The Stacey West

Lincoln City defender Tom Hamer is progressing in his recovery from injury, although there is no suggestion he will return against Preston North End.

Hamer has been absent for the last couple of weeks, with his most recent appearance coming during the 3-1 defeat against Portsmouth at Sincil Bank.

The defender subsequently missed the matches against Blackpool, Bolton Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers, Southampton and Bournemouth. Joint head coach Chris Cohen confirmed that Hamer is moving closer to a return, but offered no indication that he could be involved against Preston.

“Yes, Tom Hamer is getting closer,” he said in today’s press conference on Imps+.

Chris did not confirm whether Hamer would be available against Preston, but his progress is positive news as the Imps prepare to return to Championship action following their League Cup exit at Bournemouth.

There is less encouraging news surrounding Mason Melia, who was expected to be involved at the Vitality Stadium on Tuesday night. The Tottenham Hotspur loanee was ultimately absent from the matchday squad after suffering a problem in training. The young forward was due to undergo a scan to establish the extent of the injury.

“Mason Melia has a scan on his quad today after feeling it in training on Monday morning. That is a shame for him because he was going to be part of the squad at Bournemouth on Tuesday night,” said Chris.

Melia has so far made one start and three substitute appearances for City, but was also left out of the squad for the Championship meeting with Southampton.

Sonny Bradley made his return against Southampton last weekend, having missed the opening fixtures of the campaign through injury. The centre-back was immediately restored to the starting XI and wore the captain’s armband at Sincil Bank.

His recovery came sooner than Cohen had anticipated, with the joint head coach admitting that Bradley’s return had also taken him by surprise.

“Sonny surprised me as well, Michael (Hortin). It wasn’t just you he surprised.”

Bradley’s availability strengthens City’s defensive options ahead of the Preston game, although Melia’s scan will determine whether the Imps have picked up another absentee, in addition to Hamer and Tendayi Darikwa, who is out long term

Tottenham Hotspur loanee Mason Melia missed Lincoln City’s 4-0 defeat against Bournemouth last night, prompting discussion around his role at the club.

City beat off 30-odd clubs for the attacker’s signature, but his involvement has been limited to one start against Blackpool and three short cameos. He failed to make the matchday squad for the game against Southampton this weekend, and was again not included as the Imps went out of the cup last night.

Ryan Christie’s hat-trick and a late Rayan strike gave the scoreline some real gloss, but Melia wasn’t involved. Most of the other fringe players got minutes, and it felt like the sort of game we’d expect to see the 18-year-old, at least for a short period.

The Stacey West has learned that the young attacker was not omitted because he was the sixth loan, nor because of a lack of belief from the coaching staff. Indeed, we understand he would have been in the squad for the game, but pulled up in training on Monday.

The former St Patrick’s Athletic player felt his quad as the team prepared for the game, which ultimately ruled him out of getting competitive minutes. Up until then, he had been a part of Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw’s wider selection, although it is not known if that was from the start or on the bench.

Sadly, the nature of the game left very few players with a chance to shine in the attacking area. Bournemouth showed their utter Premier League quality with a ruthless display, peppering the Imps with 36 shots and enjoying the bulk of the possession. In attacking areas, there was nothing for the Imps to exploit, with just two shots in our favour, and one on target.

That does not mean Melia would not have benefited from the experience. He arrived at Sincil Bank with a significant reputation after scoring 21 times in 76 league appearances for St Patrick’s Athletic. His performances persuaded Tottenham to agree a deal reportedly worth an initial €2 million, potentially rising to €4 million, a record fee for a League of Ireland player.

Despite his age, he has already played European football and represented the Republic of Ireland at senior level, making two appearances after debuting against Qatar in May. He also travelled to Australia with Tottenham during pre-season and featured for their first team against Sydney FC before joining City on loan.

That pedigree explains both the excitement surrounding his arrival and the scrutiny over his limited involvement. However, there is no suggestion that City have lost faith in Melia or that his loan is not progressing as planned. Monday’s injury was simply unfortunate timing, denying him an obvious opportunity to gain valuable minutes.

