Leo Fortune-West – John Beck
Here’s a player who played so few games I can’t even find a picture of him in a Lincoln kit I can use. The 6ft 3in striker had good spells with Gillingham and Stevenage before signing for us in 1998, and he had decent spells with Rotherham and Cardiff after us. He even played in a side that liked a direct ball, working under Shane Westley in the aftermath of John Beck’s departure. He managed just one goal in his short stay, scoring as we got beat 4-3 by Preston.
Ian Atkins accused the striker of injuring one of his players in our 0-0 draw just a few weeks into the season, and although Chairman John Reames and manager Shane Westley denied he was involved it did seem to spell the end of his Imps career. He was loaned to Rotherham, then sold quickly to Brentford for £60,000.
I can’t help but think had he arrived six months earlier, we’d be the team he got plenty of goals for. John Beck loved a beanpole striker, think Gijsbert Bos. He liked a target to aim for, a player who could score with his head. I’m not knocking Colin Alcide or Bos here, but Fortune-West was better than both and his future record proved it.
If only we’d found a method to get the ball on his head he’d have been a success and if any manager knew how to land a ball on a player’s head, it was Beck.
Simon Yeo in Micheal Appleton’s team now, just think he would fit in well with the way MA wants to play.
Great Shout!
A YOUNG Lee Frecklington in Michael Appleton’s team. What a waste in Danny Cowley’s team, spending most games watching the ball sail backwards and forwards over his head.
Now I know why I never progressed beyond village football level as a player. I just did not have the right manger – if only I had Sir Alex, I could have been a Bobby Charlton look alike!