History Of Lincoln City Football Club

Taylor won his twelfth match in charge which was fortunate as he was about to be sacked for not winning any of his previous eleven. From then on Lincoln only lost three more times that season and during the summer of 1973, Taylor recruited a number of new signings. Players like Sam Ellis and Ian Branfoot would go on to become City legends and a vital part of the team. In the 1974/75 season, Lincoln came their closest ever to promotion from Division Four when they missed out on fourth place to Southport on goal average. This probably cost Lincoln severely in the long-run, however the 1975/76 season found the team on a mission to avenge that disappointment. The team did so in style, smashing club and Football League records alike in the process while several players achieved recognition in the annual PFA player awards.

Division Three beckoned and Lincoln adjusted quite well finishing mid-table but by now some of the players were ageing and Taylor knew he had to bring in new blood. Unfortunately the Board's ambition did not match Taylor's and money was restricted. This is why, when Elton John asked Taylor to lead his Watford team promising ambition and cash that Taylor jumped at the chance even though it meant dropping a division. If Lincoln had had one more season in Division Three under Taylor then promotion to the Second Division would no doubt have followed or been very near.

Three mangers and two seasons later Lincoln were relegated back to Division Three, their new manager Colin Murphy, was not in any way to blame because as often described he inherited "one of the worst teams ever to represent Lincoln City". Murphy set about rebuilding the team bringing in players such as Glen Cockerill, Gordon Hobson, Tony Cunningham and more besides. Many were shrewd buys from non-league football yet the majority of Murphy's signings would go on to play at the highest level.

The 1980/81 season saw Lincoln recapture their Division Three spot and the following season they nearly achieved Division Two status. The season went to the final game which City drew with Fulham, meaning that Fulham and not Lincoln were promoted. The following season, 1982/83, Lincoln were off to a flyer as they led the table from October to mid-February. Alas discontent was evident, when Murphy sought to strengthen his team the then Board and chairman Gilbert Blades refused. Their refusal led to despicable death threats aimed at Blades resulting in the entire Board resigning in March 1983, to be replaced with Denis Houston and John Reames. There is no doubt the disruption of the Board resigning and the players considering strike action over unpaid wages ultimately cost Lincoln promotion, as they fell away to sixth place.

Murphy and the players never recreated that success and in May 1985 after witnessing the Bradford City fire, Murphy and most of remaining players from that 1982/83 side decided it was time to move on.

The same story arose as it had in the early 1960's, relegation in the 1985/86 season and a succession of managers followed. Lincoln were back in Division Four for the 1986/87 season though everyone including the bookies had Lincoln down for a quick return. Indeed during January 1987 the Imps were seventh but from then on they only won three of their remaining matches and the unthinkable happened, Lincoln became the first team to be directly relegated from the Football League. A mass exodus of players followed as only three players remained at the club, Tony Simmons and two YTS players one of whom was Shane Nicholson.

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