Lincoln City

Forrester blossoming with Imps
Like many before him, Lincoln striker Jamie Forrester's career has perhaps not quite lived up to its early promise. A former England schoolboy and youth international, the Bradford-born forward was signed by legendary Auxerre manager Guy Roux when he was 16 before returning to Yorkshire to lift the FA Youth Cup with Leeds United in 1993. Forrester starred in the final, scoring a goal in each leg as Leeds beat a Manchester United side containing David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and Nicky Butt 4-1 on aggregate - in one of the biggest shocks in the history of the competition. Thirteen years on and Forrester may not be in such illustrious company but he is still scoring goals for fun. The diminutive Imps frontman is the top scorer in League Two this season with 12 goals - and that tally includes three hat-tricks. He has helped Lincoln move to the top of the table and his side have smashed home 40 goals in 17 League and Carling Cup games so far this term. And if there are to be promotion celebrations at Sincil Bank next May, it is fair to say that Forrester, who turns 32 on Wednesday, is the right man to have on board. Most of his 141 career goals have come in League Two and he has helped three teams out of the basement division - Scunthorpe in 1999, Northampton in 2000 and Hull City in 2004. His record is so impressive you wonder why a bigger club never took a chance on him. But Forrester is refreshingly honest when asked whether he feels he could have repeated his goalscoring feats in the higher divisions. \"To be honest when I was at Leeds I was given my chance and you could say I didn't really take it,\" Forrester told BBC Sport. \"It was probably down to me not really being good enough for the top level - but I cannot moan about my career. \"I have been a pro since I was 17 and I feel very privileged to have been a footballer for that long. \"I look back and I have some great memories - and I am still enjoying it, which is the main thing.\" FORRESTER PROFILE Born: Bradford Date of birth: 1 November 1974 Clubs: Sheff Wed (trainee), Auxerre (1991-92), Leeds (92-95), Grimsby (95-97), Scunthorpe (97-99), FC Utrecht (99-2000), Northampton (00-03), Hull City (03-04), Bristol Rovers (04-06), Lincoln (06-) Games: 454 Goals: 141 He may have been around a while but if Forrester thought he had seen it all before this campaign he was wrong. His first senior hat-trick came in the 4-2 win over Mansfield in August and he has since notched two more trebles - against Barnet (5-0) and Rochdale (7-1) respectively. \"It has been a bit of a shock,\" admitted Forrester. \"I have kept all the match balls and got them signed by all the squad which is quite a nice touch but I don't know what to do with them. I should probably get a cabinet to put them in.\" The sheer amount of goals that Lincoln have scored is down to the approach of manager John Schofield, who succeeded Keith Alexander in May. \"I am very fortunate to be in a team that creates a lot of chances,\" explained Forrester. \"We have got a lot of players in our team who are attack-minded and play quite an open style, where we try to get men forward. \"As a striker that has been fantastic for me - and Mark Stallard has scored nine this season as well. \"Most of my goals have been from relatively close range - pretty much tap-ins, where the team has done the hard work and I have been there to put it away.\" The tussle at the top of League Two is just starting to hot up, with early pacesetters Swindon faltering and Wycombe and Walsall joining Lincoln at the fore. Forrester knows not to get too carried away at this stage but it is clear what lies in his sights. \"We've only had a third of the season,\" he explained. \"It is very early days and it is still all to play for. We have made a very good start but we need to keep that momentum going. \"We need to have a bit of luck with injury and suspensions. If you look at the top four or five teams then we are probably the one with the smallest squad and smallest budget. \"But if we can carry it through we can be successful. I have had three promotions and I am very hopeful I can make it four.\"

Stockport v Lincoln
Stockport may have Tes Bramble available despite a facial injury, but Keith Briggs (thigh) is facing a race against time to be fit. Wolves defender Stephen Gleeson has signed on a one-month loan and the 18-year-old is included in the squad. Lincoln captain Paul Morgan is still nursing a hamstring strain and will not be risked, while the same injury will keep winger Ryan Semple out of action. Otherwise the Imps have a full-strength squad to choose from.

Stockport 2-0 Lincoln
A late poacher's strike from Michael Malcolm secured Stockport a deserved win over high-flying Lincoln. Mark Stallard went close when his shot on the turn came off the crossbar. But Stockport went in front with a soft goal when Michael Rose's inswinging free-kick missed everyone in the box and crept in at the far post. Adie Moses cleared an effort off the line before the hosts got a second late on when Malcolm grabbed his first league goal of the season. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stockport: Ruddy, Kane, Williams, Clare, Rose, Poole, Briggs (Dinning 46), Taylor, Malcolm, Bramble, Dickinson (Le Fondre 72). Subs Not Used: Spencer, Robinson, Gleeson. Goals: Rose 56, Malcolm 90. Lincoln City: Marriott, Beevers (Morgan 81), Brown, Moses, Mayo, Amoo, Frecklington, Kerr, Hughes, Stallard, Forrester. Subs Not Used: Rayner, Cryan, Wallow, Mettam. Booked: Moses, Brown. Att: 5,497 Ref: C Oliver (Northumberland).

