Lincoln City Captain Moves On

Tom Hopper has today left Lincoln City to join League Two side Colchester United for an undisclosed fee.

I reported yesterday that Tom was on his way out from the football club and that has been announced today, following the announcement that Charley Kendall has departed on loan, which I will talk about in an article later today. The loss of Tom has left us extremely light in the number nine position, with Ben House and Freddie Draper now our only options and the latter is expected to leave on loan before the end of the window. However, I don’t think the club would let Tom go without a replacement in mind, so it is just a case of watching this space.

Tom is a player that has split the fanbase and that has been mostly down to his performances this season. He arrived in Michael Appleton’s first transfer window, and within a few weeks was our first choice striker with Tyreece John-Jules picking up an injury and Tyler Walker being recalled by Nottingham Forest. Tom started slowly for us, mainly down to the high squad turnover and how quickly he became our first choice but he came into his own in the game before lockdown started against Burton Albion, Tom scored two goals that day leading us to a 3-2 win, in what would be the final game of the 19/20 season. The following season, that was all behind closed doors, is when Tom really wrote himself into the Lincoln City history books. He may not have been our twenty-goal a season striker that season but he was everything else for the team. He brought others into play, won fouls and held up the ball, the Lincolnshire-born striker played the ‘false-nine’ role like I’ve never seen before in this league. He scored some crucial goals too, one against Wigan comes to mind and obviously that goal against Sunderland in the play-off semi final.

His one drawback was that he struggled with injury and his 21/22 campaign never really got going with a stress fracture injury that kept him out until the end of February, and when he returned we had John Marquis, Liam Cullen and Ben House all contracted to the club. Despite all of that he remained at the football club, with others leaving and was appointed club captain by new manager Mark Kennedy at the start of this season, and despite starting the season well with a goal against Exeter, the campaign hasn’t gone how Tom or Mark would have imagined. Injuries saw him fall out of the side, and the impressive form of House meant he kept his place, even when Tom returned from injury and even when Tom played, we looked weaker for it.

Tom made 100 appearances for the club scoring and 21 goals and will be missed, not just because of his on the pitch presence but his leadership on and off the field. On a personal level, I’ve had the pleasure of speaking to Tom a few times, he is one of the nicest guys in football and always had time for everyone. He will be missed at Lincoln City, and I wish him all the luck in the future.

Thank You, Skipper.