It is with deep sadness that we announce that City legend Bert Linnecor has passed away at the age of 78.
Albert Roy Linnecor gave City seven excellent years of service as a wing half and inside forward appearing in almost 300 first team games for the Club. A regular goal scorer he famously netted a hat-trick for the Imps at Anfield in April 1960 when City won 3-1 to register a League double over Bill Shankly's Liverpool team.
Born in Nechells, Birmingham, represented the Saltley Boys schools team and after leaving school worked assembling cycles for the Hercules Bicycle Company. He played Saturday morning football for his works team and also appeared for a Sunday club leaving Saturday afternoons free to watch Birmingham City at St Andrew's.
He was soon spotted by a Birmingham City scout and signed amateur forms for the Blues in February 1950, quickly working his way up to the 'A' team. At the age of 18 he was called up for his National Service and after initial training had 18 months with the RASC.
When he came out of the Army he turned full-time professional and within a few months was appearing for Birmingham reserves in the Football Combination.
He made his Football League debut at Huddersfield in March 1956 but never established himself as a first team regular at St Andrews and in April 1957 he signed for the Imps in part exchange for Dick Neal.
Linnecor's first season at Sincil Bank was a memorable one as the Imps won their last six games to avoid relegation from the Second Division.
The Imps were left to face Cardiff in their final match of the season needing at least a point to stay up and, after going a goal down, won 3-1 with goals coming from Roy Chapman (2) and Ron Harbertson.
After a narrow escape the following season City recovered in 1959/60 and finished in a mid-table position with one the highlights being the win at Anfield and Linnecor's famous three goals.
Sadly for the Imps they then went through a disastrous period which saw them plummet straight from Division Two to Division Four.
The situation improved in 1963/64 when Frank Eccleshare took over as chairman but Linnecor left Sincil Bank in the summer of 1964 for the newly formed Boston FC and continued to play in a good class of non-League football for another decade.
In 1970 he was brought back to Sincil Bank by Bert Loxley and coached City's young amateur players in the evenings for a few years. He was also in charge of the Imps' under 19's in their first season in the Northern Intermediate League when Graham Taylor was manager.
After leaving full-time football he worked for 20 years as a sales rep before getting a job as a storeman at Rustons until he retired.
Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.
