Keith Alexander's Best Lincoln XI

APPEARANCES UNDER ALEXANDER: 206

Alan Marriott was the undisputed number one at the club when Keith Alexander took over. Although never seriously challenged, Marriott produced his best football under Keith Alexander and the four year period under the gaffer helped him majorly towards what would be over 300 appearances and 100 clean sheets for the club.

Marriott won the goalkeeper vote with 100% of the 29 votes going his way.

APPEARANCES UNDER ALEXANDER: 90

Although a signing by Alan Buckley, Bailey really came into his own under Keith Alexander. Bailey became a really fan favourite with his passionate displays and he is arguably one of the best right backs that has ever played for the club.

Bailey scored his first goal for the Imps in the first Playoff final, although it mattered little as it made the score 4-2.

Bailey left the Imps in 2004 and went to Macclesfield.

APPEARANCES UNDER ALEXANDER: 100

Signed from Scunthorpe United, it took a while for McCombe to become a first team regular at Sincil Bank. Signed as a replacement for the much loved Simon Weaver (even though he was still at the club) and it took under the 2005/6 season for McCombe to become popular, eventually becoming Captain in that season.

McCombe would leave in the summer of 2006 for Bristol City, criticising Alexander's tactics to the media in the process.

APPEARANCES UNDER ALEXANDER: 84

Gareth McAuley was signed in the summer of 2004 from the Irish Leagues and went on to become a first team regular very quickly. Gaining a reputation for headed goals, McAuley scored both of City's goals in the Playoff Semi Finals against Macclesfield Town, although he was helpless to stop the club losing in the Playoffs again.

McAuley would spend another year at Sincil Bank before leaving for Leicester City.

APPEARANCES UNDER ALEXANDER: 166

If there's one player of Keith's worthy of being classed as a legend, it is Paul Morgan. After signing from Preston under Buckley, Morgan came into his own under Alexander and quickly become the Captain of the team. He was by far the most consistent performer of the Alexander era.

Morgan was injured for the second Playoff campaign and that was arguably the difference, but injuries quickly become a common theme towards the end of Morgan's time at Lincoln.

He went on to play for Keith again at both Bury and Macclesfield.

APPEARANCES UNDER ALEXANDER: 49

Stuart Bimson had had several poor years before Keith took over, but he rediscovered his best for the Imps under Alexander. The regular choice left back, Bimson was part of a defence that conceded just 37 goals in the 46 games of the 2002/3.

The highlight of his 2002/3 season during the regular season came at Hull's KC Stadium. Although Hull were in their traditional lower half of the table position at the time, Bimson's penalty meant that the Imps become the first team to win at the KC Stadium, a massive result against a side who were at the other end of the financial spectrum in the division from the Imps.

Bimson left at the end of the 2002/3 to go to Cambridge United.

APPEARANCES UNDER ALEXANDER: 43

Paul Smith may not be a man that many of the younger generation will have heard of, but he was one of the pivotal parts of the 2002/3 Playoff machine. The right winger was one of the few players over the last decade who could run down the wing and penetrate the defence at ease.

The Playoff Final in 2002/3 proved to be bitter/sweet. Smith started the game for the Imps, but an injury sustained during that game meant that Smith would have to retire from professional football.

APPEARANCES UNDER ALEXANDER: 143

Peter Gain was one of the few survivors of the Alan Buckley era and was the best player in terms of technical ability that played under Keith. Gain proved a pivotal part of the Playoff campaigns and scored one of the most memorable goals seen at Sincil Bank in recent times, a jinking run against Hartlepool.

Gain left after the 2004/5 season to go to Peterborough United, whom would later be managed by Keith Alexander.

APPEARANCES UNDER ALEXANDER: 25

Frecklington is the controversial entry to this list as he was only coming into the team just as Alexander was leaving. Frecklington beat Richard Butcher into the Keith XI team by a single vote.

The young midfielder played a handful of games before the 2005/6 season but started coming into the first team in 2006, although 17 of his 20 appearances that season were from the bench.

He would score his first goal against Stockport County and go on to become one of the best players seen at Sincil Bank in recent years, leaving for Peterborough in January 2009.

APPEARANCES UNDER ALEXANDER: 157

Yeo scored more goals for Alexander than anyone else during Keith's four year spell at the club, not bad considering he only scored one League goal between September 2002 and October 2003.

The striker is the record holder at the club for most substitute appearances, and given the aforementioned goal drought, it was highly speculated that Keith was looking to offload the striker.

Yeo would be a sporadic scorer during his time at Sincil Bank, only having one decent scoring run, coming between January and March 2005. He would go on to play for Peterborough, Chester and Macclesfield.

Despite not being a great consistent scorer of goals, he was a consistent scorer of great goals. No-one had a better finish on the volley than Yeo. His hit-and-hope technique was brilliant when it worked and frustrating as hell when it didn't.

APPEARANCES UNDER ALEXANDER: 93

Many rate Gary Taylor-Fletcher as THE find of Keith Alexander's reign. Alexander had had GTF at Northwich, so Keith knew exactly what he was getting in from Leyton Orient.

The Imps had gotten off to a dreadful start to the 2003/4 before Gary Fletcher (as he was known then) turned it around and transformed City's season to make the Playoffs. His form the next season wasn't that good, that despite a brilliant personal start to the season.

GTF would leave atthe end of the 2004/5 season and ended up at Huddersfield Town and then Blackpool.