Skubala Nears Bristol City Move As Lincoln Prepares For Transition
Michael Skubala is on the brink of swapping Lincoln for Bristol City, with negotiations over a three-year deal at Ashton Gate close to completion, according to John Percy of The Telegraph.
If, as expected, the agreement is signed off, Lincoln City will lose the coach who has just delivered one of the finest seasons in the club’s history – and who will walk away with the second-best win percentage the Imps have ever seen.
From Outside Bet To Leading Man
Two weeks ago, this didn’t feel like a story with real teeth. Bristol City’s initial approach barely registered as a genuine threat around Lincoln. Interest, yes. Imminent departure, no.
Then the picture changed.
James Ellis, a close friend of Skubala, arrived at Ashton Gate as sporting director. That appointment shifted the mood instantly. Skubala was no longer a name on a longlist; he was firmly in the frame. The conversations deepened, the links hardened, and Lincoln suddenly had a live situation on their hands.
Just as the move gathered pace, Bristol City appeared to slam the door on it. The Robins turned to their first choice, Tommy Elphick, last week. Inside the game, the feeling was that the process was done. Elphick in, Skubala staying put, and some reports even suggested the Lincoln boss was close to signing a new deal at Sincil Bank.
Then came the twist.
Elphick, it emerged this week, chose not to take the job, opting instead to remain at Dean Court under Bournemouth’s new manager. A decision on the south coast sent shockwaves rippling through the West Country and straight back up to Lincolnshire.
Bristol City, suddenly without their preferred candidate, moved quickly to recover. Their attention swung straight back to Skubala on Wednesday. Talks accelerated. By Thursday, a deal was effectively in place.
At this stage, it would be a major surprise to see Michael Skubala leading Lincoln out for their pre-season friendlies.
Lincoln’s Next Move
So the focus turns to the club he is set to leave behind.
Lincoln have not stumbled into this situation unprepared. Modern, data-driven clubs rarely do. There is always a succession plan – whether it’s a detailed shortlist or a clear internal favourite ready to step up.
Given the way Lincoln have developed over recent years, the expectation is that the appointment will be swift. That shouldn’t be confused with panic. A quick decision can still be a carefully plotted one, especially at a club that has prided itself on long-term thinking.
Inside that framework, one option stands out: continuity.
Tom Shaw and Chris Cohen are already embedded in the current structure, which under Skubala has been notably collaborative rather than built around a single dominant figure. The model has been about shared responsibility, aligned thinking and marginal gains, not one man at the top dictating everything below.
Promoting from within would keep that spirit alive. The idea is simple: everyone shifts up a rung, the club fills the gaps further down the ladder, and the overall philosophy remains intact.
A Brentford Blueprint
Lincoln’s situation inevitably invites comparisons, and Brentford offer the clearest example of how to manage this kind of transition without losing momentum.
Dean Smith laid the foundations there, transforming the Bees into one of the Championship’s most progressive sides. When he left, the club didn’t rip up the script or chase a big-name outsider. They promoted Thomas Frank from within the existing structure.
Frank took Brentford into the Premier League. When he moved on, the club again stayed true to their model, elevating set-piece coach Keith Andrews to the head coach role. The result? Another season finishing in the top ten of the Premier League in three of the last four campaigns.
No managerial merry-go-round. No scramble for a familiar name to appease social media. Just a clear, calm succession plan executed by a club that trusts its own processes.
Lincoln now face a similar choice. Do they chase the noise, or do they back the system that has carried them this far?
A New Era Taking Shape
For now, Lincoln supporters can only wait. The Skubala story is edging towards its conclusion, and Bristol City’s Championship push looks set to be driven by the man who has just overseen arguably Lincoln’s best-ever campaign.
In the stands at Sincil Bank, the feeling is mixed: pride in what has been built, anxiety about what comes next, and a quiet confidence that the club’s recent evolution has not been accidental.
If Skubala does walk away with his win percentage etched into the record books, Lincoln’s response will define the next chapter. Their Championship era already promised to be a step into something bigger.
Now it might also mark the moment a new voice – or a familiar one, promoted from within – takes charge of the dugout and proves whether this project is truly built to last.
