Lincoln City aim to upset Chelsea in Carabao Cup by leaning on innovation and basics
Lincoln City are a League One club with a growth and innovation officer on board.
They aim to exploit marginal gains while staying grounded in the basics.
The Carabao Cup third round pits them against Chelsea.
A pub quiz question waits: what links Lincoln’s approach with Barcelona, Bayern and Frankfurt?
The answer lies in forward thinking, with an innovation arm tapping potential.
Ideas range from plant-based energy gels to dressing room lighting tweaks.
Jason Futers joined last year as chief growth and innovation officer.
His background spans risk and technology across startups.
Lincoln have flown high in League One with just one defeat in 12 matches.
Their next milestone is reaching the second tier, unseen since 1961.
The club plan is simple yet ambitious: combine data, culture and care.
Chelsea visit craving a cup shock, while Lincoln insist on fundamentals and discipline.
Futers says the project is about long term growth, not gimmicks.
The match will test their balance of innovation and old fashioned grit.
TLDR
- Lincoln use a dedicated growth and innovation officer to chase marginal gains.
- They test ideas from plant-based gels to dressing room lighting tweaks.
- Chelsea visit will test innovation versus fundamentals in the Carabao Cup.
Jason Futers
Lincoln City