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The 32-year-old has spent most of his career in Staffordshire with the Brewers and is a key figure up front for Jimmy Floyd Hasslebaink’s side.
Born in Huddersfield, the 6ft 1 striker started his youth career in the Terriers’ Academy before stepping up to first-team duties after only two years in the under 18’s.
22 minutes in two appearances for the West Yorkshire side in 2006/07 was followed by 15 minutes in three matches in the 2007/08 season.
In November 2007, a chance came up for the striker to get minutes for then Conference Premier side Northwich Victoria which the forward took with both hands.
During his brief few-month loan with the Vics, Akins made 10 appearance scoring once before returning back to Huddersfield in February 2008.
His contract was not extended at the Terriers and subsequently, he was released from his boyhood club in June 2008 as he searched for a new challenge elsewhere.
A move up to Scotland followed as the striker impressed in his two-week trial period for Hamilton Academical. He made 13 appearances and created one assist across all competitions for Hamilton before sealing a loan to Partick Thistle mid-way through the 2008/09 season in which he made nine appearances scoring once.
Upon his return to his parent club, Akins played no part in the 2009/10 side and made his move back to England with Merseyside club Tranmere Rovers.
It was another two-year stint for the striker in which he made 85 appearances scoring seven times and assisting nine and once more was on the move.
Even with Tranmere activating an automatic contract extension clause at the end of the 2011/12 season the striker decided to move to Stevenage on a three-year deal.
He only spent two of the three years at the Boro making 86 appearances for the League One club whilst netting 15 and assisting four.
With Stevenage relegated down to League Two, it saw Akins on the move once more as he joined Staffordshire side Burton Albion.
He’s spent most of his career at the Brewers and started down at the fourth tier with the club and reaching the heights of the Championship under the now Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough.
Akins made 35 appearances in his first season and made 12 goal contributions with Burton promoted into League One as Champions of League Two.
The more impressive feat was that with Akins in the side the Brewers were gaining 2.09 points per game and his appearances in the side were pivotal that season.
Another fantastic season followed for the club and the striker. Scoring 12 goals and assisting three times in 44 appearances, Akins and Burton were able to get back-to-back promotions with the Brewers moving up to the Championship as runners-up in League One.
Clough’s side narrowly avoided relegation from the second-tier as on the final day of the season Blackburn, Nottingham Forest and Birmingham all won their games, but the Brewers held onto their Championship status by one point.
Goals dried up for the forward across his two seasons in the second-tier as he was only able to get 10 goals and eight assists as Burton’s fairytale was ended in the 2017/18 season as the Brewers missed out on survival by a slim margin of two points.
Akins has been Mr Reliable for Clough and now Hasselbaink with the striker completing season after season with relative ease.
During 2018/19 he played all 46 league games in League One, in 2019/20 he made 35 appearances for the Brewers and this season he has featured in all but one match for the Staffordshire outfit.
His curling effort against Fleetwood Town yesterday evening is where Akins showed a strikers instinct, being a team player and also working back to help in defence.
The forward broke the deadlock in the 35th minute. Simon Grayson’s defence made an error which led to the 32-year-old gaining possession and firing a wonderful curling effort beyond Alex Cairns.
This lead to the hosts running riot at the Pirelli Stadium and running out 5-2 winners after goals from Joe Powell, Tom Hamer and a double from Kane Hemmings sunk Fleetwood who were able to get two consolation goals through Sam Finley and Jordan Rossiter.
Akins was always told by his teammates to hold the ball and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was always praising the forward as the Dutchman shouted “Good job, Lucas!”
His stature and his ability to hold the ball up is valuable for the Brewers and has shown that he is simply undroppable and continues to impress for the League One outfit.
Mansfield Town were interested in luring the striker to NG18 in the January transfer window, but he looks to have put those rumours behind him and has focussed on helping his side escape the drop which they have done securing League One football for another season.
If Hasselbaink can keep ahold of the striker with his contract expiring this summer it would be a massive boost in their potential push up the league next season.
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