The jailing of Mansfield Town striker Lucas Akins for causing the death of a cyclist has sent shockwaves through the football community. Akins, 36, was sentenced to 14 months in prison after the tragic incident in March 2022 that led to the death of 33-year-old Adrian Daniel.

Club's Reaction Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough described the situation as "devastating" and an "unbelievable shock." Clough, who has worked with Akins at both Mansfield and Burton Albion, expressed his sorrow for both Akins and the Daniel family. "We have lost a friend and a colleague to a sentence," Clough said. "It is just a tragic accident, and we are devastated for Lucas that he has ended up with a prison sentence."

The Incident Akins was driving his seven-year-old daughter to a piano lesson when he pulled out into the path of Mr. Daniel, who was cycling home from work. Mr. Daniel succumbed to his injuries ten days later. In a victim impact statement, Mr. Daniel's wife, Savanna, described her husband's death as "like hell and a nightmare I'm not waking up from." She criticized Akins for not pleading guilty at the first opportunity but stated she did not want him to go to jail.

Akins' Career Akins has had a long and distinguished career in football, playing professionally for 18 years. He has represented clubs such as Huddersfield, Burton, Tranmere, Stevenage, and Scottish sides Hamilton Academical and Partick Thistle. He joined Mansfield Town in January 2022 and helped the club win promotion from League Two last season.

Future Uncertain With just two months remaining on his Mansfield contract, Akins' future in football remains uncertain. Clough mentioned that discussions about his future will take place, but no immediate decisions will be made. "Everybody is just digesting what was an unbelievable shock this week," Clough said. There is also talk of Akins appealing the sentence, adding another layer of uncertainty to the situation.

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