Lucas Akins

Akins began his career with his hometown club, Huddersfield Town, finishing as the club's top goalscorer for the U18 team two years running.[4] In April 2007, Huddersfield Town manager Andy Ritchie requested Akins train with the first-team following his "impressive" performances for both the academy and reserve sides.[4][5] Towards the tail end of the 2006–07 season, Akins made his professional debut, replacing Luke Beckett as an 87th-minute substitute in a 1–1 draw against Northampton Town at Sixfields.[6][7] He also made an appearance the following week, in the club's final game of the season, a 3–1 victory over Leyton Orient, again coming on as a late substitute.[7][8] In May 2007, he earned his first professional contract, signing a one-year deal with the club.[9][10]

Ahead of the 2007–08 season, Akins featured regularly in the club's pre-season friendlies, scoring in a victory over Mansfield Town a week before the start of the new season.[5] He made four appearances during the first two months of the campaign, all of which as a substitute.[11][12][13][14] His appearance as a late substitute in a 4–0 loss against Walsall, on 6 October 2007, ultimately proved to be Akins' last game for the club.[15][16] In November 2007, he was sent out on loan to Conference Premier club Northwich Victoria, joining the Cheshire club on an initial one-month loan agreement.[17] A day after signing, on 24 November, Akins started in Northwich's 1–0 home win over Rushden & Diamonds, the club's first win in 19 games.[18][19] Northwich remained unbeaten during his brief loan spell, and his loan deal was subsequently extended by a further month,[20][21] which manager Dino Maamria described as a "massive boost" for the club.[22][23] He scored his first professional goal in the following match, netting with a shot from just inside the area as Northwich secured a 2–1 away win against rivals Altrincham.[24] During his loan spell with Northwich, Akins made ten appearances, scoring once.[11] He returned to Huddersfield in February 2008, although made no further first-team appearances for the club.[25]

Following Andy Ritchie's departure in April 2008, new Huddersfield manager Stan Ternent told Akins that he would not be offered a new deal when his contract expired in June that year.[26] Akins was consequently released at the end of the season.[26] During his time at Huddersfield, he made six appearances in all competitions.[16]

In July 2008, Akins went on trial with newly promoted SPL club Hamilton Academical, impressing in a number of matches during the two-week period.[27] He impressed Hamilton manager Billy Reid enough to earn a two-year contract with the club, signing on a free transfer on 22 July 2008.[27][28][29] He went on to score four times in Hamilton's remaining four pre-season fixtures.[30] Akins made his competitive debut for Hamilton in the first game of the new SPL season, coming on as a 67th-minute substitute in a 3–1 home victory over Dundee United at New Douglas Park.[31] The victory successfully marked the end of Hamilton's 19-year exile from the top flight of Scottish football.[31] Akins featured predominantly as a substitute during the first half of the season, with seven of his thirteen appearances coming from the substitute's bench.[32]

In January 2009, Hamilton manager Billy Reid stated his intention to loan out Akins in order for the player to gain more first-team experience.[33][34] He subsequently signed for Scottish First Division side Partick Thistle on loan for the remainder of the 2008–09 campaign.[33] He made his debut a day after joining the club, coming on as a late substitute in a 2–2 away draw Queen of the South.[35] After the appearance, Akins did not feature for two months, before returning as a second-half substitute in a 1–0 home defeat to Clyde in March 2009.[32] He played regularly for Partick for the remainder of the season,[32] making nine appearances, and scoring once in a 1–0 win against Greenock Morton in April 2009.[36] He returned to Hamilton at the end of the loan agreement, but ultimately played no part during the 2009–10 season.[16] In May 2010, he was released by Hamilton when his contract expired, along with ten other players.[37]