Once fit again, the challenge will be to force his way into a competitive attacking group and begin demonstrating the potential that attracted so much interest during the summer.

Mason Melia has spoken positively about his first weeks with Lincoln City after completing a season-long loan move from Tottenham Hotspur.

The 18-year-old striker joined the Imps earlier this month, becoming one of several additions to the squad following promotion to the Championship. Although he is still waiting for his first start, Melia has already been introduced from the bench and is beginning to adapt to his new surroundings.

The Republic of Ireland youth international arrived with considerable senior experience for a player of his age, having played regularly for St Patrick’s Athletic before making the move to Tottenham. His first impressions of Lincoln have been encouraging, with the forward praising the welcome he has received from the players and staff.

“I’ve settled in really well, to be fair,” he told Imps+. “Everyone has been lovely, so it is a great place to be and to be training and playing every week.”

Melia was brought on during the closing stages of Saturday’s 3-1 defeat against Portsmouth, replacing Ben House for the final 15 minutes. He has so far been used carefully by Tom Shaw and Chris Cohen, with City’s head coaches explaining that some of their summer arrivals were not at peak fitness when they joined.

The Carabao Cup meeting with Blackpool could now provide Melia with an opportunity to make his first start. Changes are expected at Bloomfield Road as the Imps look to balance their cup ambitions with the demands of their opening Championship fixtures.

The process that brought Melia to Lincoln was certainly unusual. He was in Australia when discussions took place and needed to join a large video call involving people operating across several different time zones.

“I was over in Australia at first, so we had to do a big Zoom call, which was a bit mental. I’d never done it before, but I think there were 10 different people on it and loads of different time zones.

“It went quite quickly, to be fair. Everything sounded good and I just couldn’t wait to get going.”

The nature of the call may have been unexpected, but Melia did not need long to be convinced that Lincoln represented the right next step. His loan offers the chance to gain regular experience in a demanding division while continuing the development that earned him his move to Tottenham.

Despite already having experienced a major transfer earlier in his career, the speed and logistics of the deal still took him by surprise.

“It is mental. It was done very quickly and it was very nice to be a part of, to be fair.”

Melia now has an opportunity to make his mark at City. Having spent his opening weeks settling in and building his fitness, the teenager could receive his first extended chance against Blackpool as the Imps seek a place in the third round.

Middlesbrough’s proposed move for Tottenham Hotspur defender Ashley Phillips has reportedly been placed on pause despite significant progress being made towards a permanent transfer.

The Imps’ first Championship opponents had been working on a deal for the 21-year-old centre-back, who spent last season on loan at Stoke City. An initial fee of around £7 million had reportedly been agreed with Tottenham, while Middlesbrough were also prepared to accept a number of potential add-ons requested by the Premier League club.

Phillips had even visited Middlesbrough’s Rockliffe Park training ground towards the end of last week, raising expectations that an agreement could be completed over the weekend. However, according to The Northern Echo, discussions have now temporarily stalled with several aspects of the proposed deal still requiring agreement.

Importantly for Middlesbrough, the transfer has not collapsed. Further discussions are expected between Boro, Tottenham and Phillips’ representatives, although all parties are understood to be assessing their options before deciding whether to proceed.

That leaves Kim Hellberg waiting to discover whether another significant addition can be made to his squad. The Swedish head coach remains in charge at the Riverside Stadium after taking over from Rob Edwards during the 2025/26 campaign.

Phillips would arrive with considerable Championship experience despite his relatively young age. The Manchester-born defender developed through Blackburn Rovers’ academy and made his senior debut for the Lancashire club in 2022.

Tottenham activated a £2 million release clause to sign him in August 2023, but his opportunities have subsequently come primarily through loan spells in the second tier. He spent the second half of the 2023/24 season with Plymouth Argyle, making 16 appearances as they avoided relegation and being named the club’s Young Player of the Season.

