PU PREVIEW 61: LINCOLN CITY

Football in the city of Lincoln had been prominent since the 1860s, although not strictly connected to the modern-day club. After the disbanding of Lincoln Rovers (formerly Lincoln Recreation) in 1884, Lincoln City FC was formed as an amateur football association, and the first game Lincoln played was an emphatic 9–1 victory over local rivals Sleaford, on 4 October 1884. Originally they played at the John O'Gaunt's ground, provided by wealthy local brewer Robert Dawber.

Lincoln turned professional in the 1891-92 season, and soon helped to form what was then the Second Division in the 1892–93 season. Their first game in the Football League was a 4–2 away defeat to Sheffield United on 3 September 1892. Their first home game was also against Sheffield United, this time, however, Lincoln won 1–0. Due to Dawber's death in 1895, Lincoln moved from the John O'Gaunt’s Ground to Sincil Bank.

They failed re-election to the Football League in 1908, but won immediate re-election after winning the next year's Midland League, and would repeat this feat after failing re-election again in 1911 and 1920. Founder members of Football League Third Division North in 1921, they won promotion as champions in 1931–32, but were relegated two seasons later. Crowned Third Division North champions again in 1947–48, they were relegated the next year but would remain in the second tier for nine seasons after again winning the Third Division North title in 1951–52. Two successive relegations left them in the Fourth Division by 1962, where they would remain until Graham Taylor's title winning campaign of 1975–76. The team would oscillate between the Third and Fourth Divisions for the next 10 years, missing out on promotion to the Second Division in 1982 and 1983.

Lincoln were relegated to the Fourth Division at the end of the 1985-86 season, and the year after that became the first team to suffer automatic relegation from the Football League. They regained their Football League place as champions of the Conference at the first attempt. In the 1997-98 season, Lincoln were promoted from the Third Division (previously the Fourth Division), but were immediately relegated back the next season. On 3 May 2002 Lincoln entered into administration. Lincoln were relegated again from League Two (previously the Third Division) at the end of the 2010-11 season. In the 2016-17 season of the National League (previously the Conference), Lincoln were promoted as champions back to the Football League.

In the 2016-17 FA Cup, Lincoln beat Championship side Ipswich Town, in a replay after progressing past Guiseley, Altrincham and Oldham Athletic, before defeating Championship leaders Brighton and Hove Albion at Sincil Bank to make the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time since the end of the Victorian era. On 18 February, Lincoln went on to beat top flight side Burnley 1-0 to historically go through to the FA Cup quarter-final, the first time a non-league club had progressed to the last eight since 1914. In the quarter-finals, they were defeated 5–0 at Arsenal.

In the 2017-18 season, on 6 February 2018, Lincoln beat Chelsea U21s in the semi-final of the EFL Trophy, taking them to Wembley for the first time in the history of the club. They went on to win the final 1-0 against Shrewsbury Town. 

In the 2018-19 season, Lincoln won League Two after a 0–0 draw against Tranmere Rovers, having been top of the table since 25 August 2018. Promotion from League Two represented Lincoln's first season in EFL League One since the 1998-99 campaign.

Pompey and Lincoln have met on nineteen occasions. The first came in the FA Cup in January 1939, when Pompey won 4-0. The Blues also won the other FA Cup meeting by the same score. In the seventeen League meetings, Pompey have won seven and Lincoln five, with five games drawn. The last meeting was at Fratton Park in October 2019, when Pompey won 1-0. This was the clubs' first meeting in over 36 years.

Lincoln are nicknamed The Imps and are managed by former Pompey boss Michael Appleton (appointed September 2019).

(Information via Wikipedia and www.11v11.com)