Freddie Draper
{{short description|English footballer (born 2004)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Freddie Draper
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| fullname = Frederick Charles Draper{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/contentassets/c5d1297ad65c49c6bac4ae0e69c6b48e/squad-list-publication-report-2021-22---08.09.2021.pdf|title=EFL Squad List 2021/22|publisher=English Football League |page=72 |accessdate=27 October 2021}}
| birth_place = Oxfordshire, England
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|2004|7|28}}{{Cite news |title=F. Draper |url=https://uk.soccerway.com/players/freddie-draper/682554/|publisher=Soccerway |accessdate=17 January 2023}}
| height = {{convert|1.78|m|order=flip}}
| position = Forward
| currentclub = Lincoln City
| clubnumber = 34
| youthclubs1 = Derby County
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs2 = Lincoln City
| youthyears2 =
| clubs1 = Lincoln City
| years1 = 2021–
| caps1 = 61
| goals1 = 6
| years2 = 2022
| clubs2 = → Gainsborough Trinity (loan)
| caps2 = 8
| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 2023
| clubs3 = → Drogheda United (loan)
| caps3 = 21
| goals3 = 8
| years4 = 2023–2024
| clubs4 = → Walsall (loan)
| caps4 = 22
| goals4 = 10
| club-update = 16:00, 3 May 2025 (UTC)
}}
Frederick Charles Draper (born 28 July 2004) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for {{English football updater|LincolnC}} club Lincoln City.
Club career
=Lincoln City=
Freddie Draper joined the Imps as a first-year scholar from Derby County.{{cite web |title=Freddie Draper|url=https://www.weareimps.com/Teams/first-team/forward/freddie-draper/|website=Lincoln City F.C.|accessdate=25 October 2021}} He signed his first professional contract on his 17th birthday, signing a three-year deal.{{cite web |title=Birthday to remember as Freddie turns professional!|url=https://www.weareimps.com/news/2021/july/birthday-to-remember-as-freddie-turns-professional/|publisher=Lincoln City F.C. |access-date=28 July 2021}} He would make his Lincoln City debut against Sheffield Wednesday on 23 October 2021 coming off the bench to replace Anthony Scully.{{cite web |title=How Freddie Draper 'earned the right' to make Lincoln City debut at Sheffield Wednesday|url=https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/how-freddie-draper-earned-right-6105237|website=LincolnshireLive|date=23 October 2021 |accessdate=23 October 2021}} On 11 February 2022, he would join Gainsborough Trinity on loan until the end of the season.{{cite web |title=Draper joins Gainsborough on loan|url=https://www.weareimps.com/news/2022/february/draper-joins-gainsborough-on-loan/|website=Lincoln City FC |access-date=11 February 2022}} On 14 April 2022, he received his nomination for LFE Apprentice of the Season at the 2022 EFL Awards, joined by Deji Elerewe and Michael Williams{{cite web |title=Freddie Draper nominated for LFE Apprentice of the Season|url=https://www.weareimps.com/news/2022/april/freddie-draper-nominated-for-lfe-apprentice-of-the-season/|website=Lincoln City FC |access-date=14 April 2022}} Following the end 2021–22 season, Draper would be named Lincoln City's Academy Player of the season at the end of season awards.{{cite web |title=Poole honoured at Awards|url=https://www.weareimps.com/news/2022/may/poole-honoured-at-awards/|publisher=Lincoln City F.C. |access-date=3 May 2022}}
The following season, Draper signed a new long-term contract at the club.{{cite web |title=Draper signs long-term contract|url=https://www.weareimps.com/news/2022/september/draper-signs-long-term-contract/|publisher=Lincoln City F.C. |access-date=26 September 2021}} The following month he would score his first professional goal after coming off the bench against Newscastle United U21 in the EFL Trophy.{{cite web |title=Freddie Draper's Lincoln City aim after scoring first goal in Papa John's Trophy decider|url=https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/freddie-drapers-lincoln-city-aim-7720535|publisher=LincolnshireLuve |access-date=19 October 2021}}
He scored his first Lincoln City league goal against Reading on 6 April 2024 following the return from his loan spell at Walsall.{{cite web |title=Passionate Draper has real belief|url=https://www.weareimps.com/news/2024/april/passionate-draper-has-real-belief/|publisher=Lincoln City F.C. |access-date=6 April 2024}}
He signed a new contract until the summer of 2028 in February 2025.{{cite web |title=Draper commits to Imps with new contract|url=https://www.weareimps.com/news/draper-commits-imps-new-contract|publisher=Lincoln City F.C. |access-date=6 February 2025}} At the end of the season, he received the clubs Community Player of the Year.{{cite web|title=End of Season Awards Presentation|url=https://www.weareimps.com/news/gallery-end-season-award-presentations|publisher=Lincoln City FC|access-date=4 May 2025}}
==Drogheda United (loan)==
On 31 January 2023, he joined Drogheda United on loan for the season along with teammate Elicha Ahui.{{cite web |title=Imps duo join Drogheda|url=https://www.weareimps.com/news/2023/january/imps-duo-join-drogheda/|publisher=Lincoln City F.C. |access-date=31 January 2023}} He scored his first goal for the club in a 3-1 loss away to Bohemians on 6 March. On 16 March, he had his penalty saved in the Louth Derby against Dundalk which would have earned Drogheda a point, but he scored the equaliser in the reverse fixture on 28 April, which 10-man Drogheda went on to narrowly lose 3-2 in injury time.
