The FPA guests for Saturday's home game against Doncaster Rovers are host Gavin Gordon, Roger Holmes, Phil Neale, Matt Carmichael and Tony Cunningham.
Gavin Gordon
Gavin Gordon was a striker who made his senior debut for Hull City just two months after his 16th birthday and went on to make regular first team appearances for the Tigers before he was sold to the Imps in November 1997 when he was still just 18-years-old.
In his first season, he helped City win promotion and was a first team regular. In 2000-01 he scored 10 goals by early December and was then sold to Cardiff City for a six-figure fee. He later played for Notts County. Gavin is chairman of the Former Players Association.
Lincoln City record:
Debut: vs Swansea City, away 8 November 1997
Football League: 87 appearances plus 12 as substitute, 28 goals
FA Cup: 9 appearances, 2 goals
Football League Cup: 2 appearances, 1 goal
Other: 4 appearances plus 1 as substitute
Roger Holmes
Roger Holmes signed amateur forms for the Imps in May 1958 when he was just 15-years-old, having previously been playing for Limestone Rangers in the Gainsborough League. Roger made his reserve team debut four days after his 16th birthday and in September 1959 signed as a professional having already broken into the first team who were then playing in the Second Division (now the Championship).
Roger was a skilful player who appeared in several different positions including winger, inside-forward and right half and made over 300 first team appearances for City. He featured in every game of the Football League Cup run in 1967-68 when the Imps reached the fourth round and finished the season as leading scorer with 14 league goals plus another three in the League Cup.
The following season he suffered a serious injury in the home game against York City which put him out of action for a lengthy period. Roger played his final game for the Imps in a 3-2 home win against Peterborough in October 1971. He is involved in our Former Players Association as a committee member.
Lincoln City record:
Debut: vs Brighton, away 18 April 1960
Football League: 276 appearances plus 2 as substitute, 36 goals
FA Cup: 13 appearances, 1 goal
Football League Cup: 16 appearances, 3 goals
Phil Neale
Phil Neale was a member of the Imps' hugely successful 1975-76 team and went on to make over 350 first team appearances during his 11 seasons with City.
Phil was first signed as an amateur while he was studying at Leeds University, making his first team debut in January 1975.
He signed professional forms for City later the same year and from then onwards he was a regularly in the first team defence before leaving Sincil Bank in May 1985.
Phil combined his football with a career as a cricketer. He briefly played for Lincolnshire in the Minor Counties Championship before joining Worcestershire. He made over 350 first class appearances scoring over 17,000 runs for Worcestershire and twice captained the team to the County Championship.
He was team manager of Northamptonshire and then Warwickshire before being the England team operations manager for 21 years until his retirement. He was awarded the OBE in 2006 for services to cricket.
Lincoln City record
Debut: vs Swindon Town, away (FA Cup), 4 January 1975 as substitute
Football League: 327 appearances plus 8 as substitute, 22 goals
FA Cup: 16 appearances plus 2 as substitute
Football League Cup: 11 appearances plus 1 as substitute
Other: 4 appearances
Matt Carmichael
Matt Carmichael was signed by Colin Murphy in August 1989.
At the time he was planning to join the Met Police after having previously served in the British Army but Colin offered him a professional contract and his career changed track.
He was initially used as a striker and scored on his debut against Scunthorpe United but later converted to centre back.
He was voted the supporters player of the season in 1991-92 and made over 150 first team appearances before moving on to Scunthorpe in July 1993.
Matt later played for Preston, Mansfield, Doncaster and Darlington. Matt is vice chairman of the Former Players Association.
Lincoln City record:
Debut: vs Scunthorpe, home 19 August 1989
Football League: 113 appearances plus 20 as substitute, 18 goals
FA Cup: 4 appearances plus 1 as substitute
Football League Cup: 9 appearances plus 1 as substitute, 1 goal
Other: 7 appearances plus 1 as substitute, 2 goals
Tony Cunningham
Tony Cunningham was a powerful striker who was brought to Lincoln by Colin Murphy from non-league club Stourbridge in May 1979.
He made an instant impact on his debut in a League Cup tie against Barnsley when he was up against the former England defender Norman Hunter. Tony had too much pace and power for the ex-England man and marked his first City game with a goal.
Tony remained a regular first team player during his three full seasons at Sincil Bank and finished as leading scorer with 15 league and cup goals in 1981-82 when the Imps narrowly missed out on promotion to second tier football.
He was sold to Barnsley in September 1982 and and made 40 league appearances for the Reds scoring 11 goals before joining Sheffield Wednesday in November 1983.
Tony later played for clubs including Manchester City and Newcastle United making a total of almost 500 senior appearances before ending his career with Wycombe Wanderers. One of his sons Karl later also played for the Imps.
Lincoln City record
Debut: vs Barnsley, home (Football League Cup) 11 August 1979
Football League: 111 appearances plus 12 as substitute, 32 goals
FA Cup: 5 appearances plus 1 as substitute
Football League Cup: 13 appearances, 8 goals
Other: 6 appearances, 2 goals
