Meet-the-Team
Here's your chance to meet our qualified coaching staff and find out more about each member of the team. The Community Imps team is managed by former Imp Richard Cooper who began his career with Sheffield United before making over 50 appearances for Lincoln City. Richard holds a UEFA 'A' Licence in Coaching Football and also works for the Football Association delivering Coach Education programmes.
Name Richard Cooper
Title Football In The Community Officer
Key areas of responsibility Management of Lincoln City's Community Scheme and FA Girls Centre of Excellence Director
Favourite Session to Coach Any directional small-sided game from 4v4 to 9v9 How to Play Playing area should suit the age group and ability of your players and the topic should include a strong skill element Progression Introduce target areas, target players or target goals to challenge players and to introduce new objectives to the game
Favourite All-Time Player Diego Maradona Favourite All-Time Imp Glen Cockerill
Most memorable sporting moment My debut for Sheffield United in 1983, aged 18, against a Bradford City team which included Peter Jackson
Most memorable Imps game My first Football League goal for the Imps in a home victory against Colchester United on the opening day of the 1986/87 season
Favourite pre-match meal Beans on toast Other Sports and hobbies Travel, Sightseeing, History, Reading, Cycling, Golf and Jigsaws
Name Damian Froggatt
Title Head Coach, Schools Programme Coordinator, Match Day Coordinator
Key areas of responsibility Primary School PE Programme and After-Schools Clubs, Domino's Cup Coordinator, Community Matchday Activities, Holiday Course coaching
Favourite Session to Coach Switching Play (opposed technical practice) How to Play Set up a wide playing area appropriate to age and ability of players, with target gates marked at the widest points of the area; Aim is to have possession of the ball through one of the wide target gates Progression Add target players (unopposed) as attackers or wide players; Add goals and GKs by extending the pitch area
Favourite All-Time Player Kenny Dalglish Favourite All-Time Imp Dave Smith
Most memorable sporting moment Maradona's second goal vs England, 1986 World Cup Quarter Final, Argentina won 2-1 and went on to win the World Cup
Most memorable Imps game Final home game of the 1975-76 season, a 5-0 win over Doncaster Rovers in front of 14,000 fans, to seal the Division Four championship in the Imps' record-breaking year under Graham Taylor
Favourite pre-match meal Poached eggs Other Sports and hobbies Squash, Swimming and Autobiographies
Name Damon Parkinson
Title Disability Coordinator
Key areas of responsibility Developing Disability Football, Primary School PE and After-Schools Clubs, FA Girls Centre of Excellence coaching, Holiday Course coaching
Favourite Session to Coach Shoot-or-Save How to Play Two goals facing each other and two teams stood in opposite corners to each other and a ball in the middle of each goal ten yards out. When coach shouts go one player runs out from each team and decides whether to shoot or save first
Favourite All-Time Player Paul Scholes Favourite All-Time Imp Gareth Ainsworth
Most memorable sporting moment Champions League Final 1999 - Manchester United scored two goals in the last five minutes to beat Bayern Munich 2-1 and win the treble
Most memorable Imps game Play-off semi-final vs Scunthorpe in 2003 - Keith Alexander's Imps won 5-3 with Simon Yeo coming off the bench to score two late goals
Favourite pre-match meal Beans and cheese on toast Other Sports and hobbies Golf, Pool and PS3
Name Tracy Nixon
Title Holiday Course Coordinator, Community Coach
Key areas of responsibility Holiday Course Coordinator, Primary School PE and After-School Clubs, FA Girls Centre of Excellence coach
Favourite Session to Coach Shark-in-the-Middle (fun dribbling game) How to Play Ball each, apart from one player (the 'Shark'); aim is to dribble ball through the 'shark pool' without being tackled; the 'shark' aims to tackle and then eliminate each player by scoring in one of two target goals Progression Players become extra sharks as they are eliminated, the winner is the last player with a ball
Favourite All-Time Player David Beckham Favourite All-Time Imp Grant Brown
Most memorable sporting moment Scoring my first hat-trick for Nettleham Ladies vs Scunthorpe Ladies in the Lincolnshire Ladies League - and I won 'Man-of-the-Match'!
Most memorable Imps game Play-off final 2003 vs Bournemouth at the Millenium Stadium - even though we lost!
Favourite pre-match meal Oranges, wine-gums and deep heat! Other Sports and hobbies Socialising, Travelling, Bird-watching, Plane-spotting, Stamp-collecting... the list is endless!!
Name Claire Markham
Title Community Coach & Grass Roots Coordinator
Key areas of responsibility Grass Roots Coordinator, Primary School PE and After-School Clubs, FA Girls Centre of Excellence coach, Holiday Courses
Favourite Session to Coach Steal-the-Flag (Invasion Game) How to Play Two teams begin in their own half - aim is to cross into opponents area and steal their flag without being tagged - tagged players go to jail and can only be released by other players Progression Play the same game with a ball each (dribbling skills)
Favourite All-Time Player Andy Warrington Favourite Imp Paul Green
Most memorable sporting moment Doncaster Rovers' promotion to the Championship in 2008 after a 1-0 play-off final win vs Leeds United
Most memorable Imps game Doncaster Rovers v Imps, League Cup 2007 - Rovers won 4-1 - sorry, I'm a Rovers fan!
Favourite pre-match meal Spaghetti Bolognese Other Sports and hobbies Watching and playing football!
Name Jon Biggs
Title Healthy Habits Coordinator
Key areas of responsibility Delivering Healthy Habits Programme, FA Girls Centre of Excellence coach, Holiday Courses
Favourite Session to Coach Thunderball (opposed game 1v1, 2v2...) How to Play Players in each team are numbered, and play against each other 1v1 to try and score in opponent's goal Progression Game can be developed into 2v2, 3v3 and so on...
Favourite All-Time Player Steven Gerrard Favourite Imp Rob Burch
Most memorable sporting moment Steven Gerrard's equaliser for Liverpool vs AC Milan in the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final
Most memorable Imps game Play-off final vs Southend at the Millenium Stadium - even though we lost, again!
Favourite pre-match meal Pasta Carbonara Other Sports and hobbies Swimming & Cycling