Imps set to miss out on Butcher

By Nathan Jackson
June 9 2006

Lincoln City appear set to miss out on Richard Butcher after several clubs expressed their interested in the Oldham man. City had been widely tipped to re-sign the Northamptonshire born star but when Keith Alexander left the club, his chance of returning as good as disappeared.

The media today revealed that Leyton Orient, Bournemouth and Rotherham had joined the hunt to sign Butcher who had seemed destined to join Keith Alexander at Peterborough United. Keith Alexander is planning on bringing in several former Imps' stars as Mark Bailey and possibly Simon Yeo believed to currently be in negotiations with the London Road club. Ex assistant manager, Gary Simpson also seems set to rejoin he friend.

Butcher initially joined City in December 2002 when Kettering failed to pay their players, making their contracts null and void. He become a favourite amoungst Imps' fans and even set up the goal that sent the Imps' into the playoffs in 2002/3. Butcher often scored from distance for fun before getting injured and he wasn't the same player afterwards, mainly because he had to put in twice as much effort to cover up Peter Gain's half-arsed efforts on the pitch. Ironically, Butcher would link up again with Gain at Peterborough if he chose to move to London Road.

Butcher was ever-present during the 2004/5 season before rejecting the Imps' offer of a new contract and joining Oldham Athletic. Things didn't go quite according to plan and Butcher quickly made a return on loan to City and scored a beautiful volley that equalised at Leyton Orient, however, if was only one of two games that City didn't lose during his time back with the Imps. He went on to have an average season with Oldham before being told by the now departed Ronnie Moore that he could leave for free.

It was highly unlikely that the new manager at Sincil Bank, whoever he may be, would go after Butcher and now the news that teams in League 1 are interested, it's unlikely we'll see Butcher in the Lincoln red and white again.