Key Lincoln Ladies duo Nicola Hobbs and midfielder Lucy Staniforth set to leave
Goalkeeper Nicola Hobbs and midfielder Lucy Staniforth look to have played their last games for Lincoln Ladies.
Last season's ever-present number one Hobbs has been pushed down the pecking order after the Lady Imps recruited England stopper Karen Bardsley and under-23 ace Ashley Baker for next season's Women's Super League campaign.
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Nicola Hobbs, left, and Lucy Staniforth
New manager Keith Boanas is happy for the county-born stopper to stay and fight for her place. But the former Charlton boss believes Hobbs will move on in a bid to find regular first-team football.
"Nic has been a steady keeper and if she wants to talk with me and fight for her place that's fine. I like that fight in a player," said Boanas, who is leaving the Estonia women's national job to join the Lady Imps.
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"But I'm sure Nic will want to be playing first-team football next season and we've brought Karen in to do that next season."
Meanwhile, Staniforth, who impressed in the heart of Lincoln's midfield last term, is understood to be heading for Super League rivals Bristol Academy.
Boanas will be disappointed to see the Staniforth depart.
"I'd like to keep a player like Lucy and she said actually told me if I'd joined a year earlier, she may have stayed," explained Boanas.
"But she had already decided to move on and I believe it is partly down to personal reasons."
Meanwhile, the Lady Imps have been drawn with Arsenal, Bristol and Birmingham in the group stage of next season's Continental Cup.
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