We are pleased to announce that the Board has approved the position of Associate Director to Mr Eddie Samuel.

A lifelong City supporter who first started following the Club from the Railway End at Sincil Bank in the Graham Taylor glory days, Mr Samuel moved to Pau in south west France five years ago having started his own advertising and marketing company and was instrumental in seeing City become the first British side to visit the area when they did so in the summer of 2007, having two friendles against Anglet FC from Bayonne (won 2-1) and Pau FC (won 1-0).

After a five year period in the Royal Navy after leaving Robert Pattinson School in North Hykeham in 1976, Eddie returned to the area playing some local football himself in the old Lincs and Cambs Premier Leagues for a while in the 80's. In 1993, he got married and moved to Manchester to start a family, eventually becoming a Director for a Nottinghamshire based publishing company. Whilst with this company in July 2002 Eddie published a major article for the Club in a business magazine, giving some extra positive press to help through administration, and then in 2003he moved on to France continuing his work in international publicity. Nevertheless, regardless of continued travel, any opportunity to watch the Imps when in town over the years has always been taken!

"After following the Club for over 45 years; my first visit to Sincil Bank being as a two year old in my pushchair with my Father one wet windy Wednesday night in 1963 versus Barrow Town; this is obviously a dream come true for me! I'm hoping my input not only financially, but from a business acumen perspective, will help the Club progress to a higher level of football. We certainly seem to be heading in the right direction at the moment," said Eddie.

Eddie follows Trevor Cope and Roger Bates in becoming the third new Associate Director to come on board since the EGM that took place at the end of May whilst the other three Associate Directors are Nigel Underwood, Phil Bird and France-based Michael Foley.

"We are very pleased that Eddie has taken up an Associate Directorship position and made an investment in Lincoln City Football Club," added Chairman Steff Wright.

"In 2007 Eddie very kindly arranged a pre-season trip to his home town of Pau in Southern France and now becomes our second French-based Associate Director.

"Our wide community base is continuing to grow and it is fantastic that the Club not only has supporters all over the world but Associate Directors connected into the Club at the highest level."