Excellent addition to Forest's defence in the Summer of 2005, "Breckinbauer" (as he was allegedly 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, he didn't miss a game in his first 2 seasons at Forest.

Many fans had 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 first 2 Forest seasons, so it could easily be that Forest fans are wrong). Though I was less quick to dismiss him altogether, it's fair to say that almost everyone was pretty surprised when he signed an extension to his contract in Spring 2008. Though clearly approaching the end of his career, Breckin's experience enabled him to continue to contribute right up to the end of his time at the club, helping to shore up Forest's less than watertight defence as they fought to remain in the Championship in 2009. He then left in the summer with everyone's good wishes, largely because at his age he wants to play as much as possible, and understandably Billy davies cannot guarantee him anything of the sort.

Not one of the all-time greats, sure, but an honest, committed, reliable pro who was exactly the sort of guy we needed to escape the hell of League one. He appears to be articulate and thoughtful; I fully expect to see him in due course as a coach, in the footsteps of his uncle John, who has long been assitant manager at Rotherham.