When it comes to the title Lord of The Imps we can forget Jacko, Colin Murphy or even Graham Taylor, who went on to manage England. No there is only one thus far, Bill Anderson a mighty Imp personified. Cross yourselves Imps for this lad lived but a stones throw from the ground in a club house a million miles from Branston Hall's opulence and he returned us from the dead one season with just a heater and its cinders for inspiration warmth and comfort.
Hailing from the North East footballing hotbed, Bill was simply immense, cobbling together side after side and ensuring the fabulous fifties. Our heady heyday those nine years of Championship (then Division Two) football, as the mighty Imps stood toe to toe with the big boys. Forget Dell Boy, the cockney charmer, Bill could wheel and deal with the best of them. With our budget, as ever, he would need to. He was actually the man to be given the manager's job on a genuinely uninterrupted basis in July 1947 after Joe McClelland's unspectacular stint came to a 'mutual' end. Jackpot! Bill cobbled together two grand and built a title winning side to win the 3rd Division North. The heady heights of Division 2 lasted but a season as we were relegated, but unbeaten he vowed a return for good within 3 years as the side was sold off around him.
Bill was true to his word in the 51/52 season. We netted 121 goals with Graver getting 36 goals, Jonnie Garvie 21 and Ernie Whittle 20. We would hold our heads high until the sisxties including the great escape of 1957-58: when Lincoln produced the most dramatic escape from relegation in League history winning our last 6 games. Bill defied gravity until 1960-61 when the financially impossible dream ended as we went down bottom. The following year the same thing happened as the financial position worsened and we were relegated to the Fourth Division, though Bill stayed on in the job until retirement in 1965. Bill Anderson was our longest serving manager from Jul 1947-Jan 1965 overseeing 762 games, winning 276, drawing 168, losing 318 and enjoying a win rate of 36%.
You think the Chris Sutton decision is a strange one, well a man, not the beer; called Moulson was the shock choice to be the club's new manager. Despite the ex player, named Con, being 58 and having no day-to-day involvement in football for almost three decades, he was given the job and literally rode in from Ruston`s on his bike. The 3-3-4 formation was revolutionary, but after only eight matches, all defeats, and 21 goals conceded, Moulson was given a part time job as kit man and resumed work at the factory where taking out his frustrations on metal plates. We`ll leave the stats as this is one 100% record no one wants brought up.
The board then brought in ex legend Roy Chapman to similar effect though he won 16 and lost half of his 68 games. The steadying influence of Gray at least ensured we did not have to apply for re election during his four-year tenure. Gray`s only lasting legacy however is our Red Imps nickname. Gray`s record from Oct 1966-May 1970 was as follows P 172 W 59 D 51 L 62 - win %AGE 34. Bert Loxley then tried the task from Jul 1970-Mar 1971 and would remain as kit man until 1986. P 31 W 11 D 4 L 16 WIN %AGE 35.5
The Imps then hired a famous ex striker by the name of David Herd who would last just over two seasons despite having a reasonable record (Mar 1971-Dec 1972 P 82 W 30 D 30 L 22 win %age 36.6). So this bodes well for Chris Sutton, well hushed up scandal apart anyway. We would then move on to another untried expro The one the only GT - Graham Taylor OBE.
Bill Anderson Jul 1947-Jan 1965
P 762 W 276 D 168 L 318
WIN %AGE 36.22
Con Moulson Jan 1965-Mar 1965
P 8 W 0 D 0 L 8
WIN %AGE 0.00
Roy Chapman Mar 1965-Oct 1966
P 68 W 16 D 17 L 35
WIN %AGE 23.53
Ron Gray Oct 1966-May 1970
P 172 W 59 D 51 L 62
WIN %AGE 34.30
Bert Loxley Jul 1970-Mar 1971
P 31 W 11 D 4 L 16
WIN %AGE 35.48
David Herd Mar 1971-Dec 1972
P 82 W 30 D 30 L 22
WIN %AGE 36.59