PLANET PROFILE – Daniel Bent

Stats

Name - Daniel Bent

D.O.B – 22/02/1983

Height – 6ft 1in

Level – 3^rd year scholar in Youth Academy and reserve team regular.

Signed – 1^st August 2000

Position – centre forward/striker

Lincolnshire-born Danny Bent has been with the club for seven years now, starting out in the Under 12's for the Centre of Excellence. The tall marksman made the step up to the Youth Academy, and is now in his third (and final) year of that scholarship. It's crunch time for Bent as he waits anxiously to see if the club decide he is of the required standard to warrant a pro-contract in the summer.

However, recently, Bent will have done his hopes no harm at all, as his eye-grabbing performances in both the Imps Academy side and the reserves side have been of the highest order. The in-form 18 year old, who has been a regular in the Imps reserves for the past two seasons now, netted the winner in City reserve's one-nil midweek win against York.

In the Youth Alliance North Central Conference division, Bent is proving to be quite a prolific goalscorer.  Last Saturday, Bent scored twice for the Under 19's, having his best game of the season – working tirelessly up front, leading the line well, linking up well and managing to find the net. Bent also set-up Lee Frecklington's goal to end the game 3-2 winners.

Bent's only taste of first team experience in his career came in April 2000 when he was an unused substitute in City's 2-0 League defeat at Hartlepool United.

When it comes to the crunch, is Bent worthy of keeping on at the club? No – due to obvious financial reasons, despite the potential he has. One could compare Bent to former young Imp Graham Lewis who was released by the Imps after several seasons in the youth and reserve teams, scoring, but without getting first team action.

It is understood that ‘keeper Darren Horrigan will be the only member of the current scholars to be offered a contract in the summer.