All at The Stacey West were sad to hear of the passing of Ron Harbertson, president of Lincoln City’s Former Players Association, at the age of 95.
A familiar face at the LNER Stadium in recent years, and one of the club’s oldest surviving ex-professionals, Harbertson was also a dedicated member of the FPA, often visiting local care homes to share memories and strengthen links between the club and its community.
His professional career began in January 1949 with Newcastle United before moves to Bradford City and Brighton & Hove Albion. It was at Darlington, however, where he made his mark on the national stage, scoring twice across a famous FA Cup tie against Chelsea. After netting in a 3-3 draw at Stamford Bridge, he struck again in a 4-1 replay victory – before heading straight to a night shift in the pit.
Harbertson arrived at Lincoln not long after his heroics, in March 1958, when the Imps looked destined for relegation from the old Second Division. Harbertson and manager Bill Anderson had to break into the Darlington training ground to get his boots! Making his debut in a narrow defeat at Liverpool, he retained his place until the end of the campaign. City went on a remarkable run of six straight wins to secure survival, with Harbertson scoring in every match of that sequence.
He later joined Wrexham in 1960 and had a second stint at Darlington before returning to Lincoln for the 1961–62 season. Afterwards, he continued playing with Grantham, where he spent six seasons while settling permanently in the city. Across two spells, Harbertson recorded 92 appearances for the Imps in league and cup competitions, scoring 28 goals. Away from football, he was also a keen cricketer, representing Lindum and later Hartsholme.
Ron Harbertson will be remembered as a popular figure both on and off the pitch, with stories from supporters flooding in of not only his playing legacy, but his impact in the community in recent years.