Under Danny Cowley, Lincoln City won two promotions, and their success was largely due to the fresh players he brought in.
Danny Cowley led Lincoln City to legendary success, including a spectacular FA Cup run and promotion back to the Football League.
The success of the club was greatly influenced by the manager’s first five acquisitions, which included players like Sam Habergham and Alex Woodyard.
In non-league football, several of these players have continued their careers with teams like York City, Hayes & Yeading, and Woking.
At Lincoln City, Danny Cowley created history by leading the team back to the Football League in 2017.
The previous year, the manager of Braintree Town and Concord Rangers made the transition to Sincil Bank, where he quickly established his dominance.
With just seven losses during their 46 league games, the Imps won 30 of their 46 games to take first place in the fifth division, 99 points ahead of Tranmere Rovers in second place.
But the campaign turned out to be historic for more than just one reason, as Lincoln’s incredible FA Cup run frequently made news.
The Imps defeated Championship teams Ipswich Town and Brighton before defeating Premier League team Burnley 1-0 at Turf Moor to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time since 1914.
After his team was promoted back to the fourth tier, he guided them to the top division once again two seasons later, winning the League Two championship after they had earned a play-off spot in their inaugural season.
Cowley was appointed Huddersfield Town manager in September 2019 and assumed control of the club in 2021 before accepting his most recent managerial position at Portsmouth.
Returning to Lincoln City, we now examine the manager’s first five acquisitions, which aided in cementing his reputation and that of his team in the club’s annals.
Woodyard, Alex
Woodyard played 44 times in the National League for the Iron as they finished in the play-offs. He was a stalwart in Cowley’s Braintree eleven.
The captain of the England C team joined Lincoln’s defence right away, making 45 appearances while donning red and white as City went on to win promotion back to the Football League.
The 30-year-old had two excellent seasons in Lincolnshire and then continued an established career in the EFL, appearing in every league Two game the following season.
After leaving Peterborough United in 2018, the defender moved on to Tranmere Rovers, AFC Wimbledon, and finally York City this summer.
Taylor Miles
Another player who had previously played for Braintree Town and impressed Danny Cowley was a West Ham academy graduate.
Miles signed a one-year contract, but despite loans to Concord Rangers and Boston United, he was unable to make a name for himself at Lincoln.
The 28-year-old has subsequently made transfers to Hemel Hempstead, Chelmsford, and Hayes & Yeading, playing at the top level of non-league football.
Transfermarkt lists Hayes & Yeading as his current club.
Sam Habergham
The Norwich City academy graduate made more than 170 appearances for the Iron over his four seasons in Essex, adding to the Braintree contingent.
The left-back made 43 appearances during Lincoln’s title-winning season and contributed to 10 goals while playing with genuine talent in the closing third.
His stint at the club was cut short in the latter stages by injuries; he played 33 times the next year before making a comeback in 2021 with Grimsby Town.
The 31-year-old has returned to non-league football after a brief sojourn in Australia. He played for Wealdstone before joining Woking this season.
Adam Marriott