Phillips then joined Stoke City for the 2024/25 campaign before returning to the Potters for a second consecutive season in 2025/26. He established himself as a regular during the latter spell and has accumulated significant senior experience despite being only 21.

A permanent move would therefore represent an opportunity for Tottenham to cash in on a player who has spent much of the last three seasons away from North London, while Middlesbrough would be acquiring a defender who already knows the demands of the Championship.

Phillips could yet become another major addition, but what had appeared to be a rapidly progressing deal is now facing a period of uncertainty. Further talks are expected over the coming days, meaning Middlesbrough’s £7 million pursuit is paused rather than completely abandoned.

Lincoln City fans will be hoping to get a first glimpse of Tottenham Hotspur youngster Mason Melia this weekend, as the Imps take on Derby County.

The 18-year-old has penned a season-long loan deal with City, who are in competitive action for the first time as a Championship side this weekend.

There are no points on the line against Derby County, but it promises to be an interesting game. Championship squads have been known to play weaker sides for League Cup games, but with it being a Saturday before the season starts properly, both sides might be stronger.

City Head Coach Chris Cohen has revealed that Melia was someone we were interested in before his move to Spurs, and outlined how excited he was to work with him.

“He’s been someone we were really interested in when he was doing his stuff in Ireland,” he told Imps +. “He was someone we knew about and was completely on our radar, but obviously he chose to go to Tottenham and join a massive football club.

“We’re so excited to have him. He trained today for the first time. I know he’s 18 years old, which people think is really young, but he’s been playing men’s football for a long time. His physicality and his ability already shone in his first session.

“He’s a player we’ve known about for a long time and a player we’re really excited to work with”.

Melia has been described as a centre forward, but has a range of skills, which should suit the Imps, as Chris explained.

“We’ve got a really adaptable game model. We play different formations and have different styles against different opponents, and he fits a lot of them.

“Obviously, the top end of the pitch and the magic around the goal is the bit that’s most exciting about him. We see him being able to help us at the top end of the pitch in a number of positions, alongside some other players he’s coming in to join.”

With Melia training on Thursday, it also gave some of the players a chance to work with him as well. Former Ram Callum Elder was on media duty, and he was asked about the youngster, of whom great things are expected at Spurs.

“He trained today with the lads,” said Elder. “He looks really good and is a confident boy. It’s great to have him in the building.

“Hopefully he can progress and develop. He’s only a young lad, so everyone will have to look after him, but it’s exciting from what we’ve seen today and moving forward.”

City visit Pride Park looking for the first-ever win there. In 2023/24, we were beaten 2-0 in the EFL Trophy, and 3-1 in the league. On that occasion, Elder came off the bench for the Rams, while James Collins bagged their third after Danny Mandroiu’s penalty came either side of Derby goals.

In fact, so bad is our form at Derby that we have never won there, while Pride Park or the Baseball Ground, and in every meeting between the clubs on their soil, we have only scored eight times. Let’s hope Mason Melia can push us towards breaking that awful run!

Lincoln City have completed the season-long loan signing of highly rated Tottenham Hotspur striker Mason Melia, subject to EFL approval.

The 18-year-old becomes the latest addition to Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw’s squad ahead of City’s return to the Championship, with the Imps beating significant competition to secure one of the most exciting young forwards in British and Irish football.

Melia had reportedly attracted interest from around 30 clubs, but will spend the 2026/27 campaign at Sincil Bank after being convinced by City’s plans for his development and their ambitions for the season.

The Republic of Ireland international arrives having recently made his first senior appearance for Spurs during their pre-season tour of Australia. He played 25 minutes against Sydney FC, replacing Conor Gallagher as Tottenham drew 1-1 before winning the subsequent penalty shootout.

Melia officially joined Spurs in January following a record-breaking transfer from St Patrick’s Athletic. The initial agreement was announced in February 2025, but regulations prevented him from moving to England until after his 18th birthday.

The forward had already accumulated considerable senior experience before leaving Ireland, scoring 21 league goals in 76 appearances for St Patrick’s Athletic. Across all competitions, he registered 25 goals in 98 senior outings for the club.

