Player Profiles - LAMIN COLLEY

Striker Lamin is a bit more of an unknown compared to Abdulai Baggie, the first player whose profile was featured. This is despite the fact he was playing in the National League North last season.

He started out with Farsley AFC as a youth, under player coach Mark Jackson. He also played in the Leeds City Colleges team, run in partnership with Farsley, where Jackson was Head of Football. His appearances for the student side earned him a place in the England Colleges representative team, with Lamin making his England debut in a 2-0 victory over Wales at the TNS ground, coming on as a second half substitute.

The honour came a few months after his first ream debut for the North East Counties side, in Farsley's 2-1 victory over Selby Town on 11 September 2010. Further reports of appearances for Farsley have proved impossible to track down so far but Lamin was loaned out to league rivals Liversedge.

His spell at the Clayborn Ground began in March 2011, with his debut probably coming in a 2-2 draw with Winterton Rangers. His time at Liversedge didn't start too well, as he managed to pick up double yellows in two games, including that Winterton match. In one case a booking came for celebrating a team mate's goal. Despite the suspensions, and further calls by England Colleges, Lamin managed three goals as the Cleckheaton based side moved clear of the relegation. One of his more impressive performances, going off the reports, came in a narrow League Cup defeat to his parent club.

As I mentioned, it's unclear how often Lamin was involved with the first team at Farsley, but last summer he definitely signed for his former manager at Liversedge. Bill Miller signed him on for Northern Premier League Harrogate Railway Athletic, the neighbours of regular County opponents Harrogate Town.

Railway made an attacking start to the 2014-115 season with Colley scoring regularly, including goals in the FA Cup as his new side made it through two rounds before going down 2-3 at Colwyn Bay in a close fought game. In what was to prove his final game, Lamin scored a goal in North Wales to make the score 2-3. Bradford Park Avenue manager John Deacey had already agreed a deal to sign the striker. The agreement was to put the transfer through when HRA were out of the cup, so the following week Park Avenue signed the 6' 4" tall striker for a small fee.

He made his debut in a 4-1 defeat at Solihull Moors on 4th October. Lamin was replaced during the game, and from then on he had to be mainly satisfied with a place on the bench, although he was brought on more often than not. However, he was not included in either of last season's games against County. By season's end Lamin had played 23 games in all for Avenue, 7 of them in the starting line-up. The lack of starts meant his chance of making a significant contribution to the goal scoring tally was severely hampered, but Lamin did score in the FA Trophy victory over Leamington in November, the match that gave him his second spot in the starting lineup. This would turn out to be his only goal for Avenue as Neil Young made him one of his first signings as County manager.

With several months experience under his belt at this level, County fans will be looking to see Lamin pressure National League North defences with his pace.

Ian Watts