The Southampton midfielder and St Mary’s academy graduate is currently away from the Saints on loan.
Southampton academy graduate Jake Hesketh was in action for Lincoln on Wednesday night and emerged with credit despite the East Midlands side being knocked out of the FA Cup first round (BBC Sport).
The Saints midfielder, 23, has been with St Mary’s Stadium side for 13 years now, having first entered the academy in 2006, but he has managed just four first-team appearances in that time (Transfermarkt), with the bulk of his senior game time coming on loan.
Last season, Hesketh impressed at League One side Burton Albion, helping them reach the semi-finals of the EFL Cup, but was controversially recalled in January and then sent to MK Dons in the division below.
Now back in the third tier, Hesketh put recent injury issues behind him and played the full game on Tuesday night, an FA Cup first-round replay, as the Imps suffered a heartbreaking defeat, Alan Judge firing home in the 94th minute after being left on his own in the opposition box.
Despite a lot of discontent amongst Lincoln fans on social media about the performance and result, Hesketh was deemed one of the few positives on the night:
Hesketh – contracted to Southampton until 2021, according to Transfermarkt – was given his debut by Ronald Koeman, who is quoted by the Daily Mail as saying of Hesketh: “He is used to playing between the lines, he’s fast, he’s left, right-footed and a player with a future. He’s doing well, he’s a talent. He’s improving.”
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