Melia made his senior debut at just 15 and subsequently became the youngest goalscorer in St Patrick’s Athletic history. He was also the youngest player to score in the League of Ireland Premier Division and appeared in the 2023 FAI Cup final as the Saints lifted the trophy.

His performances earned him the PFA Ireland Young Player of the Year award in 2024, as well as consecutive St Patrick’s Athletic Young Player of the Year prizes. He continued his development during his final season in Ireland, scoring 15 times in 44 appearances across all competitions in 2025.

After joining Tottenham, Melia scored on his debut for the club’s Under-21 side against West Ham United in April. He has also progressed through the Republic of Ireland age groups and made his senior international debut earlier this summer.

Strong, athletic and intelligent, Melia is capable of leading the line but also possesses the movement and technical ability to operate across the attacking positions. His work without the ball and instinct inside the penalty area were highlighted by sporting director Jez George as qualities that should allow him to make an immediate impact in the Championship.

“I’m delighted to be here and get everything completed. Everyone I’ve met has been so welcoming, and I’m excited to get going in the Championship,” Melia said.

“The ambition of the club really stood out to me. Our first conversation was a bit mad because we were trying to work around all the different time zones while I was in Australia, but once we got everyone together the presentation was unbelievable. It played a huge part in my decision to come here because it showed me the club’s vision and what we can achieve together.

“It made me feel really wanted, which is important as a footballer. I came away from that meeting buzzing. My aim is to score goals, help the team in every way I can and contribute to a successful season for the club. I’m really excited for what’s ahead.”

Jez George revealed that City had been working on the deal since the beginning of the year and believes the teenager is ready to contribute immediately despite his age.

“Mason is a player that we knew about in the League of Ireland, playing under Stephen Kenny at Pats, and we first enquired to Tottenham about him in January. It has been well documented in the press that we beat up to 30 other clubs for his signature, and he is an exceptional talent who we feel can make a big impact for us in the Championship.

“He shows maturity beyond his years, physically and mentally, displaying all the traits we value out of possession, as well as moments of magic in the final third and a real instinct to score goals. This loan was delayed due to Mason being selected for Tottenham’s tour of Australia and he played 25 minutes against Sydney last week, so he is raring to go. I would also like to thank his agents and the staff at Tottenham for trusting us with the next stage of Mason’s development.”

Melia’s arrival adds another dynamic option to City’s attack as Cohen and Shaw continue preparing their squad for the demands of a 46-game Championship campaign. Despite being only 18, he arrives with almost 100 senior club appearances, European experience, domestic silverware and senior international recognition already behind him.

The challenge now will be to transfer his goalscoring instincts to English football, but his record in Ireland, rapid progress at Tottenham and the number of clubs competing for his signature underline the scale of the talent City have secured.

Lincoln City are set to sign Mason Melia on a season-long loan from Tottenham Hotspur, according to journalist Peter O’Rourke.

Usually, a tweet from O’Rourke means an agent leak, so a deal is almost certainly either done or as close to done as possible. This week, he did put his 48-hour klaxon out and get one wrong, but usually, he’s not far off. The consensus in the industry is that he has a network of agents who drop him news ahead of an embargo to help keep his follower count up, a favour he returns with unspecific tweets about players agents are looking to generate interest in.

In this instance, he has tweeted, ‘Understand Lincoln are set to win the race for Tottenham forward Mason Melia on a season-long loan deal with the Championship new boys hoping to wrap up the deal inside the next 48 hours. #THFC #Imps #WeAreImps’.

O’Rourke isn’t grabbing an exclusive here: Melia was linked with Lincoln City over the weekend, so news of a possible deal has been circulating for a while now. With reports of 30 loan enquiries for Melia, if we do grab him from Spurs it’ll feel like a bit of a coup and perhaps even a slight sweetener to the potential loss of Jack Moylan this week.

