The FPA guests for Friday’s fixture against Leyton Orient are Paul Ward, Ian Bowling, Ron Harbertson, Roger Holmes and Trevor Swinburne.
Ian Bowling
Ian Bowling was a goalkeeper who signed for City from Gainsborough Trinity in November 1988. He made appearances over the next few seasons before departing in the summer of 1993. Ian went on to play for Bradford City and had two seasons at Valley Parade before signing for Mansfield Town. He made almost 200 appearances for the Stags before continuing to play in non-league football with Kettering Town and Worksop.
Debut vs Carlisle United, away 14 March 1989
Lincoln City record
Football League: 59 appearances
FA Cup: two appearances
Football League Cup: three appearances
Football League Trophy: Four appearances
Paul Ward
Paul Ward was a midfielder who appeared for both Leyton Orient and the Imps in a career which saw him play in more than 300 senior games. He was a youngster with Chelsea before making his Football League debut following a move to Middlesbrough. He later made over 100 appearances for Darlington before joining Leyton Orient for the 1988/89. He helped Orient to promotion via the play-offs and was also selected in the PFA Fourth Division Team of the Year. Paul moved on to Scunthorpe before signing for City in March 1991, where he made 45 league and cup appearances for the Imps before his career was cut short by injury.
Debut vs Torquay United, home 30 March 1991
Lincoln City record
Football League: 38 appearances plus one as substitute
FA Cup: one appearance
Football League Cup: three appearances, one goal
Football League Trophy: two appearances
Ron Harbertson
Ron Harbertson, at 93 years of age, is one of the oldest former Imps players. Ron was a forward whose career began at Newcastle United and he went to play for clubs including Bradford City, Brighton, Grimsby and Darlington before joining City in March 1958 when the club looked certain for relegation into the Third Division. However the Imps had a dramatic change of form winning the final six games of the season to avoid the drop, with Ron scoring in each of the matches. He was a regular in the City team before departing to play for Wrexham in March 1960. Ron then had a short spell with Darlington before returning to Sincil Bank for the 1961/62 season.
Debut vs Liverpool, away 15 March 1958
Lincoln City record
Football League: 86 appearances, 25 goals
FA Cup: five appearances, one goal
Football League Cup: one appearance, two goals
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. 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. Roger finished that season as leading scorer with 14 league goals plus another three in the League Cup. Roger played his final game for the Imps in a 3-2 home win against Peterborough in October 1971.
Debut vs Brighton, away 18 April 1960
Lincoln City record
Football League: 276 appearances plus two as substitute, 36 goals
FA Cup: 13 appearances, one goal
Football League Cup: 16 appearances, three 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. He was in the Sunderland team which won the FA Youth Cup in 1968/69 when they defeated West Bromwich Albion, despite losing the first leg 3-0. The Black Cats won the second leg 6-0 in a remarkable turnaround. During his time at Sunderland, he was under study to the great Jim Montgomery whose form restricted Trevor's first-team appearances. 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 the driving force in developing the organisation before stepping down from his role.
Debut vs Blackpool, away 25 February 1986
Lincoln City record:
Football League: 34 appearances
Football League Cup: three appearances
Football League Trophy: three appearances
The buyback scheme is now open for the Leyton Orient game - click here to read more.