Port Vale v Lincoln
On-loan midfielder Ross Gardner could make his full Port Vale debut as manager Martin Foyle rotates his squad. Michael Husbands could start in attack, but Jason Talbot sits out the final game of a three-match suspension. Lincoln striker Martin Gritton is nursing an ankle strain which makes him a doubtful starter. Fellow striker Ollie Ryan is missing with a stomach injury and a hamstring strain is likely to keep winger Ryan Semple on the sidelines.

Wrexham v Lincoln
Wrexham are missing strikers Neil Roberts, Lee McEvilly, Juan Ugarte and Tom Craddock. Dragons pair Ryan Valentine (groin) and Jon Newby (hamstring) also look set to miss out. Lincoln may hand debuts to new loan signings Mathew Birley and Shane Nicholson, while striker Martin Gritton has shrugged off an ankle strain. Midfielder Scott Kerr (back strain) and striker Ollie Ryan (stomach) are again expected to be missing.

Ex-Lincoln defender rejoins Lambs
Tamworth boss Mark Cooper has completed the signing of former Lincoln City defender Tom Kemp. Kemp rejoins the Lambs after having his Imps contract cancelled last month. The 19-year-old spent three months on loan at Tamworth earlier this season, and made 18 league and cup appearances for Cooper's side. Cooper plans to further strengthen his squad, which is bottom of the Conference table, in the January transfer window.

Lincoln 2-1 Boston Utd
Substitute Jeff Hughes earned Lincoln victory to leave them in third place. Hughes swept the ball home from close range on the hour to finish off a four-man move which tore Boston apart. Lincoln went ahead when Mark Stallard hit a low shot past goalkeeper Andy Marriott before Boston's Jason Kennedy volleyed in off the crossbar. The Imps had chances to win by a wider margin after Hughes' goal, with leading scorer Jamie Forrester hitting the post from close range 10 minutes from time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lincoln City: Marriott, Eaden, Morgan, Brown, Nicholson (Hughes 53), Amoo, Beevers, Kerr, Forrester (Moses 86), Stallard, Gritton (Frecklington 52). Subs Not Used: Rayner, Birley. Goals: Stallard 16, Hughes 60. Boston Utd: Marriott, Canoville, Ellender, Miller, Tim Ryan, Kennedy, Rowson, Galbraith (Farrell 63), Elding, N'Guessan (Maylett 63), Green. Subs Not Used: Clarke, Richie Ryan, Stevens. Booked: Ellender. Goals: Kennedy 38. Att: 6,820 Ref: M Thorpe (Suffolk).

Macclesfield v Lincoln
Macclesfield midfielder Jamie Tolley is suspended after picking up a red card on Boxing Day. Manager Paul Ince has no other concerns as his side aim to extend their winning league run to eight games. On-loan Nottingham Forest striker Spencer Weir-Daley is free to make his Lincoln debut but defender Nicky Eaden has returned to Forest. Paul Mayo is again a doubt with the groin injury that kept him out of Saturday's Wycombe game.

Rochdale 2-0 Lincoln City
Late goals from Chris Dagnall and Adam Rundle sank promotion-chasing Lincoln. David Perkins and Louis Dodds combined well in the first half to set up Rundle but he fired into the side-netting. Perkins went close after the break with a close-range volley saved by Alan Marriott, but Lincoln substitute Junior Mendes fired their best chance wide. Dagnall slotted home Rundle's cross with two minutes left and Rundle rounded things off after Dagnall hit a post three minutes into time added on. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rochdale: Gilks, Ramsden, Stanton, McArdle, Goodall, Muirhead, Doolan, Perkins, Rundle, Murray (Dagnall 58), Dodds (Reet 82). Subs Not Used: Rigby, Poole, Jackson. Booked: Ramsden, Goodall. Goals: Dagnall 89, Rundle 90. Lincoln City: Marriott, Eaden, Beevers, Brown, Green, Amoo (Frecklington 67), Holmes (N'Guessan 87), Kerr, Hughes (Mendes 80), Forrester, Stallard. Subs Not Used: Olejnik, Mayo. Booked: Green. Att: 2,911. Ref: P Joslin (Nottinghamshire).

