Freedom of The City of Lincoln Honour for Rob

Rob Bradley, chair of the Red Imps Community Trust, will receive the Freedom of the City of Lincoln award at a ceremony at Lincoln Guildhall on Tuesday 17^th December.

This is to recognise his involvement in sport in Lincoln and Lincolnshire which incudes many years with our Trust, two periods representing the Trust on the board of Lincoln City Football Club, ten years as chair of Lincolnshire Cricket, five years as vice-chair of Supporters Direct, three years as chair of Lincoln United FC, a year as vice chair of Lincoln City Women FC, and other sporting and community roles.

Trust Bridges Charity Appeal

Trust chair Rob Bradley is seen with Emma and Lin, receiving presents donated by fans via the Trust at the Bridge church in Lincoln.

Thanks again to all those that have donated.

Darikwa Double Dutch Delivery

Tendayi Darikwa is pictured winning both Trust Player of the Month awards for October AND November. He’s pictured with local wrestling personality Hayden “Dutch” Loeve, passing the trophies on to him.

FPA Guests v Charlton Athletic

Thanks to Donald Nannestad

The FPA host for tomorrow’s game against Charlton is Roger Holmes and the guests are Jason Lee, Phil Neale, Paul Mayo, Tony Cunningham and John Hawley.

Details of the FPA members attending:

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.

Debut vs Brighton, away 18 April 1960

Lincoln City Record 

Football League:  276 appearances plus 2 as substitute, 36 goals

FA Cup:  13 appearances, 1 goal

Football League Cup: 16 appearances, 3 goals 

Jason Lee

Jason Lee began his football career as a trainee with Charlton Athletic before Steve Thompson signed him for the Imps in March 1991. He quickly developed into a very effective striker both as a goal scorer and a creator of chances and was a regular in the team. He was leading scorer in 1992-93 and was then sold to Southend United for a six-figure fee. Jason went on to play for clubs including Nottingham Forest, Watford, Peterborough and Notts County finishing with a career total of over 500 senior appearances.

Debut vs Scarborough, away 2 March 1991

Football League: 86 appearances plus 7 as substitute, 21 goals

FA Cup: 2 appearances plus 1 as substitute, 1 goal

Football League Cup: 6 appearances

Other: 4 appearances 

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. 

Debut vs Barnsley, home (Football League Cup) 11 August 1979

Lincoln City Record:

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 Games: 6 appearances, 2 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 the Imps. 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. 

Debut vs Swindon Town, away (FA Cup), 4 January 1975 as substitute

Lincoln City Record:

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 Games: 4 appearances 

Paul Mayo 

Paul Mayo is a local lad who was initially on the books of Nottingham Forest before signing for the Imps in the 1999-2000. Although he mainly appeared at left-back, wearing the number 46 shirt in his first season, he was also occasionally used both in midfield and in the forward line. He played in the 2003 play-off final against Bournemouth at the Millennium Stadium and continued to appear regularly until March 2004 when he was sold to Watford, then in the Championship.. Paul later returned to Sincil Bank for two more seasons with the Imps and finished his senior career with spells at Notts County and Mansfield Town. In total he made almost 200 first team appearances for City. 

Debut vs Swansea City, away, 4 February 2000

Lincoln City Record:

Football League: 145 appearances plus 23 as substitute, 10 goals

FA Cup: 7 appearances plus 1 as substitute, 2 goals

Football League Cup: 5 appearances plus 1 as substitute

Other: 10 appearances plus 2 as substitute, 2 goals 

John Hawley 

John Hawley was a young professional with Lincoln City in the 1960s. He mainly appeared as a winger playing for the reserves in the North Midlands League and the A team in the Lincolnshire League and also played in the FA Youth Cup for the Imps. John moved on in the summer of 1968 and signed for Corby Town. He later played for several local clubs including Boston United, Worksop Town and Claytons.

Last chance to donate for Christmas Pressie Push

The Trust Pod will be open again for the upcoming game against Charlton Athletic for you to donate more Christmas pressies for local people in need.

Trust Sponsors Denny

The Red Imps Community Trust are delighted to announce that we have sponsored development team midfielder Denny Oliver.

photo courtesy of Lincoln City Football Club

Trust & FPA Team up for Suicide Awareness Bench

Members of the Red Imps Community Trust and the Former Players Association joined the ex Tottenham and Swindon Town midfielder Micky Hazard to unveil a suicide awareness bench outside Jarvis House in Hartsholme, Lincoln.

The city of Lincoln has one of the highest suicide rates in the UK and the bench is supported by Legends on the Bench, a charity set up by Micky and his sister Michelle in honour of the tragic death of her son Jason with the aim to reduce such tragedies in the future.

You can find the charity here – https://www.legend-on-the-bench.co.uk/

Councillor Biff Bean, Trust board member seen below with Micky Hazard.

Cheque Presentation to Foundation

Many thanks to fans who have donated collectibles to RICT and those who’ve made cash donations for them. Chair Rob Bradley presents Brittany Bell of the Lincoln City Foundation a cheque for £275 in our continuing support of their youth provision.

FPA Guests v Wycombe Wanderers

Thanks to Donald Nannestad

Our host for tomorrow’s game is Gavin Gordon and former player guests are Tony Cunningham, Phil Neale and Andy Mand. Our AGM is before the game and so it is possible we may have additional former players attending.
As well as our FPA members we have a special guest, the former Tottenham and Chelsea midfielder Micky Hazard who is an ambassador for the Legend on the Bench organisation which works to combat mental health issues and prevent suicides.

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.

Debut vs Barnsley, home (Football League Cup) 11 August 1979

Lincoln City Record:

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 Games: 6 appearances, 2 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 the Imps. 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.

Debut vs Swindon Town, away (FA Cup), 4 January 1975 as substitute

Lincoln City Record:

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 Games: 4 appearances

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.

Debut vs Blackpool, away 25 February 1986

Lincoln City Record

Football League: 34 appearances

Football League Cup: 3 appearances 

Football League Trophy: 3 appearances

Andy Mand

Andy Mand was a winger who played for City’s reserve team for three seasons in the North Midlands League in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He later played for Louth United in the Lincolnshire League as well as for the highly successful Lincoln Sunday League team Adelaide Park. Andy played for the Lincolnshire representative team and for the Lincoln Sunday League representative team.

Micky Hazard

Micky Hazard the former Tottenham and Chelsea midfielder is a special guest at today’s game. He started out with Spurs making his first team debut as a 20 year old.  At Tottenham he won the FA Cup in 1982 and the UEFA Cup in 1984 before being sold to Chelsea.  He was later at Swindon, helping the club win promotion to the Premier League before finishing his playing career back at Tottenham.He is an ambassador for the Legend-on-the Bench organisation which installs suicide prevention benches across the country. The latest bench is being installed at Ashby Avenue before the Wycombe game. The vision of Legend-on-the-Bench is to combat mental health issues and prevent suicides by providing accessible resources and support to individuals in need. We believe that there should be no stigma attached to mental health challenges, and we aim to create a safe environment where people can research and obtain vital contact information for themselves or someone they care about. To achieve this, the campaign are installing benches in public parks across the UK, each featuring a QR code that can be easily scanned with a smartphone. This QR code will direct users to a comprehensive reference list of professional support groups, complete with contact numbers, website links, and email addresses. The goal is to ensure that help is just a scan away, fostering a community of support and understanding for those facing mental health struggles.