Clough will not put timeframe on Akins playing return

Lucas Akins joined Mansfield Town from Burton Albion in January 2022

Mansfield Town forward Lucas Akins will "forever be conscious" of causing the death of a cyclist but "will be given as long as he needs" to restart his playing career after serving six months in prison, says boss Nigel Clough.

Adrian Daniel, 33, died 10 days after he was struck by a Mercedes G350 being driven by Akins near Huddersfield in March 2022.

In April, the 36-year-old Grenada international forward was sentenced to 14 months after admitting to causing the death of cyclist Mr Daniel by careless or inconsiderate driving.

Akins was released after just six months and has returned to training with League One side Mansfield - the club he has been with since before the fatal incident happened more than three years ago.

Stags manager Clough said Akins is "reintegrating back into the squad" but could not give a timeline of when the forward would likely play for the club again.

"He will take as long as he needs to," Clough told BBC Radio Nottingham.

"And when he does get back on the pitch, it won't be a case of 'he is over it now and everything is forgotten'. That will never be the case.

"He will forever be conscious of the impact he has had on the family of Mr Daniel.

"He will live with it for the rest of his life, but he has served his time now. And it's time that he gets on with his life."

Mr Daniel, from Meltham, was cycling home from work along Huddersfield Road in Netherton on 17 March, 2022, when Akins pulled out in front of him at the junction with Crosland Factory Lane.

At Akins' sentencing hearing at Leeds Crown Court earlier this year, judge Alex Menary said the footballer did not check left and right before pulling out.

Had he paused for more time it would have allowed Mr Daniel to travel through any blind spot, the judge added.

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

Clough confirmed that Akins' appearances for the club last season triggered a contract extension, and added that the Stags' hierarchy agreed to see out the new deal despite the player going to prison.

"The thing about the owners and the board is that they do not want to keep on punishing him for what was a tragic accident," Clough said.

Mansfield are the second club that Clough has managed Akins at, with the veteran striker also previously playing under the 59-year-old at Burton Albion.

Akins, whose career with eight different clubs has spanned more than 18 years, helped the Stags to promotion from League Two in 2024, scoring 14 goals in 49 appearances.

He then went on to feature 39 times last season, with eight of those appearances between Akins pleading guilty and being jailed.

"It has been incredibly difficult," Clough said. "But he has handled it as well as he could have done.

"We have known him an awful long time and we know the sort of character he is, and I think he is strong enough to deal with everything that is surrounding it."

Since Akins' return to the club was confirmed, Mansfield's position has received a mixed response from supporters on social media.

While there are those in favour of the club's stance, it has others feeling uneasy while there is a section of fans that see it as a mistake.

Clough says the public's opinion, and the backlash Akins could face when he returns to play for Mansfield, will "have to be accepted".

"It will be part of his life as a player while he chooses to play football," Clough said.

"Hopefully there will be understanding, but they doesn't tend to be very often.

"Unfortunately that will be part of it for the next few months or years, however long he plays football for."