R2—— Dave Smith11
1969–70 Division 4461716136652508th R2R1—— Rod Fletcher17
1970–71 Division 44613132070713921st R3R3—— Phil Hubbard19
1971–72 Division 4462114117759565th R1R3—— Phil Hubbard19
1972–73 Division 44616161464574810th R1R1—— Dixie McNeil21
1973–74 Division 44616121863674412th R1R1Watney CupR1 Dixie McNeil19
1974–75 Division 4462115107948575th R3R1—— Sam Ellis15
1975–76 Division 4 ↑ 463210411139741st R4R3—— John Ward29
1976–77 Division 3461914137770529th R3R1—— John Ward18
1977–78 Division 34615151653614516th R1R2—— Peter Graham
Mick Harford		9
1978–79 Division 3 ↓467112841882524th R1R1——
6
1979–80 Division 4461817116442537th R1R1—— Mick Harford16
1980–81 Division 4 ↑46251566625652nd R2R2—— Gordon Hobson21
1981–82 Division 346211411664077[s]4th R1R3 Football League Group CupGroup[t]
15
1982–83 Division 346237167751766th R1R3 Football League Group TrophyF[t] Derek Bell29
1983–84 Division 34617101959626114th R2R2 Associate Members' CupR1(N) Gordon Hobson11
1984–85 Division 34611181750515119th R1R1 Associate Members' CupSF(N) Gordon Hobson11
1985–86 Division 3 ↓4610162055774621st R1R1 Associate Members' CupPrelim(N)
8
1986–87 Division 4 ↓4612122245654824th[u] R1R2 Associate Members' CupR1(N) Gary Lund16
1987–88 Conference ↑ 42241088648821st R2—
20
1988–89 Division 44618101864606410th R1R2 Associate Members' CupPrelim(N) Gordon Hobson15
1989–90 Division 44618141448486810th R2R1 Associate Members' CupR1(N) Gordon Hobson9
1990–91 Division 44614171550615914th R1R1 Associate Members' CupPrelim(N) Tony Lormor13
1991–92 Division 44217111450446210th R1R1 Associate Members' CupPrelim(N) Tony Lormor9
1992–93 Division 3[v] 42189155753638th R1R2 Football League TrophyR1(N) Jason Lee12
1993–94 Division 34212111952634718th R2R2 Football League TrophySF(N) David Johnson13
1994–95 Division 34215111654555612th R3R2 Football League TrophyR2(N)
8
1995–96 Division 34613141957735318th R1R1 Football League TrophyQF(N) Gareth Ainsworth13
1996–97 Division 3461812167069669th R1R3 Football League TrophyR2(N) Gareth Ainsworth24
1997–98 Division 3 ↑462015116051753rd R2R1 Football League TrophyR1(N) Lee Thorpe14
1998–99 Division 2 ↓461372642744623rd R3R1 Football League TrophySF(N)
10
1999–2000 Division 34615141767695915th R2R1 Football League TrophyR2(N) Lee Thorpe17
2000–01 Division 34612151958665118th R2R1 Football League TrophyF(N) Lee Thorpe13
2001–02 Division 34610162044624622nd R2R1 Football League TrophyR1(N) Lee Thorpe13
2002–03 Division 3461816124637706th[w] R1R1 Football League TrophyR2(N) Ben Futcher11
2003–04 Division 3461917106847747th[x] R2R1 Football League TrophyQF(N) Gary Taylor-Fletcher19
2004–05 League 2[y] 462012146447726th[z] R1R2 Football League TrophyR1(N) Simon Yeo23
2005–06 League 2461521106553667th[aa] R1R2 Football League TrophyR1(N) Marvin Robinson11
2006–07 League 2462111147059745th[ab] R1R1 Football League TrophyR1(N) Jamie Forrester18
2007–08 League 2461842461775815th R1R1 Football League TrophyR2(N) Ben Wright15
2008–09 League 24614171553525913th R1R1 Football League TrophyR2(N) Adrian Pătulea11
2009–10 League 24613112242655020th R3R1 Football League TrophyR1(N) Davide Somma9
2010–11 League 2 ↓461382545814723rd R2R1 Football League TrophyR1(N) Ashley Grimes17
2011–12 Conference4613102356664917th QR4—FA TrophyR2 Sam Smith9
2012–13 Conference4615112066735616th R2—FA TrophyR1 Jamie Taylor16
2013–14 Conference4617141560596514th R1—FA TrophyR3 Ben Tomlinson20
2014–15 Conference4616102062715815th R1—FA TrophyR1 Ben Tomlinson14
2015–16 National[ac]4616131769686113th R1—FA TrophyR1 Matt Rhead23
2016–17 National ↑4630978340991st QF—FA TrophySF Matt Rhead15
2017–18 League 2462015116448757th[ad] R1R1EFL TrophyW[ae] Matt Green17
2018–19 League 2 ↑46231677343851st R3R2EFL TrophyR2 John Akinde17
2019–20 League 1351261744464216th[af] R1R2EFL TrophyR1(N) Tyler Walker16
2020–21 League 1462211136950775th[ag] R2R3EFL TrophySF
17
2021–22 League 14614102255635217th R2R1EFL TrophyR2(N) Anthony Scully15
2022–23 League 14614201247476211th R1R4EFL TrophyQF Ben House13
2023–24 League 1462014126540747th R1R3EFL TrophyR2 Joe Taylor13
2024–25 League 14616131764566111th R3R1EFL TrophyR3 Jovon Makama11
2025–26 League 1 ↑ 463110589411031st R1R3EFL TrophyR2
12
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Notes

