Young fans inspired by Lincoln City's promotion
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Young football fans in Lincoln say their team's promotion to the Championship has been inspirational and fully deserved.
Lincoln City beat Reading 2-1 on Easter Monday with a 96th-minute winning goal, securing their place in the second tier of English football next season for the first time since 1961.
Nine-year old Finley, who is taking part in the Lincoln City Foundation's holiday club, said: "When I grow up, I'm going to be on that team and I'm going to do the exact same."
Brittany Bell, from the foundation, said the team were good role models and they gave the children "somebody to look up to close to home".
The foundation is a charity based at the LNER Stadium which runs activities for children, including football sessions.
There was particular excitement among the children on the pitch a day after their idols secured the historic promotion.
"When Reading scored [to equalise], I thought it was hopeless," said 11-year-old Alfie, who watched the game in his grandad's living room.
"Then Jack Moylan scored…I was bouncing off the walls going ecstatic."
He said their strength was down to their positive attitude.
"The players are so nice," he said.
"They give their shirts to the little kids just to remember them."
Alfie is one of those who feels inspired by the players, and he would like to be a footballer or a referee, or work some other way in football, when he is older.
"Anything to do with football because I love it," he said.
"They're so nice, so good. I want to be like that."
Louis, 11, who has had a season ticket since he was three, said he thought the success was down to teamwork.
"They never get down on each other," he said.
"They're always positive and always trying to bump each other up."
Finley said the team deserved the victory and they were going to "smash" the Championship next year.
"I think that they've come all this way and spent seven years in League One," he said.
"They should be in the Premier League at this rate."
Bell, 32, operations manager at the foundation, said the players were "invested" in their community.
"They're really good role models," she added.
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