By Nathan Jackson
September 21 2006

35 games into his City career, free-scoring midfielder Lee Frecklington is already being linked with the Premiership. With an average of a goal every 6 league games, Lee Frecklington has been attracting the attentions of the upper leagues so how did Freck get where he is now?

When Lee Frecklington made his first team debut in an LDV win against Telford in the 2003/4 season, you’d have been forgiven for being surprised with his inclusion as despite it only being against a then conference team, Frecklington hadn’t featured on the bench that season at all but the youngster impressed many. Despite helping City through to the regional quarters finals, Frecklington was dropped for the defeat at Halifax when a certain Kevin Sandwith gave the Shaymen a 1-0 win. Despite this, City fans who’d seen him play knew that he was one for the future.

Frecklington watched on as Adam Kerley and Ollie Ryan were both given a few run outs for the first team before eventually being dropped. However, Frecklington did make his first team league debut in a 3-1 defeat at Rochdale in February 2004, his record in the first team in the league as he played in a further 2 game that season, 2 games that City lost, a 1-0 defeat at Cheltenham and 3-0 defeat at Yeovil.

Freck was then offered a new 2 year professional contract but failed to get out of the reserves for a long time but then came that infamous January in 2006 and all of a sudden, Frecklington was pushed into the spotlight as he made several impressive first string games before finally get his first City goal with what turned out to be the winning goal in a 3-2 win at Stockport County. That goal signified that "Freck" had well and truly arrived on the first team scene.

Frecklington had suddenly gone from someone who was rotting in the reserves to someone who seemed vital to the cause and you’d often hear the fans shout to then manager, Keith Alexander, that they wanted him to bring Freck on. Another goal rescued a point for the Imps against Bury but his first season as a first team regular proved disappointing as City lost in the playoffs to the Mariners. Keith Alexander left for Peterborough and Frecklington’s mentor, John Schofield was appointed head coach and the future looked bright for a player quite a lot of City fans had never seen play just 5 months earlier.

Under Schofield, the Imps started playing attractive football and in the pre-season of the 2006/7 season, Frecklington formed a lethal partnership with rejuvenated Scott Kerr. Both scored for fun and along with Ryan Amoo, formed a 3 man midfield that could dominate the game.

The season started slowly for Frecklington as the expectation from everyone seemed too high but when he scored a brilliant diving header in a 2-2 draw with Walsall, it kick started his season and Frecklington came into his own and he scored a good volley in the Carling Cup game against Scunthorpe that inevitable ended in defeated. A winning goal at Shrewsbury Town elevated the Imps to their highest position in 9 years before scoring a wonder goal in the Imps first home defeat in nearly a year last Saturday.

So Freck’s first 35 games have been memorable for everyone involved and to say Freck has massive potential is an understatement and worryingly for the Imps, other teams have realised this as Reading, Middlesbrough, Cardiff and Nottingham Forest have all sent scouts to watch the 21 year old. Freck’s talent is deserving of a higher level and hopefully he can achieve that with the Imps.

If he does stay with the Imps, his partnership with Scott Kerr can only seemingly achieve great things and could rival any central midfield duo the club has ever produced and with the duo seemingly have an in-house goal of the season competition with each other, we could be in store for some brilliant goals in the future......if Frecklington stays.