by Peter Scherer
This Saturday not only features our final home match of the season, but it’s a family day and a chance to thank Chairman Don Amott, Treasurer Neil Hadfield and announcer Nick Northover for their services to the to the club as they depart.
For Mickleover it’s been a disappointing year, which has seen us go from a possible play-off position to the lower rungs of the table.
Our visitors started the season as runaway leaders, they too have struggled of late, with five defeats from their last seven games, and just holding on to fourth and still in the play-off positions.
Back in November when we visited the Nailers, we were on the end of a 0-4 defeat, with skipper Jack Broadhead, ex Mickleover, scoring two of the goals.
Lee Attenborough has been in charge of our hosts visitors since January 2023 and lost out on promotion in the play-off’s last year.
Goalkeeper Kieran Preston is a former Scotland Under 19 international, having started his career at Bristol Rovers. He joined Grantham Town following his release and then spent six years at Basford before joining Belper in September last year. He has also played cricket for Mickleover.
Joshua Hassett was signed from Stapleford in February as cover for Preston. He had previously had a short spell at Rotherham Utd.
Ben Rhodes is an attacking right wing back, who came from Worksop in the summer of 2020. He played for Stocksbridge Steels too and was dual registered with Penistone Church.
Left back Louis Keenan came back to Belper in November 2024 from Hanley Town, having spent the previous five years with Leek Town. He started his youth career with our visitors, graduating into the first team and has played for Hednesford and Loughborough Dynamo too.
Skipper Jack Broadhead can play centre back or defensive midfield. His career started at Chesterfield, but after loans at Buxton, Matlock and Frickley he came to Mickleover in July 2015 following his release. After two seasons at the Don Amott Arena he joined Boston Utd and has played for AFC Mansfield, Grantham and Pontefract, before a four year stay at Worksop preceded his arrival at Belper in July 2024.
Fellow centre back Ioan Evans is capped by Wales at Under 17 and 19. He played his early football at Sheffield Utd, who loaned him out to Boston Utd, before joining Gainsborough on his release. He played for Tadcaster and Stalybridge too, before joining Matlock in July 2024, and came to Belper in pre-season.
Former captain Danny South returned to Belper last month from Hallam, after a two-year absence. Among his former clubs are Stocksbridge , Ossett and Frickley and he plays in defence or midfield.
Preferably a right sided midfielder, Matty Bowman is another ex Mickleover player in the Belper squad. A former Repton School pupil he played youth football at Middlesbrough and Hull City, before heading to Scotland with Dunfermline Athletic. He came to the Don Amott Arena from Basford in November 2023, and started last season at Bridlington. He started this season at Coventry Sphinx and joined our visitors in January.
Jonathan Wafula is a midfielder signed from Ilkeston in February 2025. His career started with Chesterfield, before two years each at Worksop and Shaw Lane. Gainsborough, Boston Utd, Guiseley and Matlock followed, before moving to Grantham. Basford was next before a year at Ilkeston.
Sacha Markelic is also a midfielder signed from Kimberley MW in February. He started out at Kimberley too, before a move to Corby Town in July 2022. After a spell at Heanor Town and he then started last season at Ilkeston, before returning to Kimberley.
Midfielder Lewis Austin is a product of the Nailers own youth scheme and made his NPL first team debut in March 2024.
Curtis Burrows is another midfielder and former Burton Albion junior. He then joined Ilkeston and broke through into their first team, before a loan spell at Grantham preceded a permanent move to Coalville. Further spells at Loughborough Dynamo and Corby Town followed, before joining Belper in February 2023.
Midfielder Luke Shaw came to Belper for his second spell in December from Leamington. He was at Ilkeston before his first spell back in 2015. His next stop was Grantham, before moves to Telford and Coalville, he started this season at Leamington.
Jordan Fankwe was a junior at Nottingham Forest. The midfielder came to Mickleover after his release, and then had a short spell at Watford. His next move was Salford, but quickly moved on to Basford, Anstey Nomads, Barwell and Shepshed Dynamo and joined Belper in pre-season.
Right winger Jacob Gratton came from Cleethorpes in August. He started out at Rotherham and was loaned to Guiseley before a permanent move to Farsley. He first came to Belper in October 2022, stayed nine months and then had a year at Worksop before returning. Basford was his next stop where he also started this season.
Kevin Bastos is a left winger and ex Nottingham Forest youngster. He has had a number of clubs in his career, including Grantham, Staveley MW, Ilkeston, Spalding, Loughborough, Tamworth and Basford, before first coming to Belper in July 2023. After a year he went to Kosovo with KF Istogu, before joining Basford on his UK return. He came back to Belper for a second spell in January 2025.
Striker Liam Moran came from Carlton Town last October. He’s played for Gedling MW, Boston Utd, Newark & Sherwood and Southwell City too.
Harry Draper is another striker, signed from Biggleswade in July 2024. He started out at Stevenage and was loaned to Hitchin and Royston, before joining Biggleswade on his release. After starting at Ilkeston he had a three-month loan at Belper back in 2015.
Striker Diego Di Girolamo was signed from Matlock in December. He spent his early career at Sheffield Utd and was loaned to York City and Northampton Town before joining Bristol City on his release. Lans at Cheltenham and Chesterfield followed before he was released again to join Macclesfield. His next stop was a seven year stay at Buxton, which included a loan back to Macclesfield. He then started last season at Matlock, has played in League’s One and Two and was capped by Italy at Under 18,19 and 20 levels.
Kick off at the Don Amott Arena is 3pm, with food, drinks and entertainment from 1pm.