Excellent addition to Forest's defence in the Summer of 2005, "Breckinbauer" (as he was known at Wigan) is a solid, determined defender who had already lead the Latics to two promotions. Quite why no Championship side came in for him, goodness only knows, but when his best mate, Nicky Eaden (less successful!), came to the City Ground, Gary Megson was quick to seize the opportunity.

He took a few games to settle, but gradually came into the fans' affections, rapidly became club captain and became the consistent calm performer who was the rock around which Forest's sometimes shaky back 4 revolved. At least, that was the theory... the reality was that Megson's Forest were utterly incapable of defending at all, despite on occasions fielding no fewer than 8 defenders in the same eleven. Brecks was infected just as much as several other ostensibly decent players.

During his first season he did, however, show a decent line in late runs into the box to score goals at set pieces - he was to finish the season in double figures - excellent for a defender. If accounts are to be believed, however, Breckin really came into his own on a dire night at Boundary Park, when Megson - by this stage thoroughly unpopular with the fans and increasingly so with the players - started to explain the infinite subtleties of his tactical plans, his captain is alleged to have turned round, torn the diagrams down from the wall and said "Gaffer, why bother? You'll only change your mind 10 times during the game anyway." Megson resigned after the game.

Under the caretaker regime of Charlie McParland and Frank Barlow, Breckin was one of several players who sprung to life, as Forest lost only one more match of the 13 leading up to the end of the season.

In his second season, in truth, his creaks began to show - not that he turned into a complete disaster or anything, but his lack of pace (the reason he knew he had to leave Wigan in the first place) began to show and we let in too many stupid goals. None the less, at the time of writing he has played 2 seasons for Forest without missing a game.

Some fans have written him off (though it is worth pointing out that his fellow-pros voted him into the League One PFA Team of the Season for both of his 2 Forest seasons, so it could easily be that Forest fans are wrong). Myself I am not sure - I suspect that he will form a key part of Forest's defence again in 2007-2008, and that a bit of protection in front of him (in the form of Neil Lennon) will protect him from the sort of runners that are starting to give him trouble.