From teenage Telford hitman to Lincoln City’s main striker – Kyle Perry has come a long way.

The 25-year-old was the star of the show when scoring 23 goals in AFC Telford United’s promotion-winning debut season back in 2004-05.

Though he was later released and had to start again at Chasetown, he quickly bounced back to play for the likes of Port Vale, Mansfield, Tamworth and now Lincoln.

Perry was delighted to join the Imps in the summer and is relishing the chance to come back to the New Bucks Head as a visiting player for the first time tonight.

“I’ve been keeping tabs on Telford all the way through my career since I left and I’m over the moon that they’ve got back where they want to be,” he said. “I’m still in touch with Glenn Tolley from those days.

“I’m looking forward to going back – it’s where I first carved out my career in the men’s game (after coming through the Academy at Walsall).

“That first season at Telford is still one of my fondest highlights and I really enjoyed everything about it.

“It was a big shock to me when I was released but it’s happened to me again in my career since then and it’ll probably happen again.”

Perry looked destined for a career in obscurity when let go by then Telford boss Rob Smith but got a second chance after playing for Chasetown against Port Vale in the FA Cup.

So impressive was his performance that the Valiants quickly snapped him up – and he has never dropped below Blue Square Bet Premier level since.

Bigger

“I went on to bigger and better things,” said Perry. “I’ve played in League One and League Two and scored 19 goals for Tamworth last season in the Conference.

“I’m a bigger player now than the loyal Telford fans will remember. I’m a man now, no longer a boy.

“I think I’ve done quite well since I left – I have just tried to get on with it and hopefully, at the end of it all, I can look back and say I’ve had a good career.”

By CHRIS HUDSON