Draper was nominated for the League of Ireland Player of the Month award in May,{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/LeagueofIreland/status/1666822404407164941|title=League of Ireland on Twitter: "Congratulations to the six players nominated for this month's SSE Airtricity/SWI Player of the Month"|website=twitter.com|date=8 June 2023}} scoring 4 goals throughout the month. These included his first home goal against Shelbourne, a brace in a 3-1 win over UCD,{{cite news |url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023/0526/1385905-draper-double-helps-drogheda-see-off-ucd/|title=Draper double helps Drogheda see off UCD|work=RTÉ Sport |date=26 May 2023}} and the first goal in a shock win away to league champions Shamrock Rovers. He continued his run of form into June, scoring his 7th and 8th goals of the season; 2 headers, as Drogheda fell to a 3-2 away defeat against Shelbourne. On 22 June 2023, Draper was named League of Ireland Player of the Month for the month of May 2023, becoming the first Drogheda United player to win the accolade since 2014, and the first teenager to claim the award since 1999.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023/0622/1390574-droghedas-draper-named-player-of-the-month/|title=Drogheda's Draper named player of the month|date=22 June 2023|work=RTÉ Sport}} His last appearance for the club saw him shown a straight red card in a 2-1 home loss to Dundalk.
On 26 June, It was confirmed that both Draper and Ahui would return to Lincoln City following the completion of their loan on 30 June.{{cite web |title=Draper and Ahui to return to Lincoln|url=https://droghedaunited.ie/draper-and-ahui-to-return-to-lincoln/|publisher=Lincoln City F.C. |access-date=26 June 2023}}
==Walsall (loan)==
On 7 July 2023, on signing a new long-term contract at Lincoln City, he joined Walsall on a season-long loan.{{cite web |title=New long-term deal for Freddie|url=https://www.weareimps.com/news/2023/july/new-long-term-deal-for-freddie/|website=Lincoln City F.C.|accessdate=7 July 2023}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66139168|title=Walsall sign Lincoln's Draper on season-long loan|via=www.bbc.co.uk}} He made his debut on 12 August 2023, following the conclusion of his suspension for Drogheda United, starting the game and getting an assist against Stockport County.{{cite web |title=Walsall 2-1 Stockport County|url=https://www.saddlers.co.uk/news/2023/august/match-report-walsall-2-1-stockport-county/|website=Walsall F.C.|accessdate=12 August 2023}} His first Walsall goal came in the first minute against Crewe Alexandra on 19 August 2023.{{cite web |title=Crewe Alexandra 2-2 Walsall|url=https://www.saddlers.co.uk/news/2023/august/match-report-crewe-alexandra-2-2-walsall/|website=Walsall F.C.|accessdate=19 August 2023}} He scored his first career hat-trick against Newport County, scoring the third goal in the 96th minute to secure a 3–3 draw.{{cite web |title=Newport 3-3 Walsall|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67097343|website=BBC|accessdate=20 October 2023}} On 5 January 2024, Draper was recalled by Lincoln City having scored 10 goals and 3 assists in 23 matches.{{cite news|title=Draper recalled by the Imps|url=https://www.weareimps.com/news/2024/january/draper-recalled-by-the-imps/|access-date=5 January 2024|publisher=Lincoln City F.C.|date=5 January 2024}}{{Cite web |last=Owner |first=Ryan Whelan- |date=2024-01-01 |title=Exclusive: Lincoln City Make Decision Over Loanee's Future |url=https://looksports.media/exclusive-lincoln-city-make-decision-over-loanees-future/ |access-date=2024-01-12 |website=Look Sports Media |language=en-GB}}
Career statistics
{{updated|3 May 2025}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
! rowspan="2" |Club ! rowspan="2" |Season ! colspan="3" |League ! colspan="2" |National Cup ! colspan="2" |League Cup ! colspan="2" |Other ! colspan="2" |Total | |||||||||
| Division
!Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan=5|Lincoln City
|2021–22{{soccerbase season| 137310 |2021|accessdate=30 August 2021}} |8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 2022–23{{soccerbase season| 137310 |2022|accessdate=30 August 2021}}
|League One |0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1{{efn|name=FLT|Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy}} | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 2023–24{{soccerbase season| 137310 |2023|accessdate=30 August 2021}}
|League One |16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 2 |
| 2024–25{{soccerbase season| 137310 |2024|accessdate=30 August 2021}}
|League One |37 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5{{efn|name=FLT|Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy}} | 1 | 46 | 5 |
| colspan="2"|Total
!61 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 74 | 8 |
| Gainsborough Trinity (loan)
|2021–22{{cite web|url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/gainsborough-trinity/appearances/freddie-draper/936645|title=Gainsborough Trinity – Appearances – Freddie Draper|access-date=7 April 2022}} |8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | |
| Drogheda United (loan)
|2023 |21 | 8 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 1{{efn|name=LSC|Appearance(s) in Leinster Senior Cup}} | 0 | 22 | 8 | ||
| Walsall (loan)
|22 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1{{efn|name=FLT|Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy}} | 0 | 25 | 10 |
| colspan="3"|Career total
!112 | 25 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 129 | 27 |
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
Honours
Individual
- League of Ireland Premier Division Player of the Month: May 2023{{Cite web |date=23 June 2023 |title=Drogheda United's Freddie Draper youngest this century to win Player of the Month award |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/louth/sport/soccer/drogheda-uniteds-freddie-draper-youngest-this-century-to-win-player-of-the-month-award/a1625210674.html |website=Irish Independent}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Lincoln City F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Draper, Freddie}}
Category:Lincoln City F.C. players
Category:Gainsborough Trinity F.C. players
Category:Drogheda United F.C. players
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:English men's footballers
Category:League of Ireland players
Category:Expatriate men's association footballers in the Republic of Ireland