DANNY: IT’S BIN UNFORGETTABLE!
DANNY LLOYD completed a dream move to the Football League with Peterborough United on Monday – and he was back selling bins less than 24 hours later!
The winger has been in scintillating form for National League North Stockport County, scoring 29 times and laying on 19 goals in a season that has revived his football career.
Lloyd, 25, says the Hatters have re-energised him after he left AFC Fylde last May contemplating hanging up his boots.
But his form and hard work has been rewarded after Grant McCann’s League One Posh swooped to make him their second addition from NonLeague this summer, following the arrival of Ricky Miller from Dover Athletic.
Lloyd, a business development manager for waste giant Biffa, has a couple more weeks left in his day job before turning his attentions to the EFL for the first time.
Surreal
“I’m just looking forward to getting going,” Lloyd told
“I was up for 18 hours on Monday. I got up at 5am to drive down to Peterborough and then this morning I was up at ten to seven, back on the bins! Back selling bins.
“I had a joke with a customer this morning. I said, ‘This is absolutely surreal. I signed a three-year deal at Peterborough yesterday and this morning I’ve just signed you up for a skip!’
“It’s such a mix of emotions. I haven’t cried, but I’ve been close a couple of times with some of the messages from my close mates and
family. “I just want it to be the first game of the League season next year and I hope I’m in and around it. It will mean so much to me to walk out for the first game of the season.
“You’re not going to see anyone as dedicated and hardworking as me.
“I said to the gaffer ‘I’ve been working 40 or 50 hours a week and playing football. You’re going to have to drag me off the training ground’. I won’t be able to go and spend time with my missus because she’ll be at work! I’m tired but so relieved that it’s done.”
Rumours about League clubs eyeing the former Colwyn Bay and Tamworth attacker’s signature have been rife all season.
He’s promised to keep playing the committed, exciting, front-foot football that quickly made him a fans’ favourite among the Stockport County faithful. But he admitted he didn’t get much sleep after boss McCann called to set up a meeting.
“I can’t describe the emotions I’ve had in the past 24 hours,” Lloyd said. “It’s absolutely mind-blowing.
“The manager, Grant – or gaffer as I’ve now got to call him – rang me last Tuesday and said ‘We’re really interested in having a chat, can you come down?’
“I went down Monday to speak to them so I had to sweat for a week! I said to him, ‘I’m made up you called me, but you could have left it until Friday because I haven’t had a wink of sleep since you called!’ We had a proper laugh.
“When I went to Stockport I was so down and disillusioned with football. They made me feel wanted and put the confidence back into me. I’m back to my old self.
“But I didn’t expect to feel as wanted as Peterborough have made me feel. Barry Fry and the gaffer have made me feel wanted and I’ve had so many welcome messages from the Peterborough fans. That goes a long way.
“First and foremost, any club I’m at I play for the shirt. You put the shirt on your back and you’ve got thousands of people paying money to see you. The least you can do is put in a good performance and work hard.
“I’ve got a couple of weeks left of work but I can’t wait to report for pre-season.”