On the morning of Saturday 7th May 2011, David Cameron had not yet completed a year as Prime Minister, Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO was UK Number One and Lincoln City awoke to judgement day in their Football League survival attempt.
The Imps had not won a match for almost two months and had to match the result of Barnet to save themselves from relegation. They didn’t!
Lincoln City 0-3 Aldershot: Lincoln City are relegated from the Football League after losing to Aldershot in the… http://bbc.in/mGnY99
— BBC Radio Solent Sport (@solentsport) May 7, 2011
Manager Steve Tilson had taken over from Chris Sutton in October 2010 and went on to use so many players, a profile of them all would take you days to read! Let’s start with the manager himself.
Prior to becoming Lincoln City manager, Tilson had been at Southend United in a second spell since 1999 and he held roles from leading the club’s centre of excellence to double promotion winning manager.
In his first two full seasons, he oversaw promotion from League 2 to the Championship and was linked with jobs higher up the pyramid. He would guide the club to a famous League Cup victory over Manchester United but couldn’t save them from relegation from the Championship.
📆 May 7th, 2011: Lincoln City relegated to the National League.
What a difference eight years makes. 🏆🏆🏆#ProudToBeImps pic.twitter.com/sYQnVoz0wd
— Lincoln City FC 🇺🇦 (@LincolnCity_FC) May 7, 2019
Since the ill-fated spell with the Imps, Tilson has had spells at Canvey Island, Basildon Ladies and is currently manager at Heybridge Swifts of the Isthmian League North Division.
The starting XI for the final game against Aldershot Town:
Elliot Parish – Goalkeeper
Parish was a loan signing from Aston Villa and was part of the goalkeeping merry go round that season. He only made 9 appearances for the club, his first taste of senior football, and conceded over 20 goals as his side slipped to relegation.
Since that fateful day, Parish has enjoyed a career in England with the likes of Bristol City and Colchester United as well as in Scotland with Dundee and his current club St Johnstone.
Adam Watts
Watts made 40 appearances in League Two in 2010-11 after making his move from Fulham permanent. He had suffered a leg break in February of the previous season but was at the heart of the defence zone relegation.
Since leaving the Imps in December 2011, Watts had a short spell with Gainsborough Trinity in the National League North before joining National League South outfit Eastbourne Borough in October 2012. He has since retired from football.
Joe Anderson
Full back Anderson was another player to join the club from Fulham, signing permanently in December 2010. After making 19 starts for the Imps, he wasn’t offered a contract at the end of the season and began somewhat of a journey around lower league football.
A season at Hornchurch in the Isthmian League was followed by a short spell at Cambridge United before spending more that 3 years at Bromley in the Conference South. Following that he turned out for Maidstone United, Chelmsford City, Welling United and Margate before retiring in May last year.
Jamie Clapham
The defender made his name predominantly with Ipswich Town before winding down his career in the lower divisions. He had signed a one year deal with City in the summer of 2010 and went on to make 21 starts and scored 1 goal before being released at the end of the season.
He made over 150 Premier League appearances for Ipswich, Birmingham City and a solitary game for Tottenham Hotspurs and played in the UEFA Cup with the Tractor Boys before turning out for the likes of Leeds United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Notts County. He retired from playing after a 3 game stint with Kettering Town.
Cian Hughton
The son of current Ghana manager Chris, Cian Hughton had signed for Lincoln from Spurs in July 2009 and made over 70 appearances for the club, with 22 league games in the relegation season.
After he was not offered new terms, he spent time on trial with Vancouver Whitecaps, Bristol Rovers and had agreed a deal with Dundalk before it was pulled due to club finances. Eventually he signed for Birmingham City where his father was manager but left without making an appearance.
Clark Keltie
Keltie made 18 appearances for City in 2010-11 having joined on a free from Rochdale. After a season and a half with the Imps and his contract not being renewed, he has had spells in Iceland, Ireland and back at host first club Darlington.
In 2013 he moved to Australia and Perth Soccer Club and currently plays for semi-professional side Sorrento FC in the National Premier League Western Australia.
Paul Green
Green had joined Lincoln City in the summer of 2007 from Aston Villa and made nearly 130 appearances in his 5 seasons with the club. Green was a dependable member of some Lincoln sides that lacked quality and would have perhaps furthered his career but for a hip injury sustained during the time of Tilson’s predecessor Chris Sutton.
After being released by the Imps, he would go on to represent Tamworth (helping his new side beat his old 4-0 and earn Tilson the sack!), Forest Green Rovers, Hereford and then back to Tamworth where he had a brief spell as player-coach.
Ali Fuseini
The midfielder from Ghana lasted less than a year at Sincil Bank, featuring 18 times in the relegation season before eventually being let go after Tilson was sacked in the November of the first season in the Conference.
During his time at the club, Fuseini had some issues with the law and was in fact sentenced to a 10-week prison sentence and this sentence led to his release from Eastleigh as he failed to show for their match against Thurrock. Since leaving Eastleigh, he has spent time at Bromley, Sutton United, Margate, Welling and most recently turned out for VCD Athletic in the Isthmian League South East Division.
Luke Howell
Midfielder Howell initially joined the club on loan from MK Dons shortly after Steve Tilson was appointed as manager. He seems to have been a favourite of Tilson as, after being signed by the manager, he was one of only 3 players to be offered deals after relegation was confirmed.
Since leaving the club, he made almost 200 appearances for Dagenham and Redbridge before moving on to Boreham Wood, Aldershot, Hemel Hempstead and is still playing for St Ives Town in the Southern League Premier Division Central.
Gavin McCallum
The Canadian international may have a record of 2 in 2 for his country but only managed 3 in 36 as his side succumbed to relegation. He was signed by previous manager Chris Sutton after compensation was agreed with Hereford United.
He was made available for transfer ahead of the new season but the club had to wait until a loan move to Barnet in November and then January 30th to get McCallum off their books. He spent a season at both Woking and Sutton United before landing at Eastbourne Borough for a 100+ game spell. He went on to Welling United and Dartford before being last seen at Bognor Regis Town.
Ashley Grimes
The former Manchester City striker joined Lincoln on loan from Millwall and managed to score a good return of 17 goals in 30 games, although he did suffer a goal drought at a key point of the season.
At the end of the season, his Millwall contract expired and he signed for Rochdale before spells at Bury, Walsall, Barrow and Southport before ending his career in Scotland with Edinburgh City. Perhaps one who could say he did all he could to help the club survive.
Writer’s View
The number of players used this season was almost as huge as the disappointment of the outcome. Three goalkeepers, two on loan and with less than 20 Football League appearances between them, rumours that players were told they were not wanted but then picked to play and a manager who was rumoured to still live in Essex all contributed to a calamitous season, one that led to 5 years of struggle on and off the pitch that included last day wins to ensure the club weren’t relegated again.
If it is possible to put a positive spin on this, and this is a real stretch, then the 6th year in the Conference turned out to be rather special with the Cowley brothers leading the club back to League Two as champions and an FA Cup quarter final against Arsenal. Six years, not too much of a stretch!
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