James Collins has joined Doncaster Rovers on loan until January.
The forward will link up with Rovers for the first half of the 2026/27 season, with the move providing him with the opportunity to gain regular game time as he continues his recovery from knee surgery.
Sporting director Jez George said: “James is progressing well with his rehab and should return to team training within the timeline our medical department originally anticipated. What James will then need in November and December is game time, and we are not in a position for that initially to be with Lincoln City, based on the rules in the Championship of us only being able to register 25 players in our squad until the transfer window opens again in January.
“This arrangement gives James the best opportunity to get back to starting games and scoring goals at the highest possible level so that we can all re-assess everything in January, when we hope that James will be back to where he was when the injury occurred last December.
“Doncaster Rovers are a good club, Grant McCann is a good manager, and they have a track record of having senior players contributing at the top end of the pitch in their team, such as Billy Sharp last season, so we are pleased to facilitate this loan for James’s long-term benefit.”