The FPA guests for Saturday's home game against Swansea City are hosts Gavin Gordon and Dean West, plus Derek Bell, Simon Yeo and Trevor Swinburne.
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
Dean West
Dean West made his debut for City in the final game of the 1990-91 season while still a trainee and scored in a 6-2 home win over Carlisle.
Soon afterwards, he signed a professional contract and quickly established himself in the first team appearing at right back and in midfield making over 100 appearances for the Imps.
Dean moved to Bury in September 1995 and later played for Burnley completing over 100 first team appearances for both Lancashire clubs.
He briefly returned to City as the start of 2004-05 season and later played clubs including Boston United and King’s Lynn.
Lincoln City record
Debut: vs Carlisle United, home 11 May 1991
Football League: 97 appearances plus 26 as substitute, 20 goals
FA Cup: 6 appearances, 1 goal
Football League Cup: 11 appearances, 1 goal
Football League Trophy: 5 appearances plus 2 as substitute, 1 goal
Derek Bell
Derek was a prolific scorer in local football netting over 200 goals in 1971-72 as a 15-year-old playing in schools football, on Saturday afternoons in the Boston League and Sundays in the Lindsey and Kesteven Youth League before joining Derby County as an apprentice.
He moved on to play for Halifax Town and Barnsley before he was signed by City in November scoring on his debut in a 3-0 home win over Hartlepool. Derek spent four years at Sincil Bank and continued to score regularly despite the fact that his appearances were restricted by injury. He was leading scorer in 1982-83 with 29 league and cup goals including three hat-tricks.
He left Sincil Bank in the summer of 1983 and went on to play for Chesterfield and Scunthorpe.
Lincoln City record
Debut: vs Hartlepool United, home 30 November 1979
Football League: 69 appearances plus 14 as substitute, 33 goals
FA Cup: 2 appearances plus 1 as substitute
Football League Cup: 10 appearances plus 2 as substitute, 4 goals
Other: 3 appearances, 3 goals
Simon Yeo
Simon Yeo signed from non-league Hyde United in August 2002, scoring on his home debut against Rochdale and continued to be a prolific scorer throughout his time at Sincil Bank.
The highlights of his career included scoring against Torquay on the final day of the 2002-03 season to secure City a place in the play-offs where he came off the bench in both semi-final legs against Scunthorpe United with dramatic effect – scoring twice in the last 20 minutes to earn the Imps a 5-3 win at Sincil Bank and then netting the winner in the second leg at Scunthorpe.
He was the Supporters' Player of the Year and leading scorer in 2004-05 but left in the summer to play in New Zealand.
He returned in January of the following year only to depart again in the summer of 2006.
Simon later played for Peterborough United, Chester City and Macclesfield Town.
Lincoln City record:
Debut: vs Kidderminster Harriers away, 10 August 2002
Football League: 85 appearances plus 50 as substitute, 42 goals
FA Cup: 4 appearances, 1 goal
Football League Cup: 2 appearances plus 1 as substitute, 2 goals
Other: 9 appearances plus 7 as substitute, 6 goals
Trevor Swinburne
Trevor Swinburne began his long goalkeeping career as an apprentice with Sunderland in the late 1960s and finished it with the Imps 20 years later.
During his time at Sunderland he was understudy to Jim Montgomery and made several first team appearances before moving on to Carlisle United in the summer of 1977.
Trevor made over 250 first team appearances for Carlisle during his six years with the club and was an ever-present in their team which won promotion to the old Second Division in 1981-82.
He then played for Brentford and Leeds United before signing for City in February 1986 as a replacement for Stuart Naylor. Trevor made regular appearances for the Imps until retiring in the summer of 1987.
He was the first chairman of the Lincoln City Former Players Association when it was formed in 2017 and was a key figure in developing the organisation.
Lincoln City record
Debut: vs Blackpool, away 25 February 1986
Football League: 34 appearances
FA Cup: 3 appearances
Football League Cup: 3 appearances
