Lincoln City role in £47.5m Nottingham Forest transfer should not be overlooked: View | OneFootball

In recent seasons, Lincoln Cityhave made use of the loan market in their attempts to continue to climb the Football League.

This term has seen the likes of Jack Vale, Joe Taylor and Jack Burroughs all make the switch to Sincil Bank, impressing during their time in Lincolnshire in Michael Skubala's first campaign in charge at the club.

But one particular loan signing stands out among the rest, with the now Tottenham Hotspur star almost spearheading the Imps to a third promotion in five seasons during the 2020/21 League One campaign.

Brennan Johnson's Lincoln City statistics

As the summer transfer window came to a close, Lincoln confirmed the arrival of Brennan Johnson on loan for the rest of the season from Nottingham Forest.

The Reds youngster had risen through the ranks at the City Ground having joined the club at the age of eight, with his move to Sincil Bank his first move away from the club he had grown up with.

He would make his debut for the Imps against Charlton Athletic, before announcing himself to the Lincoln faithful by notching two assists in an away victory over Blackpool in his second game for the club.

Johnson's first goal for Lincoln would come at the expense of Plymouth Argyle, heading in from close range and also adding another assist to his tally.

A 10-game scoreless run would follow for the attacker, but he would get himself back among the goals by scoring back-to-back braces against Northampton Town and Burton Albion, continuing to showcase his attacking talents by increasing his tally of assists.

He would score five times in the new year, including a hat-trick against MK Dons, helping the Imps finish fifth and secure a place in the play-offs.

Despite scoring in the first leg of their semi-final victory over Sunderland, Lincoln's efforts of reaching the Championship would fall at the final hurdle, losing to Blackpool in the final at Wembley, with Johnson's cross giving his side the lead inside the first minute after it was turned into his own net by Ollie Turton.

The forward would depart Sincil Bank having provided 27 goals involvements in 49 games in all competitions, with his time in Lincolnshire still fondly remembered to this day by the Imps faithful.

Lincoln City played a huge role in Brennan Johnson's Tottenham Hotspur transfer

Upon his return to the City Ground, Johnson was immediately integrated into the first-team picture under Chris Hughton, but would flourish under the guidance of Steve Cooper, who took over the club in September with Forest bottom of the Championship.

The Welsh international would go on to better his goal involvement tally the season before by one, netting an impressive 19 times throughout the campaign, which saw him return to the stadium he lost at 12 months ago, only this time it was for a place in the Premier League.

Having scored in both legs against Sheffield United in the semi-finals, Johnson would help the Reds return to the top flight for the first time in 23 years.

The 22-year-old would also play a pivotal role in Forest's survival the following term, finishing as the club's second top scorer behind Taiwo Awoniyi.

His impressive performances earned Johnson a summer move to Tottenham Hotspur, signing for the North London club for £47.5 million, and he has since excelled under the guidance of Ange Postecoglou this term.

But a large reason for the Welsh international's recent success is his time at Lincoln.

The club received a raw talent that had impressed at youth level, and helped nuture him into a prolific, yet creative young player who has gone on to achieve great things so early on in his promising career.

While that season will be one Lincoln fans will want to forget given the way it ended, they will always remeber the influence Johnson provided during that campaign and the importance he had on that side.