Lincoln captain set to leave club
Lincoln captain Paul Morgan is almost certain to leave the club after he handed in a transfer request. He has told boss John Schofield he wants to leave at the end of the season because of 'personal issues' and missed Monday's 1-1 draw at Darlington. Morgan has been at the club since 2001 and has one year left on his deal. Schofield said: "I've had a meeting with Paul and I understand his situation and why he wants to leave, but that's not to say I agree with it."

Frecklington fit for Lincoln push
Lincoln's Lee Frecklington says he has fully recovered from a back injury as the Imps gear up for the play-offs. Lincoln need a point from Saturday's home game with Chester to guarantee a place in the League Two play-offs for a remarkable fifth successive season. Midfielder Frecklington, who has scored 10 goals this season, has not started any of Lincoln's last four games. "I've had an ongoing back injury since January," Frecklington told SSB. "I needed to rest, but I'm fully fit." Frecklington added: "I've played a lot this season and my body has had to adjust. The more I played the more I was stiffening up, but I'm feeling a lot better now." The 21-year-old Frecklington, who has been dubbed League Two's Steven Gerrard, has earned rave reviews this season, winning a call-up to the Republic of Ireland B team in November. Frecklington qualifies to play for the Republic through his grandparents - on his mother's side - whose name was Coogan. The midfielder has been playing so well he has also reportedly attracted the attention of scouts from Premiership clubs Wigan and Sheffield United. His emergence this season is nothing short of remarkable - he describes it as "mad, totally unexpected" - given in September 2005 he was sent out on loan to Southern League Division One side Stamford. He returned to Lincoln in January 2006, but spent much of the rest of that season as a substitute under former manager Keith Alexander. But Alexander's successor John Schofield has made the midfielder a key part of Lincoln's promotion-chasing team. "I've known John since I was 12 when he was in charge of Lincoln's academy," said Frecklington. "He's alway liked the way I play and has been brilliant with me. "He has shown a lot of confidence in me and that has been a real boost." At 5ft 8in, Frecklington is not the tallest of footballers, but he is doing everything in his power not to allow his game to be disadvantaged by his stature. "That loan spell got me used to playing a hustle and bustle kind of football," said Frecklington. "I know I haven't got the biggest of builds, but I've been going to the gym twice a week." Frecklington was a youth player when Lincoln reached the play-offs in 2003 and went to watch the Imps at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium when they lost 5-2 to Bournemouth in the final. Last season - the fourth time the club had reached the play-offs in a row - Frecklington made two substitute appearances in the semi-finals when Lincoln went out to Grimsby. "Luck plays a big part in the play-offs," said Frecklington. "But the more you play in them the less nervous you become and by learning to deal with that type of disappointment, you become even more determined. "That's true of a lot of this team team. I think four of the squad were in the side that lost out to Bournemouth in the final four years ago. "Hopefully we can do it this year. All the teams that are likely to be in the play-offs we have done well against this eason. Let's hope that is an omen."

Imps boss Schofield revamps squad
Lincoln City boss John Schofield has offered new contracts to seven players and released five others after City lost in the play-off semi-finals. Ryan Amoo and Owain Warlow have been offered two-year contract, while Paul Mayo, Shane Clark, Ayden Duffy and Phil Watt have been offered 12-month deals. Striker Ollie Ryan, 21, has been offered a six-month deal. But Martin Gritton has been released along with Leon Mettam, Simon Rayner, Andy Toyne and Tom Wilkinson.

Lincoln manager handed FA charge
Lincoln City manager Peter Jackson has been hit with a disciplinary charge by the Football Association. The new Imps manager has been charged with a breach of FA rule E3 - using abusive and/or insulting words - at their game with Chester on 2 November. The match in question, which was Jackson's first as Imps boss, saw the home side lose 1-0 at Sincil Bank to a controversial penalty. Jackson has until 22 November to respond to the charge.

Imps set to sign Doncaster keeper
Lincoln are set to sign Doncaster goalkeeper Ben Smith on a month's loan. The Imps are awaiting confirmation from the Football League that the deal can go through and he can become new manager Peter Jackson's first signing. Smith, 21, joined Rovers from Stockport in the summer, and was handed a contract extension during the summer. But despite starting 13 league games last season, he has been restricted to just two Johnstone's Paint Trophy appearances this term.

Farsley aim to net Torpey on loan
Veteran Lincoln City striker Steve Torpey is wanted by Blue Square Premier side Farsley Celtic. Lincoln have refuted claims from Farsley that the 36-year-old has already sealed a two-month loan move. But City boss Peter Jackson confirmed Celtic's interest and will discuss a move for the striker. "He's still carrying an injury but talks will take place about him possibly going there," Jackson told the Lincolnshire Echo. Meanwhile, Farsley are sorting through applications to fill their vacant managerial position after Lee Sinnott's departure to take the Port Vale job.

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