The first promotion, Boro-Millwall showdown & Hodgson's back - EFL preview
Then, except for one season in non-league in 1987-88, they spent the next 50 years in either the third or fourth tier, including then chairman John Reames putting the Imps up for sale in 1999, saying it was a club in decline. Plagued by financial issues, the side faltered at rock bottom of the League Two table and eventually fell into non-league for six seasons between 2011 and 2017. Fast forward to 2026 and the Imps are set to ascend to the Championship with a whole new level of confidence.
After spending four months undefeated to go seven points clear of their title rivals Cardiff City, the side will be the first club in the EFL to earn promotion this season If they beat AFC Wimbledon on Friday (15:00 BST) and both Bolton and Stockport drop points. "I'm really proud of the way we've gone about this season; it's one in the eye for the clubs that try and spend their way out of this division," Imps fan Chris Wray told BBC Radio Lincolnshire. "In the past, we've never really blown teams out of the budget table; we've always built it on hard work, that honesty and that togetherness.
This is the most together we've ever seen a Lincoln City team, certainly in my lifetime. " The pride around Sincil Bank as the Imps head towards promotion Wycombe Wanderers and Plymouth Argyle can both enter the top six on Friday but will have to beat opponents already in the play-off positions to do so League One's play-off race is immensely competitive this season, and the teams that are vying to book their place are not having much respite as six of the top 10 will play each other to kick off Easter weekend at 15:00 BST. Third-placed Bolton will try to regain their composure after disappointing draws against Rotherham and Doncaster were followed up with a dismal loss to basement side Port Vale.
They visit a surging Plymouth Argyle but will have to do so without Corey Blackett-Taylor after the winger was ruled out of the remainder of the season with injury. The Trotters are not the only ones trying to stave off a top-six hopeful, though, as Stockport County visit a Wycombe Wanderers side hoping to do the same. Huddersfield Town host sixth-placed Reading on Friday (15:00 BST) in the midst of a truly challenging end to the season to try and sneak back into the play-offs.
The Terriers are coming off the back of a 2-2 draw with league leaders Lincoln and a 3-1 loss to table neighbours Plymouth Argyle and still have games against Wycombe, Cardiff City and Bolton to come once the game against the Royals concludes. They will have to face all of that without boss Liam Manning, who has taken compassionate leave for the remainder of the season. Newport County could drop into the bottom two if they fail to win against Crawley Town and Barrow succeed against MK Dons The Welsh club have been in the fourth division for 13 successive seasons, a longer stay than any other current EFL team in any of the three divisions, but that record seems to be under threat this season - and not in a good way.