The winter transfer window was a successful one for Lincoln City.
It was a necessity heading into January that Michael Skubala was active in the transfer market. The main area of concern of the Imps’ head coach was in front of goal.
Three players arrived at Sincil Bank, with four players being granted exits, three of those on loan.
Signings:
City’s woes in the final third have been clear for all to see this term. In too many games for his liking, Skubala has found his side having plenty of possession, playing some eye-catching football and getting a considerable number of box entries – all without having someone to regularly provide the finishing touch.
To add to his concerns, top scorer and Sheffield Wednesday loanee Bailey Cadamarteri is absent through injury.
A lack of seasoned EFL pros was also something Skubala identified as a weakness, saying he was looking for someone experienced to lead the line and provide the goals that have illuded his side for most of this campaign.
The profile of two of the three arrivals was exactly that.
In James Collins, signed from Derby County, he got what he wanted in attack.
Collins has a wealth of experience in the EFL to draw on, playing 560 times in the EFL. He has hit the ground running for his new club so far, scoring on debut off the bench in a 5-1 thumping of Peterborough United and then netting again on his first start for the club in a 1-1 draw away at Wigan Athletic.
Sam Clucas’ return to his hometown club is another instance of Skubala choosing experience, in Clucas’ case in both the Championship and Premier League, rather than investing in youth.
Clucas was last named in an Imps squad in November 2009 in a 2-0 defeat at Rotherham United in League Two. Though, he is yet to make his second Imps debut.
Following Jack Moylan’s injury, which will sideline him for the remainder of the campaign, focus shifted to replacing the Irishman on a temporary basis. Joe Gardner had been on the club’s radar for a while, and is a promising player capable of filling the gap created by Moylan’s injury.
Departures:
Rob Street has made a good start to his temporary spell at Doncaster Rovers, scoring twice in his first six appearances in League Two under Grant McCann. The same can be said for JJ McKiernan at Burton Albion, scoring and assisting once each in his five outings in a Brewers shirt so far.
Oisin Gallagher was recalled from his loan with Peterborough Sports in the National League North to make a short-term switch to Boston United in the National League.
That leaves the exit of Dylan Duffy’s move to Chesterfield. A loan move to SMH Group Stadium was a good deal: Duffy gets first-team football that he was not guaranteed at Lincoln for the remainder of the season, but they still get to keep hold of a promising player.
His move was made permanent four days later. Jez George, City’s director of football, argued that the move makes sense for all parties. He stated that the Imps negotiated a good deal, but a loan move allowed Duffy to play games while negotiations continued over making the move a permanent one.
More crucially for Lincoln, however, was keeping Paudie O’Connor amid interest from Championship strugglers Plymouth Argyle. Questions remain about the captain’s long term future at Sincil Bank, but keeping him around is a huge transfer window win.