August 17th 2021 saw Lincoln City lose 1-0 to Bolton Wanderers but it was a presentation before the match that was perhaps more memorable.
Lincoln had returned the defender they had loaned out twice, this time for good. TJ Eyoma originally signed with the team in January 2020 after leaving Tottenham Hotspur, but he was unable to play before Covid forced the season’s end.
Perhaps surprisingly having not bothered the starting, Eyoma was back in LN5 for the 2020-21 campaign. He would start the season as right back while Lewis Montsma, Joe Walsh, and Adam Jackson took turns at centre.
After the injuries to Walsh and Jackson and the signing of Regan Poole, the Under-17 World Cup winner would eventually shift to a centre position. For Michael Appleton’s Imps, the season would end in sadness during the play-off final.
Many questioned the choice at the time to substitute Poole, a recent acquisition, for the Spurs graduate in the right-back position. Still, his exploits in the middle of the defence would garner praise and raise expectations for a comeback.
When the team announced Eyoma’s signing on the pitch that August evening, they honoured the wishes of the supporters. Fans reacted excitedly to their new signing.
Two League seasons plus an additional 51 After making one appearance, TJ Eyoma, 24, is left without a club.
was a bold decision that shows the young man, who was born in London, has confidence and is eager to push himself.
Flexibility. Eyoma is capable of playing centre defender, right back, and right wing back. As demonstrated by his performances in the 2020–21 campaign, TJ Eyoma gains from playing frequently and is able to play his best football.
Experience. The defender has around 150 senior games under his belt with a side that has competed at the top of the table and experienced times of hardship and strain.
In addition to his Tottenham background and his achievements as an England international from the Under 16 to the Under 19 levels, his new team will be getting a young player with a wealth of talent.
Ability. Though it seems corny, TJ Eyoma has never failed anyone. In the campaigns that followed, he proved to be a more than capable deputy and was instrumental in the team’s march to the play-off final.
He is very dedicated, has a decent touch with the ball, and moves faster than he seems. He is physically robust and more than capable of holding his own in the air.
One could say that Eyoma failed to maintain a regular berth in the starting lineup and was thus left behind at Lincoln City. The development of Sean Roughan, captain Paudie O’Connor, an almost injury-free Adam Jackson, and the form of loanee Alex Mitchell had usurped him in the central three.
Fans of the Imps will probably remember Eyoma with fondness as someone who gave it his best, put his head down, and was a part of a team that came close to doing the impossible, even though the heights that were promised were not reached.
