Ethan Hamilton is reflecting on another season in the professional game and his second year at Lincoln City.
The former Man United youngster, now 26, joined the club in 2023 and has racked up 74 appearances for the Imps.
Playing at the LNER Stadium is an enlightening experience for any footballer given Lincoln are a side who do things differently.
Not only do they have a Director of Innovation and Growth, but they have leant into AI to analyse set pieces and improve player performance, while they are exploring ways to incentivise fans to reduce their carbon footprint when travelling to matches.
Lincoln have also been a stepping stone for talent, with the likes of Morgan Rogers, Brennan Johnson and Harry Toffolo among the stars to have passed through in recent years.
In every essence they are a modern club. And, after parachuting themselves back into the national consciousness via a memorable run to the FA Cup quarter-finals in 2016-17 when they were in the National League, 2024-25 is their six successive campaign in League One.
Lincoln City star and former Manchester United youngster Ethan Hamilton spoke to Mail Sport
Hamilton, a cultured left-footed midfielder, joined the Imps in 2023 and has played 74 times
Hamilton joined United as a 16-year-old and spent five years at Old Trafford (pictured in 2018)
Having missed out on the play-offs on the final day last season, there were hopes of taking that extra step this time around. Yet the challenge of competing in a division littered with heavy US investment and a slew of former Premier League sides is not easy, with sources indicating that Lincoln’s budget is among the bottom quarter in League One.
And, despite signs of progress under the highly-rated Michael Skubala, previously head coach of the England Men’s Futsal team before working with England Under 18s and Leeds United, that consistency to push for the top six has been elusive.
A record of 16 wins and 15 defeats proves that and Easter victories over Reading and Bolton marked the first time since January that Lincoln have picked up back-to-back victories.
Similar statement triumphs across the campaign against the likes of Stockport and Leyton Orient – two teams pushing for promotion – show the quality is there, but with two games to go, Lincoln sit 11th, 11 points adrift of the top six.
‘For the club it’s been an OK campaign,’ Hamilton tells Mail Sport. ‘We always have aspirations to push for the play-offs, but we find ourselves in a little bit of a middle ground.
‘It’s now about finishing the season strong and bringing momentum to the summer and next season.’
Hamilton’s initial impact on the campaign was delayed by a knee injury picked up in February 2024, but he returned in October.
Despite signs of progress, Lincoln’s season has been marred by inconsistency and they sit 11th
Hamilton felt Lincoln aren’t that far away from pushing on into the play-off spots next season
Although he’s perhaps not started as many games as he would have liked, the cultured left footed midfielder has still featured 37 times in all competitions.
So what does he feel is necessary for Lincoln to take that extra step to push into the top six?
‘In football you need a lot of luck at times,’ he adds. ‘There’s some games we feel we probably could have done better in. And the manager is always on to us about being more front-footed and dominating the game for longer periods.
‘That’s what we’re trying to do until the end of the season, and give the fans something to be excited about ahead of next year.’
Hamilton, 26, is affable company, with sources close to the club providing a similar picture of the midfielder, who hails from Scotland.
He has a fascinating background given he started his career with Hutchison Vale, the same Edinburgh club where United legend Darren Fletcher began, with the Scot later taking him under his wing.
Hamilton was signed by the Red Devils aged 16 in 2015, impressing in the academy before he was handed a professional contract ahead of the 2018-19 season.
That year, he went on the club’s pre-season tour of the US and was often called-up to first team training alongside the likes of Paul Pogba, Juan Mata, Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford, who was the year above at youth level.
After joining United in 2015, Hamilton impressed and signed a professional contract in 2018
The 26-year-old was in the same cohort as ex-United and now Lille midfielder Angel Gomes
‘It was brilliant,’ says Hamilton when reflecting on his five-year spell at United. ‘The opportunities you get there you probably don’t get anywhere else so I’ve been very lucky.
‘You see parts of the world that my family wouldn’t be able to see growing up and you’re well looked after. I keep in contact with a few people and it gives you a great grounding to go on and have a career.’
Hamilton was in the same cohort as Angel Gomes, the England international who left United and is now shining for Lille, while Kieran McKenna was his Under 18 coach.
Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer were first team managers during his spell and it was the Portuguese who handed Hamilton a sole first team involvement.
That came in an FA Cup tie at Huddersfield in February 2018, with Hamilton – who was subsequently praised by Mourinho – replacing Paul Pogba on the bench after the French superstar reported ill.
‘It was a great experience that day,’ he adds. ‘It was good being that close to see what they do on a match day and what they are like in the changing room and you learn from that.
‘It was the same when I went up to train and saw what they do every day. It stands you in good stead and you take bits of that when you’re playing and preparing for games.’
There is one name though that stands out above all of his former colleagues and coaches when Hamilton is asked for the most influential figure on his time at United.
