Lincoln City have appointed Danny Butterfield as their new assistant head coach after the departure of QPR-bound Mike Garrity.
Butterfield joins up with head coach Mark Kennedy after previously coaching with the Irishman at Macclesfield Town during a turbulent 2019/20 season. Whilst, also racking up experience as an assistant in MK Dons’ 2019 promotion run into League One.
City’s director of football Jez George said: “He knows League One, he will help us in our recruitment processes and with the development pathways for our homegrown players but most importantly, supporting Mark on a day to day basis with the coaching of the first team squad.”
He will leave his day-to-day role as Southampton’s Academy loans manager to join the Imps in what could be a shrewd move for the club in a number of ways. Firstly, in the obvious capacity. To contribute as another coaching brain in and around the first team squad.
Whilst his experience at Southampton as loans manager, dealing with youth setups throughout the English football system, could help Lincoln’s loan strategy in the future. As the club search for the next Brennan Johnson or Brooke Norton-Cuffy.
Ahead of their trip to Burton Albion on Boxing Day, Mark Kennedy today spoke about how his defender, Lewis Montsma, is recovering and when we could next see him after the anterior cruciate ligament damage he suffered at the beginning of this year.
Montsma is yet to make the bench this year for the Imps, but Kennedy spoke about his progress so far: “Lewis has been back for some time now, but we always knew that his return to play date was in mid to late January.
“It feels like he’s been back a long time and not been available, but he’s had such a serious injury.”
The Dutch defender will have healthy competition when he returns to full fitness, with Kennedy adding: “He’s had B team games; he’s been training, he’s a top player, and he’s one of our star players, and we’ve got a few, thankfully, so we have to be patient.
“It’s about sticking to a program, sticking to a process which we do, but he’s doing fantastic.”
Montsma has made 75 appearances for the Imps, with 11 goals. He also signed a new contract earlier in the year, which sees him extend his stay with the Imps until June 2024, so his return to fitness will be a massive boost for Kennedy’s side.