125 years ago on this very day a group of individuals met at a pub called the Monson Arms to discuss the possibility of forming an association football team to challenge Sleaford for the county cup. So June 26th 1884 an idea was formed, and that idea later became the football club we know and love – Lincoln City FC.
October 4th 1884 the idea finally came to bear fruit as we hammered Sleaford 9-1, a match that we are set to recreate this pre season. The Citizen’s (because of the red and white stripes City resembled ‘citizen blinds’ and hence were known as ‘The Citizens, or ‘Cits’) soon became regulars on the county cup scene, a tournament we still contest to this day.
Just 5 years later we became founder members of Football League 2, and since then we have had a rich and sometimes turbulent history. We still hold the record number of points under the 2pts for a win system, a feat that arguably will never be bettered. We are still the first club to be automatically relegated from the football league, and the first to bounce back immediately. We held the record attendance for a GMVC game for over 20 years, but we’ve also flirted with administration and financial hardship.
125 years old and so much has changed. We’ve got a wonderful stadium at Sincil Bank and a commercial team who actively sell the club in the community. We still play in red and white stripes, although over the years that’s changed. We’ve had future England managers at the helm, future England managers in the team as well as ex Internationals. One thing though has never changed, and never will and that is the passion of the supporters for the club. Whether its 20,000 packed into Sincil Bank to see Derby, or 3,000 watching us struggle to a draw with Shrewsbury in 2009 – the same thing will always keep this club alive. The fans.
So from today the 125 celebrations commence with a series of friendlies to commemorate that special year, an array of special memorabilia including the fans shirt which is officially released today. Over the next season LCM will attempt to bring you some of it’s personal highlights as a City fan, a journey which commenced on October 5th 1986 on a Sunday afternoon with a 4-1 home defeat by Hartlepool.
Happy Birthday City, here’s to the next 125.