Popworld, potatoes and Paudie O’Connor

Start your weekend with a trip to Sincil Bank

Jul 04, 2025

Friday 4 July 2025

If you’d like to write an article for The Scarf My Father Wore, share a few snippets or photos, or advertise your business, please email thescarfmyfatherwore@substack.com.

THE SCARF MY FATHER WORE 2025-26 CALENDAR: Having been to all 56 County games this season, I’ve taken thousands of photos. I’ve put together calendars for next season, featuring some of my favourite photos from the last year, plus some other County bits and bobs. £10 each. Get in touch if you’d like one.

Dear County fans, Stopfordians, Lincoln supporters, and anyone else from The Football Family joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Friday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore.

Part 2 of our 2025-26 League One season preview is available for your reading pleasure today, courtesy of Gary Hutchinson from The Stacey West.

Today’s edition is sponsored by Freshio. A big thank you to Carl and Fiona.

Thanks also to Dan from The Tipsy Imp who sponsors our Lincoln City content on the website.

Finally, I’m currently walking every street in Stockport to raise money for mental health charity Mentell. If you’d like to make a donation to help me reach my target, please click here.

Total distance so far: 253.75 miles

Total steps so far: 418,084

Total raised so far: £2,312

Total completed streets so far: 474 (Click here for the full list, which includes reports and photos from every day of the walk.)

Further information on the walk can be found by clicking here.

Des Junior

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Last win at our place: Saturday 26 April 2025, League One, 3-2

Last win at their place: Saturday 15 March 2008, League Two, 1-0

Today’s Ladbrokes title/promotion odds: County: 12/1 7/2 Lincoln: 33/1 10/1

Top story in the local news today: ‘The pros and cons of splitting up Lincolnshire’

Tanto scored a late winner for County when Lincoln visited SK3 in April (Photo credit: Mike Petch)

Reading at home on the opening day. Port Vale away on the final day. Thoughts?

Let’s hope we get some good results in the other 44 fixtures! Seriously, our captain leaves and then comes back for his new club on the opening day? Big news.

Port Vale away is alright, but few will feel a balmy early May afternoon in Burslem as much of a reward for a long season. The place is a dump.

Which team do you most want to beat this season?

Probably Mansfield. They’re the closest to us and while we did the double last season, it would be nice to do it again.

I also feel like we owe Bolton a few spankings, given that our 4-2 victory in April was the first in about five years.

We’re all from Stockport, who the fuck are you?

If you need to ask, you’ve been doing League One wrong. We’re the team that aim for success off the field as well as on it, the team who exist within their means, and the team who, when the football regulator finally rains a shitstorm down on the big spenders, will be laughing the loudest.

There’s been a little bit of controversy at Glastonbury this summer. What’s the worst song/chant Lincoln fans have ever sung?

I’ll get my own fans on my back for this, but we sometimes sing “Ten German Bombers” which is apparently related to our RAF past. It just feels a bit outdated. Besides, I like Germany. We go to Koln for football trips and it’s very welcoming.

In terms of your summer transfer business so far, where have Lincoln been shopping?

We’ve been shopping like a builder: we only buy what we need to make a team, no frills. If I had to pick a shop, I’d say builders’ merchant MKM. Our one signing Sonny Bradley was made in Hull (MKM is a Hull company) and looks like he needs scaffolding for a striker to get above him.

Which Lincoln player is most likely to end up in League One’s team of the season?

James Collins when he rolls back the years and smashes 30 goals this season.

Which former Lincoln player is most likely to come back and bite you on the arse this season?

Paudie O’Connor on the opening day. Why wouldn’t he? Huddersfield will probably say one of Joe Taylor, Lasse Sorensen or Sean Roughan could as well. We do most of their scouting for them I think.

I’m a member of the Stockport Sippers Society, who always enjoy a trip away every season. Last year we had a fantastic weekend in Exeter. Why should we choose Lincoln for a couple of nights this season?

