Lincoln City v Shrewsbury Town preview: What Town would give for some Lionel Ainsworth magic!

The pocket dynamo spent two seasons at Town, reaching the League Two play-offs in the first before winning promotion, and is fondly remembered as part of an exciting Graham Turner team.

It may be almost nine years since that Imps thrashing on a cold February night in 2011, but the 32-year-old still remembers Turner’s team tearing it up like it was yesterday.

“It was a bit a funny one to be honest. We had James Collins on international duty,” said Ainsworth of the night Town were 5-1 up by half-time.

“Usually Mark Wright was on one side and me on the other. Jon Taylor had just come through, so the gaffer put me up front, Jon on the right and Wrighty on the left. Jon had scored one or two before and had taken my place on the right. So I knew I had to do what I can to get back in.

“We had such a good team; Matt Harrold, Wrighty, Ben Smith in goal, Ian Sharps at the back, myself, Jermaine Grandison, David Davis and Jon put another one in the back of the net.

“I was thinking ‘this is not happening, his third goal in two games’. We played very well. The next minute I got my first and we kept attacking, I ended up with a 13-minute hat-trick from nowhere.

“I probably should’ve had four or five but it was a brilliant game under the lights. It just happened so quick. I remember it as clear as yesterday, walking in with the match ball, Matty Harrold asking where have you been? And I said I’d clearly been in the wrong position!”

Ainsworth and that particularly Turner side are fondly remembered by Town fans for their willingness to attack sides relentlessly with width and pace. And the Nottingham-born flier was a lead protagonist.

He added: "I know the game has changed and everyone likes to play 4-3-3 and diamond but what we had in that team, even on the bench, we knew what we were doing.

"We went 4-2-2. We knew how to play. Sometimes me wide on the right and Wrighty tucked in. We just moved the ball so well. We had such a good base building from the back.

"They did the job for us to express ourselves. They knew we could finish with James Collins and Matty Harrold and Jake Robinson.

"They allowed you to go and play. It felt from day one when I signed that everyone had each other's backs. The togetherness was absolutely brilliant."

Into his second season and Ainsworth was left perplexed as he was left out the side. He went out on loan to Burton just before the promotion was wrapped up.

Ainsworth, now with National South side Weymouth, said: “I was playing but then, for no reason whatsoever, I was taken out the team and I still don’t understand to this day.

“I never got told, didn’t do anything wrong, at training, never late, never argued or disrupted. I was out the team.

“The manager told me I could go and I wanted to play. Burton paid a loan fee for me which is very strange at League Two.

“I came back for the last week or two. It’s not that I didn’t feel part of it but in my mind I knew. Everyone was saying I’d had an argument with so and so. Nothing went on.

“But to be told I’m top five or 10 to have graced the New Meadow was like ‘wow’. The comments are amazing. I loved it there. The fans are amazing, they’d travel which is class.

“To see the blue and amber fans at Arsenal (in the League Cup) and going to Port Vale, Hereford, all those games bring back memories. They spurred us on and they knew we had a good team. I really enjoyed being at Salop.

"I was having a bit of a bad time up at Huddersfield (before joining Shrewsbury) and I knew Graham Turner. But I can honestly say me and Graham Turner never had any problems. It just clicked, it worked.

"He didn't have to speak to me I didn't have to speak to him. It was just 'Lionel on the right, do your thing'.

"I've probably spoke to you (in this interview) more than I did with Graham Turner – no exaggeration – and I was with him three times. It wasn't a bad relationship, it was great, but a bit like not having one."

Sam Ricketts will be hoping to continue Town’s good form of recent seasons in the league against Lincoln tonight.

They have won their last four league meetings against the Imps.