Striker could still play for League One club this season despite being in prison

Lucas Akins could walk out of prison and back into the Mansfield Town team later this season after being named in the club’s squad list.

Akins was jailed in April for causing the death of a cyclist by careless or inconsiderate driving. He hit Adrian Daniel with his Mercedes in Huddersfield in March 2022 and the 33-year-old died 10 days later.

The 36-year-old striker pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to 14 months at Leeds Crown Court, but will serve half the sentence in custody before being released on licence. That means he could return to the pitch for Mansfield before Christmas.

Akins continued to play for Mansfield last season after pleading guilty on March 4 and still appears to have a future with the club. His contract with the Stags expired at the end of last season, but he is in their squad list for the 2025/26 campaign.

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The squad list, which is published on the Football League’s website, shows the players who are under contract, registered and eligible to appear this season. It means Akins could play for Mansfield when he is released on licence from prison after serving seven months of his sentence.

“The club will review Lucas' position as and when he is released from custody and will make no further comment at this time,” Mansfield told BBC Sport in a statement. At the time of his sentencing, manager Nigel Clough said the jail term came as an “unbelievable shock”.

Akins was a Mansfield player when the fatal crash happened three and a half years ago and continued to play for them during the trial. The family of Mr Daniel, who suffered a catastrophic brain injury in the collision, criticised him for not pleading guilty at the earliest opportunity.

His wife Savannah Daniel said in her impact statement: “His wife and children shouldn't have to live the life we have since that day. Adrian survived a terrible accident 11 years ago. I'm not a spiritual person, but I believe he survived that to find us, to show Evie what a dad was and me what true love was.

“I can say I have learned to live life without him and live it to the full, but that doesn't excuse Mr Akins' actions. Three years of hell, of avoidance and adding further to my trauma, has finally come to a close today.”

Akins has 28 goals in 154 games for Mansfield, who he joined in 2022 after spending eight years with Burton Albion. He made 39 appearances last season, contributing four goals and four assists, with his final game coming in Mansfield’s 5-1 defeat by Reading on April 21 – just three days before he was sentenced.

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