Michael Appleton's relationship with West Bromwich Albion has benefited Lincoln City in recent seasons.

The Imps acquired the services of goalkeeper Alex Palmer on loan last season, and he was influential in their bid for promotion from League One.

Palmer is now back at the Hawthorns and is biding his time under Valerien Ismael, but another young goalkeeper was to depart for the LNER Stadium during the summer.

Josh Griffiths impressed in League Two last season on loan at Cheltenham Town, keeping 21 clean sheets as the Robins won promotion from the fourth tier.

He naturally made the step up a level, but this time with Lincoln rather than with the Gloucestershire outfit, with Appleton undoubtedly having an influence.

So how has Griffiths performed since joining Lincoln?

The 20-year-old has already earned rave reviews amongst fans, producing a string of impressive performances in-between the sticks.

He's made 11 appearances in League One, but is yet to keep a clean sheet and has conceded 15 times.

His performances have been impressive, though, and Lincoln's slow start to the campaign cannot solely rest on his shoulders.

This was always going to be a challenging season for the Imps after losing the likes of Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Brennan Johnson.

Now, they hope the next generation of loan players can help them achieve another positive season under Appleton's tutelage.