Lincoln City have secured promotion to the Championship for the first time in 65 years after a dramatic 2-1 victory over Reading. The Imps needed only a point to confirm their return to the second tier, but Jack Moylan's 96th-minute winner ensured they sealed the deal in style at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
Ryan One had given Lincoln an early lead, but Reading's Lewis Wing cancelled it out two minutes into stoppage time. However, Moylan struck in the sixth minute of added time to spark wild celebrations among the travelling supporters. The result extends Lincoln's unbeaten league run to 24 games, dating back to last November.
Michael Skubala's side now hold an unassailable 19-point lead at the top of League One, with 90 points from their campaign. Cardiff City sit second, 12 points behind, while Bradford City are third. The league title is now firmly within their sights as they return to the second tier for the first time since 1961.
Only Crewe Alexandra have endured a longer absence from the Championship, having not played at that level since 1923. Lincoln's journey back has been arduous; they dropped as low as the National League following relegation from League Two in 2011, spending six seasons outside the Football League. Their resurgence began with the National League title in 2017, accompanied by a memorable FA Cup run to the quarter-finals where they defeated Premier League Burnley before losing to Arsenal.
Since then, Lincoln have steadily climbed the divisions, earning promotion to League One in 2019. After play-off heartbreak in 2021 and narrowly missing the top six in 2024, they have finally reached the promised land. They are the first team in the Football League to clinch promotion this season.