Following his release by Hamilton, Akins went on trial with Rochdale in July 2010,[38] playing in the club's 2–0 pre-season friendly win against Rossendale United.[39] No transfer materialised, and Akins took up the offer of a two-week trial with League One side Tranmere Rovers later in the month.[40] The trial proved to be successful, and Akins signed a one-year contract with the club on 24 August 2010.[40][41] He made his Tranmere debut on the same day his transfer was announced, coming on as an 82nd-minute substitute in a 3–1 home loss to Swansea City in the League Cup.[42] The season turned out to be Akins' first season of regular football, making 38 appearances during the campaign.[43] He also scored two goals during his first season with the club,[43] both of which came in a 4–0 win over Exeter City on 25 April 2011.[44] Akins' first goal of the match was a lob from just outside the area, with his second, Tranmere's fourth of the match, coming when he headed in Adam McGurk's powerful cross.[44][45] At the end of the season, in May 2011, Akins was offered a new one-year contract with the club.[46] He ultimately signed the new deal, with the option of a further year, on 29 July 2011.[47] On retaining Akins' services, Tranmere manager Les Parry stated — "I'm pleased to have sorted Lucas' contract out and glad he'll be part of our squad. He was a regular last season and his work ethic was fantastic".[47]

He appeared in the club's opening game of the 2011–12 season, coming on as a late substitute in a 1–0 home win over newly promoted Chesterfield.[48] He waited two weeks to earn his first start of the campaign,[49] playing the first 61 minutes in a 1–1 draw against Sheffield United on 20 August 2011.[50] Akins scored his first goal of the season in September 2011, netting with a low right-footed shot in a 2–1 home defeat to Carlisle United.[51][52] A month later, he scored both goals as Tranmere ran out 2–0 winners against Hartlepool United at Victoria Park, a win that moved Tranmere into the final play-off spot.[53] He went on to score two further times during the season; once in a 1–1 draw away to Sheffield United,[54] and the other in a convincing 3–0 victory over Stevenage at Prenton Park.[55] Akins was almost ever-present throughout the campaign, playing 49 times and scoring five goals as Tranmere finished the season in mid-table.[49][56] Shortly after the club's last game of the season, Tranmere announced they would be taking up the option to renew Akins' contract for a further year.[57] During his two years at Tranmere, Akins made 87 appearances in all competitions, scoring seven goals.[16]

Despite Tranmere activating the automatic contract extension clause at the end of the season, Akins handed in a transfer request in July 2012 amid speculation about a move to fellow League One club Stevenage.[58][59] Tranmere rejected the request,[60] with manager Ronnie Moore stating he had "no intention of letting Akins go. We have told them he's not going anywhere".[60] However, on 2 August 2012, Stevenage announced they had signed Akins for an undisclosed fee, on a three-year contract.[61][62][63] He made his debut for Stevenage in the club's first game of the 2012–13 season, coming on as a 71st-minute substitute in a 3–1 home victory over AFC Wimbledon in the League Cup.[64] Akins started his first game for Stevenage in his third appearance for the club, scoring the only goal of the game in a 1–0 away win over Leyton Orient on 21 August.[65] In the club's next match four days later, he scored from the penalty spot in another 1–0 away victory, this time against Oldham Athletic.[66] He scored his first goal at Broadhall Way in Stevenage's first home win of the season, finishing on the half-volley in a 3–1 win over Walsall on 18 September.[67][68] He added to his goal tally when he scored in two away victories in October 2012; scoring from the penalty spot in a 2–1 win at Notts County,[69] before scoring the only goal of the game with a curling effort in a 1–0 triumph over Milton Keynes Dons.[70] Akins scored in another away win in early November, neatly finishing from inside the area after good work from Marcus Haber, in an eventual 3–1 win against Yeovil Town at Huish Park.[71] His seventh goal of the season came in Stevenage's 2–0 away victory against Hartlepool United on 8 December, scoring from the penalty spot on the hour mark.[72] Another penalty followed later that month, opening the scoring in an eventual 3–1 defeat to Coventry City on Boxing Day.[73] Akins' first goal of 2013 came on 5 January, finishing neatly early on in the second half as Stevenage came from a goal behind to beat Crewe Alexandra 2–1 at Alexandra Stadium.[74] His goal tally for the season moved into double figures when he scored Stevenage's fourth goal in a convincing 4–0 home win over Sheffield United in March 2013, cutting in from the right wing and scoring with a low curling shot.[75][76] Akins played in all 46 of Stevenage's league games during the campaign, making a further four appearances in cup competitions, and finished the season as the club's top goalscorer with ten goals.[77]