Mason Melia

Melia is one of Irish football’s most highly regarded young forwards, having joined Tottenham Hotspur from St Patrick’s Athletic in a deal reportedly worth an initial €2 million, potentially rising to €4 million. The 18-year-old made his senior debut at just 15 and went on to register 25 goals in 98 appearances for St Patrick’s, including 15 during his final season in Ireland.

Melia became both St Patrick’s youngest-ever player and goalscorer, as well as the youngest scorer in League of Ireland Premier Division history. His performances earned him the PFAI Young Player of the Year award in 2024, while he was also named his club’s Young Player of the Year in successive seasons. Tottenham faced competition from several Premier League clubs for his signature before allowing him to remain in Ireland until officially moving to north London in January.

A powerful and versatile forward, Melia has been praised for his pace, finishing, movement, pressing and ability to hold up the ball. He can operate through the middle or across the attacking line, and would bring considerably more senior experience than the average Premier League academy loanee.

A temporary move would allow him to continue his development through regular Championship football after training with Roberto De Zerbi’s first-team squad and featuring during Tottenham’s pre-season preparations. It would also give us something we probably need a bit more of: numbers and threat on the front line.

Lincoln City are reportedly in advanced talks to sign Tottenham Hotspur attacker Mason Melia on a season-long loan.

The 18-year-old Republic of Ireland international has emerged as a potential addition to the Imps’ attacking options ahead of the new Championship campaign. According to a report by Lilywhite Rose, discussions are already at an advanced stage over a temporary move from Tottenham.

Melia only officially joined Spurs in January, having agreed a record-breaking transfer from St Patrick’s Athletic almost a year earlier. The deal was reportedly worth an initial €2 million, potentially rising to €4 million through add-ons, with the Irish club also retaining a significant sell-on clause.

Despite his age, Melia would arrive with far more senior experience than the average Premier League academy prospect. He made 98 appearances in all competitions for St Patrick’s Athletic, scoring 25 goals, and became one of the most highly regarded young players to emerge from the League of Ireland in recent years.

He made his senior debut at just 15, becoming St Patrick’s Athletic’s youngest-ever player and goalscorer. Later that year, he became the youngest scorer in League of Ireland Premier Division history when he found the net against UCD at the age of 15 years and 281 days.

His Irish experience would likely mean Jez George and the recruitment staff have been aware of him for a while, which could also be a driving factor behind a potential move. He continued to develop during the following two campaigns, establishing himself as a regular rather than simply a young player being handed occasional opportunities. He scored 15 times in 44 appearances during 2025, including 13 league goals, and also featured in European competition.

His performances earned him the PFAI Young Player of the Year award in 2024, making him the youngest recipient in the award’s history. He was also named St Patrick’s Athletic’s Young Player of the Year in consecutive seasons.

Tottenham allowed Melia to remain in Ireland throughout 2025 before he officially moved to north London at the beginning of this year despite strong competition from Premier League rivals, including Everton, Manchester City and Chelsea. He has since trained with the first-team squad, travelled on the club’s pre-season tour and made his senior bow during a friendly against Sydney FC on July 29, which could have been one reason his loan, should it be to Lincoln, has come later on.

A temporary move had always appeared to be one possible route for Melia this season. Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi previously indicated that the forward would be assessed closely before a decision was made about the next stage of his development. Should an agreement be reached, City would be getting a versatile and physically capable forward who has already demonstrated that he can handle senior football.

Melia has been praised for his pace, strength, finishing and ability to play with his back to goal, while his movement and willingness to press have also attracted attention. That ticks a lot of Lincoln City boxes.

Melia’s rise has also continued at international level. After representing the Republic of Ireland from under-15 through to under-21 level, he received his first senior call-up in May and made his debut as a substitute against Qatar. He has since collected two senior caps, adding another layer of experience to a player who only turns 19 in September.

City’s interest would make sense given the profile of player recruited over recent seasons. Melia is young, mobile and capable of operating across the forward line, but he is not entirely untested. Almost 100 senior club appearances, European football and full international recognition provide a stronger foundation than many players of a similar age possess. Nothing has yet been confirmed by either club, and advanced talks do not necessarily mean a deal is complete. However, the suggestion that negotiations have reached that stage makes Melia a name worth monitoring closely.

