Can Lincoln's bold joint-boss experiment outshine past failures in 2026?

Lincoln City appoints joint-bosses Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw following Michael Skubala's promotion to the Championship.

Liverpool's rare double-act legacy Liverpool once tried a managerial duo and even won a trophy with Coventry City, yet joint-boss arrangements remain an uncommon and often unstable approach in football. Examples include the brief and strained partnership of Gerard Houllier and Roy Evans at Liverpool in 1998 or the underwhelming spell shared by Doug Livermore and Ray Clemence at Tottenham earlier in the same decade. ## Coventry's success story stands out Among the few successful joint-boss experiments, John Sillett and George Curtis achieved FA Cup glory with Coventry City in 1987. Their triumph remains a rare highlight in a football landscape where such setups usually struggle to last or deliver consistent results. ## Lincoln's innovative push for promotion Lincoln City, operating on a modest League One budget and absent from England's second tier for over six decades, defied expectations by earning promotion under manager Michael Skubala last season. The club's bold decision to appoint Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw as joint-bosses reflects a willingness to embrace innovation as a pathway to success. ## Club defends unconventional structure Imps' chief executive Liam Scully acknowledged that the joint-boss structure may raise eyebrows but emphasized it was not driven by a desire to break football convention. Scully stated that the club did not initially set out to challenge norms but also refused to dismiss the best solution simply because it deviated from tradition. ## Shaw and Cohen's proven track record Both Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw, aged 39, played pivotal roles in Lincoln's promotion campaign as assistant coaches, frequently leading training sessions and taking charge of meetings. Scully highlighted how the duo, alongside Skubala, fostered a collaborative working environment that shared responsibilities and contributed to the club's record-breaking season. ## Preparations for Skubala's potential exit Aware that Michael Skubala's achievements—a 103-point season and promotion to the Championship—would attract interest, Lincoln's management had already begun quietly planning for a successor. A release clause at Bristol City accelerated the process, but the club had been laying groundwork for a transition well before the season ended. ## Joint-bosses chosen over external candidates Scully emphasized that the decision to appoint Cohen and Shaw was made swiftly due to thorough preparation, adding that the pair outperformed external candidates in the selection process. The club's succession committee prioritized continuity and strength in the squad's structure, viewing this approach as the least risky option for the Championship debut. ## Duo's prior experience and club familiarity While Tom Shaw has prior experience as a first-team manager at non-league side Gainsborough Trinity, Chris Cohen's coaching career included roles as an assistant at Luton Town, Southampton, and Stoke City before earlier managing Nottingham Forest's under-23 team. Their deep involvement in Lincoln's operations under Skubala convinced officials they were the best choice to guide the club into the Championship. ## Focus on continuity and data-driven decisions Scully stressed that the appointment was not driven by sentiment but by what was best for Lincoln City, framing it as a pragmatic and logical step rather than a romantic one. He noted that modern football decisions are often data-led and scenario-planned, with the joint-boss structure seen as a natural extension of Skubala's collaborative leadership style. ## Empowerment key to past success Scully pointed to Skubala's leadership as empowering Cohen and Shaw to excel in their respective areas, and the new setup aims to continue this approach. The club's structure over the past 15 months demonstrated the strength of shared responsibility, making the joint-boss model a seamless transition rather than a radical departure.