City’s most internationally capped is Gareth McAuley. Gareth joined Lincoln City in 2004 from Coleraine of Northern Ireland and after a very solid first season for the Imps was called up by Northern Ireland to play a friendly against Germany at Windsor Park on the 4th June 2005. McAuley started the game on the bench but was finally brought on for his international debut in the 70th minute, replacing Keith Gillespie. By that time Northern Ireland were already 3-1 down and Michael Ballack had already scored two goals.
Northern Ireland’s next game was against Malta in the August of 2005, for which McAuley wasn’t called up.
McAuley missed out on the wins over Azerbaijan and England but was on the bench for the World Cup Qualifier against Wales. However, he never made it off the bench as Northern Ireland crashed to a 3-2 defeat.
McAuley next game was a friendly against Portugal and he again started on the bench. This time though he came on at the start of the second half, replacing Steve Jones who on the books of Crewe Alexandra at the time. The game ended in a 1-1 draw with Warren Feeney, then playing for Luton Town grabbing a second half equaliser.
Gareth McAuley started the next game for Northern Ireland at Windsor Park, which was a 1-0 friendly win over Estonia. This was to be the first time he was in the starting line-up for Northern Ireland.
Jeff Hughes alongside his Lincoln City teammate Gareth McAuley was called up to play two friendly games in America at the end of the 2005/2006 season. They both played in the defeats to Uruguay and Romania.
The defeat to Romania was to be the last time McAuley played in an International match whilst with Lincoln City. A summer move to Leicester City on a free transfer put an end to that.
To date, McAuley has made 12 appearances for Northern Ireland, with 5 of those callups coming while he was playing for Lincoln City. His first International goal came against San Marino on the 11th February in a 3-0 away win in the World Cup qualifying tournament for South Africa 2010.
