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Lincoln City Football Club

The Forgotten Imp - Unofficial Lincoln City Football Club Web Site

Lincoln City Football Club - The Forgotten Imp

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Retro Lincoln City FC


CHRIS CORNELLY
Born: 7th July 1976 in Huddersfield.

Position: left-winger.

Lincoln City career: 9+(8) appearances between December 2002 - May 2005.

Previous clubs: Lower Hopton, Ossett Albion, Ashton United and Lincoln City.

Chris Cornelly began his career at Ossett Albion before later playing for Lower Hopton. His next move was to Ashton United, where he enjoyed his most successful career spell by scoring 56 goals in 150 appearances. Those goals helped Ashton to climb from the depths of the non-league football scene to their highest ever League placing in the history.

That form also persuaded former Lincoln City manager Keith Alexander to take a gamble on Cornelly and he was offered part-time terms in December 2002. An excellent crosser of the ball, Cornelly gave Lincoln another option, and much was expected of him when he began the 2003/04 season as a professional.

Unfortunately, Cornelly sustained a serious injury during a pre-season friendly and was ruled out of the entire 2003/04 season. He was on course for a comeback in summer 2004, that was until he suffered a reoccurrence of his knee injury. He spent another season on the sidelines before returning to non-league football in May 2005 with Ashton United. The decision to leave Lincoln was Cornelly because the club were willing to offer him new terms.

Just how good a player Cornelly might have been is left to the imagination of Lincoln's supporters but sadly, injury robbed him of a promising professional career.



PETER GAIN
Peter Gain - a former Lincoln City FC playerBorn 11th November 1976 in Hammersmith.

Position: midfielder or left-winger.

Lincoln City career: 226+(36) appearances and 22 goals between January 1999 - June 2005

Previous clubs: Tottenham and Lincoln City.

Present club: Peterborough United.

Peter Gain, along with Neale Fenn, originally joined Lincoln City in January 1999 in a double loan move from Tottenham Hotspur. They were hailed as potential saviours for they were expected to lead Lincoln to Division Two safety. That though did not happen; not through their fault, but because both hardly played. This led to many a discussion, not least from Tottenham's Director of Football David Pleat, asking why the pair were not selected for The Imps' first team.

Gain, despite not playing first team football, decided to try his luck permanently at Lincoln and signed for £15,000 in March 1999. At the time, Gain was a regular in the Tottenham reserve side but he was unable to break into the first team even though he had been a member of Tottenham's youth side that lost the 1995 Youth Cup on penalties.

Gain, during the course of the 1999/2000 season, was in and out of the Lincoln first team as then manager John Reames struggled to decide on Gain's best position. In the end, he decided that left-midfield was best and following Lee Philpot's departure in summer 2000, Gain become a regular in The Imps' first team.

He was tipped for greater things and was linked to Stockport County, then of the First Division, in September 2001. As his Lincoln City career progressed, he found himself playing at left-back in Alan Buckley's team. This handily made room for Alan's son Adam to play in the vacant left-wing spot.

When Keith Alexander took over from Alan Buckley, he opted for a 5-2-3 formation. This placed Gain in central midfield, which is not his best position. Hence for three seasons, his form was inconsistent but on his day, Gain proved that he was a match winner because his skill can create goals from nothing.

Gain left Lincoln in controversial circumstances in July 2005 when he joined Peterborough United under the Bosman ruling. Alexander claimed that Gain had verbally agreed a new deal but then returned to ask for more money. That money was not forthcoming, hence he joined Peterborough. Ironically, a year later, Alexander took over at Peterborough where Gain remains to this day.



COLIN CRYAN
Born: 23rd March 1981 in Dublin.

Lincoln City career: 44+(4) appearances between July 2005 - January 2007.

Previous clubs: Sheffield United and Scarborough.

Present club: Boston United.

Colin Cryan is a central defender, who has represented the Republic of Ireland at both Under-21 and youth levels. He began his career at Sheffield United as a trainee, making eight substitute appearances for the club.

He spent a time on loan at Scarborough during both the 2002/03 and 2003/04 seasons, which included playing against Chelsea in the 2004 FA Cup Third Round. When Sheffield United decided to release Cryan in June 2004, he agreed to join Scarborough on a permanent basis.

Overall, he made 63 appearances for Scarborough, scoring 5 goals. Cryan is currently studying at Sheffield Hallam University, and as part of the deal to join Lincoln, he was allowed to finish his studies.

Cryan showed his versatility during the 2005/06 season when he switched between midfield, right-back and centre-half roles with ease. One of the underrated players of Lincoln City's 2005/06 play-off qualification team. However, he failed to gain a place in the 2006/07 season's first team and he left to join Boston United on a free transfer in January 2007.



MICHAEL RODDY
Born: 22nd September 1988 in Stockton-on-Tees..

Previous clubs: Bolton Wanderers and Lincoln City

Lincoln City career: 0 appearances between July 2007 - January 2008.

Former Bolton Wanderers' midfielder Michael Roddy was a player of unknown quantity. To compensate, Roddy signed an intial six months at Lincoln City with a view to Roddy impressing sufficiently to earn a new contract. However, he failed to impress new manager Peter Jackson and was released in January 2008.

Roddy is a Republic of Ireland Under-19 international.

Please click the links to view cheap merchandise for Bolton Wanderers, Lincoln City or Republic of Ireland football club.


 
 
 
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On this page you will find a profiles of former Lincoln City Football Club players Chris Cornelly, Peter Gain, Colin Cryan and Michael Roddy. Quick link: home page