by Peter Scherer
Following last Saturday’s heavy defeat at Worksop, Mickleover are back on the road again this weekend with an equally tough task ahead.
It’s a visit to third in the table Guiseley. But unlike Worksop, our hosts haven’t been in the best of form recently themselves, with just the one win from the last seven games.
Manager Mark Bower is a former Bradford City defender, who returned to the club for a second spell in April 2024, having previously gained the club promotion to the National League during his previous stay. He left in 2016 and has also managed Bradford Park Avenue.
Goalkeeper Joe Cracknell was a pre-season signing from Scarborough, where he had spent two years since arriving from Harrogate. A former Hull City junior, he was loaned to Scarborough before going to Bradford City on his release, who then loaned him to neighbours Bradford Park Avenue.
Cracknell’s deputy is goalkeeping coach Danny King. He arrived in December 2023 from Bradford Park Avenue.
Ollie Brown is a centre back who started his career with our hosts. After a loan at Frickley, he joined Alfreton, where he stayed a year before returning to Guiseley in July 2023.
Right back Lucas Odunston came from Bradford Park Avenue in pre-season. He was previously in Leeds Utd and Hull City’s Academy.
Left back Liam Ridehalgh was signed in September last year, after starting the season with Bradford City. A Huddersfield youngster, he was loaned to Swindon Town, Chesterfield, and Rotherham, before joining Tranmere permanently following another loan spell and had been at Bradford City for three years. He has played over 300 games in leagues one and two.
Prince Ekpolo is a central midfielder that returned to our hosts in July 2023 for a second spell. He started his career with Gimnastic de Tarragona, Ploba de Mahumet, CE Morell and Reus in Spain, before coming to the UK with Glossop North End in 2017.
He first came to Guiseley in January 2020, staying 2 1/2 years before moving to Telford, making the return trip a year later.
Lebrun Mbeka is a centre back, signed in pre-season from Spennymoor. He started out at Tadcaster, before first arriving at Guiseley in September 2020. He moved to Boston Utd after two years, but came back on loan for a month, before a permanent move to Spennymoor in January last year.
Jake Lawlor is another experienced centre back signed in pre-season from Darlington. Having started out at Harrogate, he first joined our hosts in 2013. He stayed for 5 ½ years which included a loan spell at Fylde, before moving on to Salford.
A stop at Wrexham, and a return trip to Harrogate followed, before he signed for Hartlepool. After a loan at Darlington, he made that move permanent and spent 2 ½ years with the Quakers before returning to Guiseley.
Right back John Lufudu was another pre-season signing from South Shields. He started off at Sheffield FC, and played at Emley, Tadcaster and Ashton Utd, before joining Guiseley in November 2020.
Just under a year later he moved to Spennymoor and was loaned back to Ashton, before going to South Shields in July last year. However he spent the latter part of last season back on loan at Spennymoor too.
Adriano Moke is a midfielder and former Leeds Utd and Nottingham Forest junior. He spent a year in Spain with Jerez after his release, then returned to the UK with York City.
His next move was Cambridge Utd, who loaned him to Tamworth, before a permanent move to Stockport County. Macclesfield, Wrexham, Boreham Wood, a return to York City, Spennymoor and Darlington followed. He was loaned out again to Ashton, before finishing last season at Hednesford, arriving at our hosts at the start of the new term.
Centre back Jameel Ible is a St.Kitts and Nevis International in his third season at Guiseley. He started out with Stockport and played for Salford and York, before his first stop with our visitors in 2013.
After just over a year he moved to Frickley Athletic and has also played for Scarborough and Pontefract, before coming back to Guiseley from Whitby in July 2022. He now captains the side too.
Former Bradford City junior centre back Sam Bentley was signed in September last year, following his release. He also had a spell on loan at Ramsbottom last season.
Central midfielder Joe Ackroyd had spent most of his career at Barnsley. He was loaned to MFK Vyskov in the Czech Republic and spent three months at Guiseley in 2022. He was also loaned to Buxton before his release and returned to Guiseley pre-season.
Jack Emmett is another midfielder and another pre-season arrival, from Knaresborough. He has also played for Harrogate.
Will Longbottom is a striker that came through Doncaster Rovers Academy. He was loaned to Kidderminster and Halesowen before his release and then had a spell in the Republic of Ireland with Waterford. Since his return to England he has played for Bradford Park Avenue and Farsley Celtic, and was another pre-season signing.
Midfielders Sam Walters and Max Dickinson are both Academy products, Walters having previously been with Hull City.
Fellow striker Gabriel Johnson in his second season with the club and has previously played for Brighouse.
Jordan Thewis came from Alfreton in pre-season. Another striker he started out with Scunthorpe, before moving onto Corby and Gainsborough. He then joined Harrogate and has also played for Boston Utd and Spennymoor. He is in his second spell at Guiseley, having spent six months with the club in 21/22.
Harry Ibbitson is a young striker on loan from Bradford City, he also went to Kidderminster Harriers on loan at the end of last year.
Defensive midfielder Jamie Spencer played his youth football with Coventry and Birmingham City before joining Alvechurch. He’s played for Redditch, Kidderminster, Rushall and Stratford too, before coming to Guisley in July 2019 from Bradford Park Avenue.
A year later he moved to Spennymoor, but late returned to Bradford, before rejoining our hosts last month.
Winger Lewis Whitham came from Alfreton back in November 2022, and has played for Liversedge and Stocksbridge too.
Kick off as usual is 3pm.