A season in the Championship would represent a significant step up from the League of Ireland, but it would also give Melia the regular senior football Tottenham are unlikely to be able to guarantee. For City, it would be an ambitious move for one of Irish football’s brightest young talents, and perhaps a little bit of light at the end of what has been a dark tunnel this week.

Luton Town are reportedly weighing up another move for Stevenage midfielder Harvey White after seeing a bid rejected in February, as reported by Oak Road Hatter.

The 24-year-old is said to be attracting attention from both Championship and League One clubs, with the Hatters among the sides keen to secure his signature ahead of the new campaign.

Luton Back In For Stevenage Midfielder

White has also been offered a new contract by Stevenage, leaving the League One side in a strong position as interest begins to build around one of their key midfield players. The report claims Luton attempted to land White on deadline day back in February, only for their approach to be knocked back.

A product of the Tottenham Hotspur academy, White has quietly built an impressive Football League résumé over the last few seasons. After progressing through Spurs’ youth ranks, he made senior appearances under both José Mourinho and Antonio Conte, including a Europa League outing against Ludogorets and a Premier League cameo against Crystal Palace.

However, it has been in League One where the midfielder has really established himself. Loan spells with Portsmouth and Derby County gave him valuable senior experience before his permanent switch to Stevenage in 2023.

Since arriving at Broadhall Way, White has become a central figure in Stevenage’s midfield. Comfortable receiving possession in tight areas and capable of dictating tempo from deep, he offers technical quality alongside the work rate needed in the EFL. His set-piece delivery and ability to progress the ball through midfield have also made him an influential player at League One level.

For Luton, the interest makes plenty of sense. Following relegation from the Premier League and a difficult Championship campaign, the Hatters appear to be targeting players with proven EFL pedigree rather than gambling on expensive marquee additions. White fits that profile neatly: still young enough to develop further, but already carrying more than 100 senior appearances across different levels of the game.

The situation also highlights how competitive the market is becoming for high-performing League One midfielders. Stevenage will be desperate to keep hold of White, particularly after offering him fresh terms, but interest from the Championship could test their resolve as the summer window develops.

Lincoln City boss Michael Skubala has said he doesn’t find it weird at all that the Imps could face Tottenham Hotspur next season in the league.

The Imps have secured Championship football for 2026/27, where one opponent may be Spurs. There has been plenty of social media chuckles about the Imps and the likelihood of Spurs away, a possibility that grows by the day.

Spurs are currently two points behind West Ham with five to play, but face the potential of a first season out of the top flight since 1977/78. When asked by BBC Radio Lincolnshire if he found it ‘weird’, the current League One Manager of the Season was quite certain.

“I don’t find it weird,” said Michael. “It’s football. I don’t find it weird at all.

“There are some very good teams already in the Championship, whether teams come down from the Premier League, whether teams come up, it’s what we’ve grown to want. It’s what we’ve grown to be.”

Instead of it being weird, Michael says the group are excited for what is coming, and that’s not just Spurs. Wolves were confirmed last night, and will visit the Bank along with the likes of Watford, Stoke City and Queens Park Rangers.

“We’re excited, if that’s another way of looking at it, but we think we deserve to be there. We don’t think we don’t deserve to be in the Championship.

“We’re not looking at it as we shouldn’t be there, and some teams coming down or some teams coming up. But this group of footballers deserve to be in the Championship. Not many teams have got on the run we have to get promoted.

“We’re excited about punching and having a go.”

It looks likely that Burnley will join the Imps this weekend, marking a remarkable turnaround a decade on from our FA Cup tie. While Wolves and Burnley will be new to many fans, those in the eighties and nineties have seen the likes of them at the Bank.

Spurs and West Ham both visited in the early nineties as top-flight cup sides, but in league action? Weird, exciting, call it what you will, it could be a massive deal.