How Lincoln City turned a cup run into a genuine club legacy | OneFootball

As the final whistle sounded at Turf Moor in February 2017, relief and joy rippled through the travelling away fans of Lincoln City. Their side, then a non-league club under the guidance of the Cowley brothers, had just knocked out Premier League Burnley 1-0 to reach the quarter-finals of the 2016-17 FA Cup – the first time a non-league side had done so in 103 years.

For the supporters of the Imps, and for the city of Lincoln, the moment represented far more than a historic sporting upset. It ignited a surge of optimism, a reconnection between club and community and ultimately became the springboard for investment in infrastructure, identity and social outreach – a rare football story in which the magic of the Cup translated into real legacy, rather than fleeting folklore.

The journey was already a stirring one. Lincoln’s route to the quarter-finals involved defeating Championship sides like Ipswich Town and Brighton & Hove Albion. Then came the historic victory at Burnley, sealed by a late Sean Raggett header. The reward: a tie at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium and national recognition, including The FA’s ‘Giant-Killing Award’ for that Burnley win.

But the real value wasn’t just in the headlines. The run brought in substantial prize money, increased ticket sales and a flood of new supporters. Manager Danny Cowley later said the Cup run was a “game-changer” for the club’s finances. At one point the club’s attendance jumped from around 2,500 in some games to over 10,000.

Every fan queuing at Sincil Bank in the cold, every coachload of travelling supporters, every national TV spot, didn’t just mark a giant-killing – they reminded Lincoln that its football club could matter, both on and off the pitch.

Rather than squandering the windfall, Lincoln City set about turning it into foundations for the future. A key moment came in 2018 when the club unveiled a £1.3million elite performance centre funded in large part by the Cup run’s prize money.

The FA noted at the time that ‘the £1.3m earned from their Emirates FA Cup run has been used in such a way, creating a true legacy, the benefits of which will be felt for generations to come’. The club went from training on a school pitch and an army barracks to a state-of-the-art facility featuring grass pitches, filming towers and a gym.

This forward-thinking reinvestment changed the narrative. cup heroics had been turned into infrastructure that could pay dividends for years.

Equally pivotal was the club’s renewed bond with their city. The cup run sparked a swell of engagement. Fans old and new flocked to Sincil Bank, media interest surged and locals rediscovered Lincoln City as a community focal point. Cowley reflected: “What it enabled us to do is reconnect the local people with the football club.”

Behind the scenes, the club’s community arm, the Lincoln City Foundation, used the momentum to expand their work. From a multi-cultural ‘Community World Cup’ event attracting hundreds of participants to a new Community Skills & Education Hub in one of Lincoln’s more deprived wards, the club began doubling as a civic institution.

In effect, the fans, the cup run and the club became intertwined with the wider community fabric. The club’s identity shifted. The Imps became a heartbeat of local development. For supporters who had endured years of lower-league obscurity, the change was profound.

Too often, cup runs fade into nostalgia. But at Lincoln, the transformation felt substantive. The elite training facility still stands as tangible proof; the increased fanbase, improved financial health and the community hub stand as markers of change.

Much of the success comes down to pragmatism. Rather than blow the income on wild signings or unsustainable wages, the club chose to invest in infrastructure, their supporters and the local neighbourhood. In an era when many clubs chase miracle results only to slide back into obscurity, the Imps’ story offers us something rarer: a cup run with a purpose beyond the pitch.

And let’s not forget the fans, because in this story they were more than spectators. They queued from early hours for tickets. They travelled. They turned up in growing numbers. They provided the atmosphere, the belief and the community resonance.

Their commitment became part of the legacy. Their optimism fuelled the club’s ambition. The club’s acknowledgement of them – through accessible matches, community initiatives and a sense of belonging – reinforced the link. It wasn’t just a football club having a moment; it was a city rallying around its football club, building something together.

When Lincoln City returned to the Football League at the end of the 2016/17 season (having used the cup run as a catalyst), it was clear that something special had occurred. The giant-killing that captured the headlines was only half the story. The other half was how that moment was channelled into long-term benefit – for the club, for the supporters, for the city.

The story of The Imps’ rise is therefore not just a cup fairytale. It is a blueprint in miniature for how a football club and its community can harness an extraordinary moment and turn it into something enduring. In a footballing age obsessed with instant glory, Lincoln City serve as a reminder that magic on the pitch counts. But magic that lasts off the pitch matters even more.