Appeal success: Elerewe free to face Burnley, but Imps still without two banned players
Thursday 22 October 2026 · By Ellie Marsh
Lincoln City have won an important battle off the pitch this week. Deji Elerewe’s red card in last Saturday’s 2–2 draw at Millwall has been overturned on appeal, which means the defender is available for Saturday’s home game against Burnley (15:00 BST).
The club confirmed the news on Wednesday. Elerewe had been sent off at The Den for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity, but the appeal was upheld and the red card was overturned. He will not serve a suspension and is free to play when the Imps welcome the Clarets to the ProAmpac Stadium.
That is a boost for joint head coaches Tom Shaw and Chris Cohen, but they still have disciplinary problems elsewhere. Cohen has said Hamer is still suspended, contrary to earlier reports that he had already served his ban, and Draper is also banned. The exact length of each ban has not been confirmed, so supporters should check the club’s official team news before Saturday.
The draw at Millwall was a positive result in the circumstances. Lincoln were reduced to ten men and showed plenty of fight to come away from The Den with a point, in front of 19,834. It was exactly the kind of response the coaches wanted after the 6–0 home defeat by West Ham on 14 October, which was a painful night for everybody connected with the club.
Lincoln are 18th in the Championship on 12 points, with three wins, three draws and five defeats. Their last six league games began with two wins, but they have won none of the four since. Goals have been hard to come by, too: they have scored only nine times in 11 games. Still, for a newly promoted side, there is plenty to build on, and Shaw and Cohen were among the nominees for September’s manager of the month award.
Burnley arrive in a fragile state. Nicky Hayen’s side are 22nd, in the bottom three, with eight points from 11 games. They have not won at home in the league for a full year, although they did win 4–0 at Watford on 10 October, so they are capable of hurting teams on the road. Jamie Vardy scored his first Burnley goal against Wolves last week but was substituted with glute pain, and his fitness is being assessed. Hayen is expected to be in the dugout despite admitting he has feared for his job.
A limited number of tickets are still available for what the club has called an eagerly anticipated clash. A big home crowd could make a real difference against a Burnley side low on confidence.
A win would lift Lincoln to 15 points and move them further clear of the bottom three, while a defeat would leave them looking over their shoulders. With the middle of the table so tightly packed, three points could also take them up several places.
After Burnley, Lincoln stay at home to face Birmingham on Saturday 31 October (12:30 GMT, live on Sky Sports). Birmingham are in excellent form, so Saturday’s game feels like the one the Imps must make count. With Elerewe available, they have one more option at the back.
Sincil Bank — currently also known under a stadium naming deal — has been Lincoln City’s home since 1895. It sits a short walk south of the city centre and Lincoln Central station, beside the Sincil Drain. Capacity is a little over 10,000, all seated. The ground is compact, close to the pitch, and easy to read once you know which end is which.
Visiting supporters are usually placed in the Stacey West Stand, behind the northern goal. The stand is named after Bill Stacey and Jim West, two lifelong Imps fans who died in the Bradford City fire in 1985 when Lincoln were the visitors. For smaller away followings the club sometimes uses part of the south end instead, but for most League One fixtures you will be in Stacey West. Expect a covered, all-seated end with a few supporting pillars near the front. If you want a clearer view, sit higher and towards the middle rather than the corners.
The opposite goal sits in front of the Rilmac Stand, the old South Park end. That side holds home support, hospitality boxes and, behind it, the University of Lincoln Fan Village. The Fan Village is open to home and away fans before kick-off and is one of the better pre-match spots at this level: food vans, a drink, screens, and a mix of both sets of supporters. Card and cash are usually taken there. Inside the away section, cash is still the safer bet for concourse food.
Down the west touchline, facing Sincil Bank itself, is the GBM Stand, the biggest and noisiest part of the ground. That is where most of the home singing lives, especially towards the Stacey West corner. Opposite, the Greenlinc Renewables Stand runs only about half the length of the pitch. It holds the press box, directors and club offices, which is why the east side looks incomplete on the diagram. Dugouts sit along the GBM side.
Getting there is straightforward. From Lincoln Central, take the footbridge and follow the waterway south for about ten to fifteen minutes. From the High Street, buses stop near South Park roundabout; the ground is then a short walk. Matchday parking on site is limited. South Common parking is often sold in advance through the club. Street parking around Sincil Bank is tight and much of it is residents-only, so do not assume you can leave the car on the nearest kerb.
Pubs closer to the ground tend to fill with home fans. Away supporters usually gather further into town: The Square Sail on Brayford Wharf and The Ritz on the High Street are the usual recommendations. Back of the Net, a chip shop close to the away entrance, is handy if you want food without joining the Fan Village queue. Check the club’s visiting-supporters notes before you travel; allocations, gates and cash rules can change with the size of the following.
The cathedral on the hill is visible from parts of the ground on a clear afternoon, and the walk in from the station along the drain is part of the trip. Arrive early enough to use the Fan Village, find your gate without a rush, and take a look at the memorial associated with the Stacey West name. It is a proper old English ground that has been rebuilt stand by stand rather than replaced. Treat the locals as you would want to be treated at your own place and you will have a decent day in Lincoln.