Old pal backs Chris Weale to star in goal for Leicester City

Chris Weale is going to be a big hit at Leicester City, according to one of his former team-mates.

Adam Lockwood, who was in the same Yeovil team as Weale for five years, says the 27-year-old goalkeeper will be desperate to prove himself in the Championship after a difficult spell at Bristol City.

Weale was kept out of the picture at Ashton Gate by Brazilian Adriano Basso, as well as suffering back and wrist injuries.

But Lockwood, 28, and now a Doncaster Rovers player, said: "Chris is a very good keeper, a top professional and he will do just fine at Leicester.

"He has had injuries that have set him back and then he couldn't get in the team because of Basso, who is another very good keeper.

"But he'll work as hard as he can to do well at Leicester, and I'm sure he'll be fine, except when he plays against Doncaster I hope!"

Lockwood added: "Leicester are a big club and they are getting a very good keeper. Chris prepares himself to the max for every game and he is the kind of guy who does everything right."

Weale and Lockwood were team-mates at Yeovil as the West Country club climbed out of the Football Conference in 2003 and won the League Two title in 2005.

Lockwood said: "We were all young lads and we knocked down the idea that you don't win anything with kids.

"A lot of us had been with bigger clubs when we were youngsters so we had a lot to prove."

Lockwood has also offered hope to Leicester if they do not get off to a flier to the Championship campaign by insisting: "Don't press the panic button."

Doncaster got into the Championship last season after winning promotion through the League One play-offs, but made a dreadful start and were in bottom place just before Christmas.

"We were playing well but little things were going against us and we didn't get the results the performances deserved," said Lockwood, who has made nearly 100 league appearances for Doncaster.

"But we decided as a group that we would not change our style of play and we certainly would not panic. We turned things around by killing games off."

Doncaster eventually finished in 14th spot and Lockwood added: "Leicester have to do the same if they don't get the start they wanted. You have to believe in yourselves and things will turn out okay."

City will discover their first-round opponents in the Carling Cup today.

They are included in the top-ranked 35 clubs and will be drawn against the remaining 35 teams. The draw is at 9.30am and the details will be on our website:

www.thebluearmy.co.uk

City are again in the Northern section where last season they defeated Stockport in the first round before falling to Fulham in the second round.

Tomorrow sees the announcement of City's Championship opponents with the release of the 2009-10 fixtures, which will also be on our website.

National newspaper speculation is linking City with a loan move for Manchester City left-back Ryan McGivern.

The People says McGivern, a 19-year-old Northern Ireland international, could spend a full season at the Walkers Stadium.

McGivern is still to make his senior bow for Mark Hughes' team.