Striker Pens New Deal and Departs on Loan

Imps striker Freddie Draper has left the club on loan today to League Two side Walsall after penning a new long-term deal with the club.

Freddie made his debut for the club in an away fixture against Sheffield Wednesday in the 2020/21 season, under the management of Michael Appleton. With the squad struggling with injuries, he continued to feature in the first team and made eight appearances in League One. However, after suffering his own injuries, he fell behind John Marquis, Tom Hopper, and Liam Cullen in the pecking order when he returned to full fitness. In the first half of last season under the new head coach Mark Kennedy, he didn’t receive as many opportunities, with the Mark relying on Hopper, the former club captain, and last season’s top goalscorer Ben House. Nonetheless, the young striker did get a chance to play in cup competitions. He played the entire ninety minutes in the FA Cup match against Chippenham and scored his first goal for Lincoln City against Newcastle Under 21’s team in the Papa John’s Trophy.

In January, he went on loan to Drogheda, where he made a significant impression during his few months in Ireland. Throughout his time there, he made 22 appearances for the club across various competitions, scoring 8 goals and providing 3 assists. His performances earned him the SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the Month for May, making him the first Drogheda player to receive the award since 2014 and the first teenager to win it since 1999.

The big news today is that he has left on loan to Walsall to play League Two football, which is a good step up from the level he was playing at in Ireland, and he has also penned a new long-term deal, which is a great bit of business from the club. Hopefully Freddie can go down to League Two and perform, unlike Charley Kendall who made a similar move last season.

Draper told the club website: “I’m thankful for this opportunity, I now want to keep improving and showing Lincoln City what I can do. The loan with Drogheda was an experience I needed. I had to grow up really quick and recommend it to any young player. I’m now looking forward to continuing my development at a good level with Walsall.”

City’s Director of Football Jez George said: “Freddie performed to a consistently high level throughout his time at Drogheda, scored goals and made a lot of clubs sit up and take notice, not only in Ireland but also in League Two.” It is great credit to Freddie that he has created this opportunity of a loan at Walsall, which will be so good for his long-term development. For an 18-year-old to lead the line with such aggression and physicality, create so many chances for himself and others, score so many goals and handle becoming a ‘marked man’ so well shows why we rate Freddie so highly.”

Jez also went on to thank Drogheda for their role in his development as well as Elicha Ahui’s: “I am sure that Freddie and Elicha will also join me in thanking manager Kevin Doherty, assistant Daire Doyle and everyone connected with Drogheda United for how brilliantly they looked after them both.”

It may not be an exciting signing, but this is a great piece of business and one that shouldn’t be forgotten about when we look back on this summer window in twelve months time.