John Finnigan
What position(s) did you use to play at Lincoln City?
Central midfield
Which seasons did you play for Lincoln City?
1998 - 2002
What is your favourite memory from playing for Lincoln City?
Promotion to the third tier in 1998 whilst on loan from Nottingham Forest. Beating Manchester City at Sincil Bank. The camaraderie amongst the players every day at training and having the honour of being team captain for a couple of seasons after Terry Fleming's departure.
What did you enjoy most whilst living in the city of Lincoln?
I enjoyed living in Lincoln for a short period after leaving Nottingham. I lived in the Doddington Park area before moving towards Peterborough for family reasons.
What is the funniest recollection you have from a Lincoln City football match and why?
It wasn’t funny at the time but my league debut at Macclesfield away was fairly entertaining. Two sending offs and could have been more, a 22-man melee in a game that has since been dubbed ‘The battle of Moss Rose’.
Have you got any 'embarrassing' anecdote from when you played for Lincoln City?
Too many to mention!
Do you remain in contact with some of your Lincoln City team-mates or the Lincoln community?
Yes, Paul Miller attended my wedding almost three years ago with his partner Jeannie. I have the occasional text message with Grant Brown too. Lee Philpott also keeps in touch when he wants an opinion on anything Cheltenham Town related or a bed for the night when attending the Cheltenham Gold Cup at the racecourse.
Who was the most talented player that you played with for Lincoln City? And, who was the most talented player that you played against?
It’s a difficult question, I don’t think we were the most ‘talented’ group of players without being too disrespectful to the squad. We were more of a hard working bunch who liked to graft for what we got, which probably wasn't the easiest on the eye - I think most of the players would agree with that.
What are your thoughts on the growth of the city and the football club when you visit now?
I love my visits to Sincil Bank and the city to this day, and try to get over once or twice a season. I’m always made very welcome by the FPA, club staff, directors and some of the older supporters who were in attendance during my Lincoln days.
The growth of the city and the football club has been magnificent in recent years and I love to see the Imps doing well. The fanbase has increased massively during the success of recent years and it’d be great to see the club in the Championship in the not too distant future. I realise that would be a huge achievement but you have to have a dream!