Adam Lecky: Re-focusing, red cards, unsettling transfer talk and a charity cycle

For Adam Lecky, his first two seasons back in Irish League football have mirrored the contrasting fortunes of his club Ballymena United.

The striker marked his return to the local game after a period travelling in Australia by contributing 17 goals in all competitions during the 2018-19 campaign, playing a pivotal role as the Sky Blues qualified for the Europa League by finishing second in the Premiership.

David Jeffrey's side have failed to hit the same heights in the 2019-20 term, although their forthcoming Irish Cup semi-final against Coleraine on 27 July offers them a shot at redemption.

The opening few months of Lecky's season were plagued by injury, followed by two uncharacteristic red cards in games against Crusaders and Glentoran, and then being the subject of an "unsettling" public, protracted audacious £60,000 transfer bid by Glentoran,

"My first season with Ballymena was brilliant. We all just clicked and we were flying from the off - we went on a brilliant run but ultimately came up just short of winning the league," reflected the 6ft 6in forward.

"Last season individually and collectively we just couldn't repeat that form, we became stuck in a rut and our performances were just not good enough. The league table doesn't lie.

"Because we were playing European football in June last year we were back in training early so it was a long season and we needed a break.

"It seemed the harder we tried the worse it got so hopefully the time away has allowed the boys a chance to refocus, re-set their minds and come back hungry.

"We now have a chance to get our confidence and belief back. We know the ability we have and how good a team we can be."

The Braidmen will face derby rivals Coleraine in their semi-final at Windsor Park and Lecky hopes the lengthy gap since the sides were last in action - the Bannsiders beating Ballymena 2-0 on 7 March - will act as a leveller for the knockout tie.

"If the semi-final had gone ahead in late March as scheduled Coleraine would have gone in as hot favourites given the season they were having - we would have been clinging to the hope that it was a one-off cup game and a derby," added the 29-year-old.

"The new circumstances may be a leveller and we are just two games away from securing European football again which would be massive for the club.

"We have drawn a line under last season and if we were to win the cup we could look back on a successful campaign despite all our poor form."

The former Ballinamallard United forward was back in training with his team-mates last week, although with social distancing measures in place and training taking place in small groups.

"Most players came back in decent shape but obviously we have no match fitness. Personally I don't feel sharp until I have four or five games under my belt but as yet I have no idea if we will be playing any friendlies or not.

"We have a few weeks of training now to get as fit as possible and then we don't know when the league will start so there is a lot of uncertainty.

"We don't know whether we will just be training for this cup game and then off for a few months or whether we'll be continuing on through. Hopefully a decision will be made soon which will allow players and clubs to plan ahead."

A knee injury kept Lecky on the sidelines for three months at the start of last season, then he had the disappointment of being sent-off twice in as many months, and was also the subject of a £60,000 transfer bid by Glentoran during the January transfer window.

"The red cards were just borne of frustration. I got injured during the European games and without having had a proper pre-season I wasn't 100% fit or firing on all cylinders.

"Having had such a good year the season before I probably went from being a bit under the radar to being more of a marked man and I just reacted to the extra attention I was getting a couple of times.

"David Jeffrey was very supportive and backed me publicly but it was inexcusable. I have to learn to deal with it and find different ways to channel that frustration and keep my cool.

"The Glentoran bid came as a bit of a shock but as a player I was mostly left uninformed. The episode was unsettling.

"It could have been handled better and it dragged on so it turned out to be an exhausting week until the end of the January transfer window.

"In the end I was glad to see February arrive, when I was able to put it behind me and get back to playing football."

A Tax Adviser by profession, Lecky admits playing football full-time would hold its attractions but making a decision to put his career on hold would be problematic.

"There's always that ambition in the back of your mind but I've never thought about it in much depth because the opportunity hasn't arisen.

"When you have a career outside of football at my age it would be difficult to make that transition, to step away from that and put all your eggs in the football basket.

"I wouldn't rule it out but it would have to be right for me personally."

Lecky confirmed that as a player he had "zero input" into the Northern Ireland Football League's decision-making process over how best to end the season but believes it "could have been handled better".

"I was just reading about it every day - there were different stories leaking out and I don't think it cast the Irish League in a great light.

"It was good to finally get it resolved and draw a line under it, although to be fair it was hard for everyone as these are unprecedented circumstances."

Lecky had been scheduled to marry fiancee Amy, a nurse, in May, but the onset of the coronavirus pandemic forced the postponement of their wedding until April 2021.

"It was one of those things. We were aware in March it probably wasn't going to happen so at least we were able to accept that early on. There aren't too many people who haven't been affected one way or another.

"Amy was helping out on the Covid ward at the City Hospital but is back in her regular ward in the cardiac department at the Royal Victoria now.

"On our scheduled wedding day we did a charity treadmill run between us at Amy's house in Omagh - 5km every hour for 12 hours - and managed to raise £9,000 in total for our charities, Aware NI and Marie Curie.

"It was a tough enough challenge but we were overwhelmed with the support we received. With the restrictions in place, people drove by in their cars and said hello.

"It was a good way to put the day in as otherwise it would have been a bit depressing."