Lincoln Ladies to return to city

Lincoln Ladies FC will play their home games in the FA Women's Premier League Northern division next season at Lincoln United's Ashby Avenue ground.

The Lady Imps have spent the last three years based at Collingham near Newark.

Chairman Geoff Adams said: "For football reasons it is a very good move for us to return to the city.

"I'm sure it will be one of the best venues in the Northern Division and will help us attract a few more supporters because of the location."

Lincoln Ladies finished as runners-up in the Northern Division in each of the three seasons they spent at Collingham.

Adams admitted: "Emotionally it has been a very hard decision as everyone at Collingham has been very good to us over the last few seasons and I will miss playing there."

Manager Rod Wilson felt the ground-share with the Unibond First Division South club would enable Lincoln Ladies to move forward.

He said: "As a Grade C ground, not only does Ashby Avenue meet the current FA grounding criteria but also meets and betters the criteria for the FA's proposed summer league if we were allowed to bid and enter the proposed franchise.

"We now must try and make Ashby Avenue as good a fortress as Collingham has been."