Kieran McKenna was Hamilton’s Under 18 coach when he was at Manchester United
Hamilton (left) went on United’s pre-season tour of the USA in the summer of 2018
‘Warren Joyce,’ Hamilton says of the esteemed former United youth coach. ‘He gives you a grounding to go and have a career because he drills crucial stuff into you. That you need to run, you need to tackle, you need to work hard. That’s sometimes the most important thing in football.
‘If you’re willing to do that, you give yourself half a chance. Kieran McKenna was also brilliant and it’s no surprise how well he’s done since.’
Hamilton, who enjoyed loan spells at Rochdale, Southend and Bolton while at United, moved permanently to Peterborough in 2020, gaining promotion to the Championship with Posh. The 26-year-old then enjoyed a two-year spell at Accrington Stanley, before he linked up with Lincoln.
And it’s a place that he’s relished establishing himself at as he heads into the peak years of his career.
‘I’ve really enjoyed being here,’ he says. ‘The club is really well-run and the lads are great. We take a lot of pride in small details and we feel we’ve got a really good squad. It’s just about maximizing everything we can.’
For now, it’s two games against Stockport and Wrexham to come, fixtures that could have a big impact on the League One promotion race, before a well-deserved summer break and hopefully another top six tilt with Lincoln in 2025-26.
‘It’s a tough league at times,’ Hamilton says. ‘Every game is hard but we just need to build on last season and this season, and go into next year and have a really good go at it.
‘Hopefully we can really kick on and break into the play-offs – that’s what we will try and do.’
He said ex-United youth coach Warren Joyce was an influential figure on his time at the club
Hamilton believes Lincoln can go one step further next season under boss Michael Skubala
Good Easter, Bad Easter
The feast of football across the Easter Weekend is always one of the best parts of an EFL season.
Its proximity to the end of the campaign means the two fixtures can prove to be decisive for several teams’ push for promotion or battle to avoid relegation.
So, following a dramatic few days, we have picked out some sides who will tucking into their Easter Eggs with a smile this week and others who will be ruing what unfolded over a chaotic few days.
Good
Leeds and Burnley
Despite the final step always being viewed as the hardest, both Leeds and Burnley were perfect over Easter to secure their return to the top flight.
Daniel Farke’s side showed no signs of nerves as they edged out Oxford 1-0, before thumping Stoke 6-0 after five goals in 41 first half minutes.
Burnley’s path was less serene, but after holding off nine-man Watford, they turned up for the occasion when condemning Sheffield United to the play-offs on Monday.
Four defeats in the Blades’ past five fixtures have been catastrophic, but Leeds and Burnley won’t care one bit as the race for the Championship title goes down to the wire.
Leeds United enjoyed a champagne-soaked celebration after their promotion was confirmed
Burnley will also be playing top-flight football next season after a strong Championship season
Doncaster
The League Two promotion battle has been enthralling over recent weeks, with teams seemingly slipping up as soon as they gain a foothold.
None of Walsall, Bradford or Port Vale – who were in the top three – picked up a win over the Easter Weekend, and with the door left ajar, Doncaster burst through and more with back-to-back 3-0 victories against Tranmere and Colchester.
Grant McCann’s side have gone from fourth to first and now need just three points from two games to return to League One after three years away.
Bad
West Brom
West Brom’s season has been riddled with inconsistency with the Baggies having drawn 18 times, but going into the Easter Weekend their play-off hopes were still alive.
However, a damaging defeat at Coventry City after one of their worst performances of the season all but ended their dreams, before a 3-1 reverse at home to Derby capped a dismal weekend.
Tony Mowbray paid the price as he was dismissed from his role after just three months, with West Brom’s campaign blowing up in smoke across recent weeks following five defeats in six games.
Cardiff
In isolation, a 1-1 draw against Oxford on Easter Monday was not a bad result for Cardiff.
But given Plymouth, Luton, Derby and Hull all won, the Bluebirds, who sacked Omer Riza after Friday’s defeat by Sheffield United, are in severe danger of dropping down to League One.
Cardiff City drew their tie against Oxford United under caretaker boss Aaron Ramsey but there are greater challenges to come
Their goal difference is significantly worse than their rivals and caretaker boss Aaron Ramsey will have to conjure up one of the most memorable moments of his glittering career if they are to stay up.
Fantasy EFL takes a new twist
Inside The EFL can exclusively reveal that the success of the inaugural season of EFL Fantasy will see the game return for a special play-off addition, allowing more than 120,000 users to dig deeper into the most thrilling part of the campaign.
In a first of its kind play-off fantasy football game, the first legs, second legs and finals will comprise of 15 matches across three gameweeks, with 12 teams set to be in action as they battle for promotion.
A whole host of prizes are available for those successful, including club merchandise and hospitality tickets to matches in 2025-26 – and you can sign up today to play at fantasy.efl.com.
