Ex-Luton assistant is appointed joint head coach of Lincoln City
Cohen takes over from departed Skubala
Former Luton Town assistant manager Chris Cohen has been named as joint head coach of Championship new-boys Lincoln City along with and Tom Shaw.
The 39-year-old, who had a playing career that saw him spend over a decade at Nottingham Forest before hanging his boots up in 2018, moved to Kenilworth Road as first team coach under Nathan Jones in September 2020. He was then promoted to number two in July 2022, before heading to Premier League Southampton as first team coach when Jones moved to the Saints in November 2022.
He departed St Mary’s in February 2023 following Jones’ sacking, as he then went to Lincoln, then in League One, as assistant to Shaw, who was interim head coach, becoming assistant head coach in January 2024. Cohen exited six months later, joining Stoke City as assistant head coach to Steven Schumacher, but left a few months later when Schumacher was dismissed.
The former defender returned to Lincoln City's coaching staff for a third time as assistant head coach in November 2024, before the club, with Skubala at the helm, romped to the League One title this term, the manager going to Bristol City this summer, meaning Cohen and Shaw are now in the top jobs. Chief executive Liam Scully spoke to the Imps’ official website, saying: “Chris and Tom have made an enormous contribution to the success we have enjoyed as a football club, and particularly during our League One title-winning season.
“They are outstanding coaches, brilliant people and have fully embraced the culture, standards and identity we have worked so hard to build at Lincoln City. The relationships they have developed with the players, staff and supporters have been hugely important, and we believe this appointment provides continuity, stability and an exciting opportunity to continue moving the football club forward.
“Winning the League One title with 103 points was an incredible achievement, with Chris and Tom playing an integral role. While that undoubtedly earned them serious consideration, the club’s work to identify and appoint the next head coach has been a transparent, ongoing and thorough process, even when Michael was in position, involving a range of external candidates. Ultimately, Chris and Tom have been appointed because we believe they are the right people to lead the team and build on the progress already made.”
Sporting director Jez George added: “Chris and Tom were very close to being in these roles already, with autonomy to lead every training session, unit meetings and taking responsibility for devising individual game plans. Under Michael’s watch, they also designed, developed and finessed the game model. We know this goes against convention, but our job is to do what we think is right for Lincoln City at this time. This provides us with maximum continuity for a squad that achieved 103 points last season and clarity at a crucial time leading up to the opening of the transfer window.
"I have experienced working with Danny and Nicky Cowley, who as brothers were as close as you could get to head coaches and when we discussed the way in which this will operate with Chris and Tom, it was disingenuous to portray the relationship as head coach and assistant as it is genuinely a 50/50 partnership. They have worked together, as equals, for two years and will continue to do so. Therefore, they are both our head coaches, and they will operate in the same way as last season except they will also now have ultimate responsibility, between them, on selecting the team.”