Lincoln City

Lincoln City were Oxford United's first home opponents after the Us' election to the Football League in 1962. The Red Imps play in red and white stripes and play at Sincil Bank.

Lincoln were formed in 1884, shortly after Headington first saw the light of day, and in their early days they played in the Midland Counties League, which they won in 1890. They turned professional the following year and in 1892 they were among the founder members of Football League Division Two. They moved from the John O'Gaunt ground to Sincil Bank in 1895, but in 1908 they finished bottom of the League and were relegated back to the Midland Counties League, to be replaced by Chesterfield. The following season they won the league to earn promotion back to Division Two. They lasted just one season before finishing bottom and getting relegated again, to be replaced by Grimsby Town.

In 1912 Lincoln won the new Central League, returning to Division Two in place of Gainsborough Trinity, but their League status lasted until just 1920, when they were voted out despite finishing above Grimsby. They again won an immediate return by winning the Midlands Counties League and in 1922 they were founder members of Division Three North. Lincoln were runners-up to Bradford Park Avenue in 1928, but only the top side won promotion, however they made up for it in 1932 when they won the division on goal average from Gateshead.

Lincoln's stint in Division Two lasted just one season before relegation back to Division Three North, and in 1937 they again finished second, with Stockport County going up. Shortly after the Second World War, in 1948, Lincoln again won the division, but were once more relegated after just one season, before winning promotion again in 1952. This time their stay in the Second Division lasted until 1961, and this time they slipped right through Division Three into the Fourth Division. In 1976 Lincoln won Division Four, but they were relegated back in 1979. Two years later they finished second to Southend United to go back up, lasting in the Third Division until 1986. In 1987 Lincoln made history by becoming the first club to suffer automatic relegation from the Football League into the Conference.

Lincoln's stay in purgatory lasted just one season as they won the Conference for an immediate return to the Football League. Ten years later City won automatic promotion to Division Three, but they were relegated back to the basement the following season. In 2001 Lincoln became a community club, owned and run by its supporters, but the following year the club's dire finanical position forced it into voluntary administration. The club managed to turn its fortunes around, and in 2003 reached the Fourth Division play-offs, just one point ahead of Oxford, but they lost the final at the Millennium Stadium 5-2 to AFC Bournemouth. They reached the play-offs again the following season, but were knocked out in the semi-final by Huddersfield Town. Lincoln qualified for the play-offs for a third successive season in 2005, but were beaten 2-0 by Southend United after extra time in the final. They became the first team to lose in four consecutive play-offs in 2006, when Grimsby Town beat them in the semi-final. This was extended to five consecutive unsuccessful play-off seasons when they lost to Bristol Rovers in the 2007 semi-final. Last season they finished 20th.

Sincil Bank has an all-seated capacity of 10,120, with away fans housed in the corner of the Co-op Community Stand along the side of the pitch. Adult prices are probably