Lincoln City vs Accrington Stanley: A match that represents more than points alone

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Two of footballs feel-good stories of the season meet this weekend as the table-topping Imps welcome promotion-pushing Stanley to the LNER Stadium.

The position League One leaders Lincoln City find themselves in today is a world away from where they were five years ago. Middle of the National League, the Imps were still recovering from the ruin of their relegation from the football league in 2011 and feared they would re-enter administration for the second time in 12 years.

When former PE teachers Nicky and Danny Cowley joined the club from Braintree Town in 2016, everything changed. In the most unlikely of circumstances, the brothers masterminded Lincoln’s way out of the Conference and into League One in the space of three seasons.

Now managed by the well-versed Micheal Appleton following the duo’s departure to Huddersfield Town in 2019, the East Midlands side now look a far more complete outfit.

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With Liam Bridcutt at the base of midfield, Jorge Grant thriving in the attack, Morgan Rodgers providing the width, Brennan Johnson offering the pace and Tom Hopper leading the line, the 49-year-old has struck a balance which has left the Imps looking good value for a promotion-winning side and the favourites for the title.

While in the opposition dug-out at Sincil Bank this weekend will be John Coleman; the man who regained Accrington’s league status in 2006 and has guided them to three promotion campaigns over the course of two separate spells.

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Sitting level on points with Sunderland in seventh- with two games in hand – in the table, “Little Accy” are targeting big things. With their eyes firmly focused on the Play-Offs, Coleman’s work is dispelling the myth of Stanley being a ‘non-League’-club in the third tier by the fixture.

The origins of their strike partnership, Colby Bishop and Dion Charles, maybe from the part-time game but their record of 18 goals between them this campaign encapsulates Accrington’s journey from strugglers to flourishers.

The trust laid in the arrivals of  Premier League loanees Nathan Baxter, Tariq Uwakwe, Jon Russell (Chelsea), Mo Sangare (Newcastle) and Adam Phillips (Burnley) is also paying kudos to their changing perception.

So, the stage is set. Two clubs from humble beginnings looking to continue their respective fairytale stories. One at the summit, the other close on the edge of promotion contention. Whatever the result, the context of the contest means far more.