  1. [a]
    An attempt was made to set up a league called The Combination involving clubs not invited to join the Football League. Lack of proper organisation meant it was wound up in April 1889 with many fixtures still outstanding. Lincoln City played 14 of their full 16 fixtures.[2]
  2. [b]
    Beginning with the 1925–26 season, the FA Cup was structured so that the third round proper contained 64 teams. Prior to that date, the structure had varied, so rounds are not directly comparable to the round of the same name after 1925. For example, in 1892–93, Lincoln's first season in the Football League, there were only three rounds proper before the semifinal, as compared with the current six.[17]
  3. [c]
    The League Cup competition started in the 1960–61 season.[9]
  4. [d]
    Goals scored in the following first-team competitions are counted: the Combination, Midland League, Football Alliance, the Football League, including play-offs, the Central League, National League and predecessors, FA Cup, League Cup, EFL Trophy and predecessors, Third Division North Cup, Watney Cup, FA Trophy and Conference League Cup. For seasons up to and including 2012–13, sourced to the Lincoln City FC Archive;[20] from 2013–14 to 2016–17, to Soccerway;[21] from 2017–18 onwards, to Soccerbase.[22] Select season required via dropdown menu.
  5. [e]
    Divisions are sorted according to their level within the English football league system at the time.
  6. [f]
    Lincoln finished bottom of the League and failed to be re-elected. After Stoke later resigned from the League, a further election was held in which Lincoln and Tottenham Hotspur twice polled an equal number of votes. "The matter was then left in the hands of the Management Committee, who decided in favour of Tottenham Hotspur."[23]
  7. [g]
    After finishing bottom of the League, Lincoln failed to be re-elected, so joined the newly formed Central League, while their reserve team retained membership of the Midland League.[1][24]
  8. [h]
    After finishing next to bottom of the League, Lincoln finished fourth in the ballot for election to the two places available. Although the League expanded by forming a Third Division for the following season, the new division was made up of Southern clubs only, mostly from the First Division of the Southern League.[25] In 1921–22, a Third Division North was formed to run in parallel with the Southern section.[9]
  9. [i]
    Scored 42 goals in the Third Division North.[26]
  10. [j]
    Lincoln were one of eight clubs who chose not to enter the Third Division North Cup.[19]
  11. [k]
    The 1939–40 season was abandoned with three matches played when the Second World War began.[3] Lincoln City do not include appearances and goals from those three matches in players' career records.[27]
  12. [l]
    Although the Football League did not resume until the 1946–47 season, the FA Cup was contested in 1945–46. From the first round proper to the sixth round (quarter-final), results were determined on aggregate score over two legs.[3][17]
  13. [m]
    Scored 32 goals in the Third Division North.[26]
  14. [n]
    Set a record league attendance of 23,146 against Grimsby Town.[29]
  15. [o]
    Beat Crewe Alexandra 11–1 at home to set a record league victory.[30]
  16. [p]
    Scored 36 goals in the Third Division North.[26]
  17. [q]
    Set a record FA Cup attendance of 23,027 against Preston North End.[29]
  18. [r]
    Set an all-time record attendance of 23,196 against Derby County in the League Cup.[29]
  19. [s]
    The 1981–82 season saw the introduction of three points for a win instead of two.[9]
  20. [t]
    Competed in the Football League Group Cup, a successor to the Anglo-Scottish Cup, failing to progress past the group stage in the first season,[19] but reaching the final in the second, losing 3–2 at home to Millwall. The competition was renamed the Football League Trophy for that second season, but is often referred to as the Football League Group Trophy to distinguish from the more recent Football League Trophy, of which it was a forerunner.[31]
  21. [u]
    Lincoln became the first team to suffer automatic relegation to the Conference.[5]
  22. [v]
    When the newly formed FA Premier League split from the Football League, the remaining divisions of the Football League were renumbered upwards.[9]
  23. [w]
    Beat Scunthorpe United 6–3 on aggregate in the semi-final before losing 5–2 to AFC Bournemouth in the 2003 Football League Third Division play-off final.[3][34]
  24. [x]
    Lost 4–3 to Huddersfield Town on aggregate in the play-off semi-finals.[35]
  25. [y]
    Division 3 was renamed League 2 as part of a rebranding exercise by the Football League.[9]
  26. [z]
    Beat Macclesfield Town 2–1 on aggregate in the semi-final before losing 2–0 to Southend United after extra time in the 2005 Football League Two play-off final.[3][36]
  27. [aa]
    Lost 3–1 to Grimsby Town on aggregate in the play-off semi-finals.[37]
  28. [ab]
    Reached the play-offs for the fifth successive season: lost 7–4 on aggregate to Bristol Rovers in the semi-finals.[38]
  29. [ac]
    The Football Conference was renamed the National League.[39]
  30. [ad]
    Lost to Exeter City 3–1 on aggregate in the play-off semi-final.[15]
  31. [ae]
    Beat Shrewsbury Town 1–0 in the 2018 EFL Trophy Final at Wembley.[14]
  32. [af]
    The 2019–20 football season was disrupted by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The EFL was suspended in March 2020 and in June, the League One clubs voted to end the regular season programme early. Teams had not all played the same number of matches, so it was agreed to construct final league tables on a points-per-game basis. Lincoln City's 52.80 points per game placed them 16th.[40][41]
  33. [ag]
    After beating Sunderland 3–2 on aggregate in the play-off semi-final,[42] lost 2–1 to Blackpool in the final.[16]

References

External links

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