Why wouldn’t you? The Bailgate area in the summer feels like Europe, with the castle and cathedral just a small walk from each other. The bars up the top of the hill are beautiful as well. In the winter, there’s a lovely feel to the upper parts of the city, traditional and authentic. The uni has brought bars and restaurants to the High Street as well, which means a romantic weekend uphill with the wife could be substituted for a messy one with the boys downhill.

Some of the Stockport Sippers Society in the away end at Lincoln last season

Spud Bros have been all over social media recently after sponsoring Preston’s shirts. If you could choose any food place in Lincoln to be on the front of your shirts, what would you go for?

We have Branston, which is a potato company, so we’ve been doing the food sponsor before Preston got a bit of credit for it. One of our other kits, third I think, will have Nanna Tate. If I had to pick a food place from Lincoln to have on the shirts, I’d go for The Castle Indian as the food is really good.

The Imps’ new home kit (Photo credit: Lincoln City FC)

What’s your early predictions for promotion and relegation in League One?

Too early to say. I’d have to put Huddersfield and Luton as the early favourites to go up. Wimbledon, Mansfield and Northampton as those likely to be fighting at the bottom of the table.

“Lincoln City Football Club, nicknamed ‘The Imps’, is a proud and resilient lower-league side known for its passionate support, community spirit, and a remarkable FA Cup run in 2017 as a non-league team.” That’s what artificial intelligence said about you. Decent summary?

We have become known for that FA Cup run. Maybe worth mentioning in 1975-76 we got a record number of points under the old two points for a win system, which will obviously never technically be beaten. In 1986-87 we were the first team to drop out of the Football League automatically (County fans will remember that feeling all too well) and the following year we became the first to bounce back. There’s more to Lincoln than 2017 onwards.

The world’s absolutely fucked at the moment. If you could choose one person at your club to sort everything out, who would you go for?

Clive Nates. He came in as we were languishing in the National League with the bank threatening to pull the plug. Now, we’re competing at the top end of League One on a budget that some League Two clubs would moan about. We’re frugal, not frivolous, ambitious, but not trying to buy our way out of the division. We’re a slow burner, like the Centralia mine.

And finally, if World War 3 breaks out in March while County fans are in Lincoln, where’s the best place for us to hide?

Popworld. It might sound shit (because it is) but it’s underground. If WW3 breaks out we can always hang the DJ and play some classic Britpop tunes – make it feel like the club it once was, Barracudas, back in the 90s. Plus, there’s a Roman Ruin in the middle of the club, so it survived two world wars already. Form is temporary, class is permanent.

➡️ Click on the links below for the other season previews we’ve published so far.

Bolton

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Photo of the day

Sincil Bank, Lincoln

County fans enjoy a half-time pint at Lincoln last season (just as Challinor was dragging off Addai).

5 Questions with Dan from The Tipsy Imp

What was the most interesting moment with your business in June?

We served 312 Baby Guinness at one wedding alone!

What’s your plans for the business in July?

We have five weddings booked, and the return of the football at our container bar when we play West Brom on the 26th.

What would you like to promote The Scarf My Father Wore readers this month?

A 25% discount off your booking fee for any event booked in 2025 or 2026 (subject to availability).

Any nice trips or holidays planned for this summer?

We've just had a trip to the States to visit family and also have a few days in Malaga with friends. We’re also looking to head to Australia for some of the Ashes in the winter.

If World War 3 breaks out, can all of our readers come and hide in your bar?

I can get maybe 20 in our container, so it would have to be on a first come first served basis!

➡️ Visit thetipsyimp.co.uk for further details.

Today in SK

🎶 DJ

Friday Night Disco at The Nelson Tavern (SK1). 8pm.

🍺 Food and drink

Bitter £2.30 a pint all night at The Cross Keys (SK8).

If you’re out for a few beers tonight, pop into one of our featured venues such as The Crown (SK2), The Dog & Partridge (SK2), The Steelworks (SK6) or The Three Tunnes (SK7).