Lincoln City are believed to be closing in on a move to appoint Joe Hutchinson to their recruitment department, following the departure of Marc Tracy to Championship side Luton Town.
Tracy’s exit has left a key vacancy at the heart of City’s football operation, but a swift replacement appears to be nearing completion.
Recruitment Shake-Up Continues at Sincil Bank
Luton Town confirmed earlier this week that Marc Tracy had joined their revamped recruitment team, with the former Imps man stepping into a senior analyst role at Kenilworth Road as part of a wider structural overhaul. His departure brings to an end a highly influential seven-year stint with Lincoln City, during which he played a major part in shaping their player identification strategy.
Speculation surrounding a successor was quickly fuelled by comments made during a live episode of The Stacey West Podcast, featuring Lincoln City Sporting Director, Jez George. Without naming any directly, George appeared to suggest that a replacement was already secured, stating:
“ Does it (Tracy leaving) impact us? Of course it does, because he’s had a massive role to play in the last seven years. Does it impact us critically in this window? No, because we’ve already got our plans, our targets, our work, and as you’d expect from us, we should be able to announce something very, very soon.”
Several key sources have since indicated that the man set to step into the role is former Grimsby Town figure Joe Hutchinson, who previously worked for Lincoln before joining the Mariners. It is believed City have moved quickly to secure his return, offering a role more in line with his earlier responsibilities after recent changes to his remit at Blundell Park.
Hutchinson was a surprise departure when he left Lincoln under the previous manager Mark Kennedy. Since then, he has established himself as a key part of the Mariners’ backroom staff, with supporters pointing to the improved structure under manager David Artell. Players like Denver Hume, and George McEachran have been considered smart additions capable of development or resale. That said, Hume is one of the players thought to be on Lincoln’s radar this season.
Debates around his legacy at Town will circle, there is little doubt that Hutchinson has been highly regarded in data-driven recruitment circles. A return to Lincoln, where he previously built a reputation as a sharp analyst, would mark a return to familiar surroundings — and a setup that continues to embrace a progressive, collaborative approach to player identification.
Writer’s View
This move, if finalised, would be a logical reunion. Joe Hutchinson is well known to the hierarchy at Sincil Bank and appears to be someone the club trusts to step in during a critical summer.
The noise from Grimsby forums reflects the mixed nature of recruitment roles in League Two — hard to judge in isolation. But Lincoln’s confidence, and Jez George’s calm assurance, suggest they believe Hutchinson fits their long-term strategy. If announced soon, the Imps will have turned around a key backroom loss with remarkable speed.
