The FPA guests for Saturday's home game against Luton Town are host Gavin Gordon, Tony Cunningham, Dave Gilbert, Paul Miller and Warren Ward.
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
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
Dave Gilbert
Dave Gilbert was a left-sided midfield player who was born in Lincoln and joined the Imps as an apprentice. He made his first team debut as a 17-year-old and featured regularly in the 1981-82 team which almost won promotion to what is now the Championship.
He was briefly at Scunthorpe and then made over 100 appearances for Boston United before returning to the Football League with Northampton Town, helping the Cobblers to the Fourth Division championship in 1986-87.
He was then sold to Grimsby Town and helped the Mariners to two promotions during six seasons at Blundell Park before following manager Alan Buckley to West Bromwich Albion.
He later played for local clubs including Grantham and Lincoln United.
Lincoln City record:
Debut: vs Bury, away 4 May 1981 (as substitute)
Football League: 15 appearances plus 15 as substitute, 1 goal
FA Cup: 3 appearances
Football League Cup: 5 appearances
Paul Miller
Paul Miller played in midfield and first made his name with Wimbledon where he spent seven years. He made 80 top flight appearances for the Dons including their first ever Premier League match against Leeds United. Paul moved on to Bristol Rovers before signing for the Imps in August 1997. He spent four years at Sincil Bank, making over 100 first-team appearances and was a member of the 1997/98 promotion winning team. He has since continued to live in the Lincoln area.
Lincoln City record
Debut: vs Chester City, away August 9 1997
Football League: 93 appearances plus 22 as substitute, 11 goals
FA Cup: Five appearances plus one as substitute
Football League Cup: four appearances
Warren Ward
Warren Ward played for City as a striker during the 1985-86 season finishing as joint leading scorer with Neil Redfearn - scoring eight goals.
Warren's first Football League appearances were for York City before signing for the Imps. He made his Lincoln debut in a League Cup game against his former club and a few days later made his first Football League appearance for City scoring in a 3-3 draw with Doncaster Rovers.
He was loaned to Exeter City during the second half of the season, scoring three goals in his 14 appearances for the Grecians. He returned in April and scored three goals in the final five games of the season but was unable to prevent City being relegated from what was then Division Three.
Warren later played locally for several clubs including Boston United. He is a past committee member of our Former Players’ Association.
Lincoln City record
Debut: vs York City away 20 August 1985
Football League: 15 appearances + 6 as substitute, 8 goals
Football League Cup: 1 appearance
Other: 1 appearance
