Jailed footballer's future with Stags remains unresolved

Lucas Akins helped Mansfield Town to promotion from League Two in the 2023-24 season

Jailed footballer Lucas Akins still has a chance of resurrecting his career with Mansfield Town after he is released.

The 36-year-old started a 14-month prison sentence in April after pleading guilty to causing the death of a cyclist by careless or inconsiderate driving in March 2022.

In May, after the season had finished, Mansfield said the club was "continuing to consider its position" regarding the striker.

And despite Akins' contract expiring on Monday, the club has told BBC Sport that its stance "remains unchanged" with neither confirmation of his departure nor renewal of his contract being confirmed.

Akins was a Mansfield player when the crash happened more than three years ago.

Adrian Daniel, 33, died 10 days after he was struck by a Mercedes G350 being driven by Akins near Huddersfield.

Despite his involvement in the fatal incident and the legal action that followed, Akins continued to play for the Stags until he was jailed.

Even when he pleaded guilty at Leeds Crown Court on 4 March, he started a League One match for Mansfield just hours later.

Akins also added to his international caps after pleading guilty, going on to play for Grenada against Russia in Moscow two weeks later.

Following Akins' sentencing more than a month later, Stags boss Nigel Clough said the jail term came as an "unbelievable shock" to the club.

Akins has made more than 150 appearances for Mansfield since joining them in January 2022 from Burton Albion, a club where he also previously played under Clough.