by Peter Scherer
After two weeks of Cup Ties, it’s back to league action this weekend for Mickleover, as Royston FC, currently sixth in the table, visit the Don Amott Arena.
Our visitors started the season with a 0-3 and 0-4 defeat, before taking their first win at Long Eaton. They have since suffered only one further defeat, 0-1 at Nuneaton.
Royston manager Steve Castle was a midfielder who started as a Tottenham junior, but also played for Leyton Orient, Birmingham and Plymouth among others, before retiring in 2004. He has been in charge at Garden Walk since 2013 and previously managed Talkeley and St Albans and was assistant at Cambridge Utd.
Having ended last season on loan from Cambridge Utd, goalkeeper Luke Chadwick is back on a season long loan. He has also been loaned to St.Neots, Cambridge City and Brentwood.
But Noah Phillips made his debut in goal last Saturday, in their FA Trophy defeat. He is currently on loan from Leyton Orient and was previously loaned to Bishop Stortford and Hornhurch too.
Left back James Brighton is an ex Birmingham City Junior. He joined Cambridge Utd on his release, and was loaned to Hemel and Cambridge City before a permanent move to the latter. He joined our visitors in November 2019 after four years at Kettering.
Experienced defender and captain Adam Murray had played for Cambridge City before arriving at Royston, but well over 200 hundred appearances later he is still a main stay of the side.
Ronnie Henry was a Tottenham youth team player, who was loaned to Southend before making a permanent move to Dublin City in 2004.He then spent seven years at Stevenage, before joining Luton Town, only to return again two years later. Another five years on he joined Billericay, from where Royston signed him in May ’21. He is also Grandson of ex Tottenham double winning defender Ron Henry.
Midfielder Alfie Williams was on loan from Stevenage until the end of last season, before making his stay permanent in July. He started at Tottenham’s Academy Under 12’s but since joining Stevenage he was loaned to Biggleswade, Kings Langley, Hemel and Hayes & Yeading too.
Centre back Mackye Townsend-West was on loan from Stevenage, having previously been loaned to St.Albans. Like Williams, he made the permanent move in July too.
Tom Newman is a striker or midfielder who has also spent time at Soham on a dual registration, during his five year stay at Royston.
Striker Matt Bateman is in his second spell at Garden Walk. He arrived originally from Berkhamsted in 2019, but moved onto Hemel after one year, before making the return trip again in August ’21.
Striker Flo Tsaguim was a pre-season arrival from Corby Town. He started at Kings Lynn and was loaned to St.Neots and Wisbech, before spending a year at Corby.
Fellow striker Samson Esan came in pre-season too, from Maidenhead. He started out at Enfield and signed for Maidenhead July 2022, after a spell at Potters Bar. He was also loaned to Chelmsford and back to Potters Bar before his release.
Right back Greg Sandiford is on loan from Cambridge Utd. He also had a spell on loan at Biggleswade at the end of last season.
Striker Joe Boachie only arrived two weeks ago, on a dual registration with Tonbridge. He started out at Concord Rangers and has played for Potters Bar, Braintree and Hungerford too.
Australian born Ben De Lacy-Turner is another new signing. A left winger he was at AFC Wimbledon before a move to Aldershot. He then joined Basingstoke after loans at Harrow Borough, Beaconsfield and Kings Langley and started this season at Redbridge. He played for England at Under 17 level too.
Midfielder Cain Keller arrived from Kings Langley at the start of this season. He was previously at Biggleswade and Hendon.
Josh Coldicott-Stevens was at Hitchin for over three years, before coming to our visitors at the start of the season. Another midfielder, he has also played for Boreham Wood and Kings Langley.
Striker Juwon Akintunde came from Northwood at the beginning of August. He started as a Junior at Queens Park Rangers, Brentford and Barnet. But after a spell at Maidenhead he went across the Atlantic, playing for Cincinnati State College, West Virginia Wesleyan and GPS Portland Phoenix. He has also played for East Grinstead, Harrow Borough, Chalfont St.Peter and Aylesbury Utd.
Defender Ange Djadja came in pre-season too from Farnham Town, having previously been at Walton & Hersham.
Dequane Wilson-Braithwaite is a young defender who started out at Tottenham Hotspur, before moving to Luton. He has played for Potton Utd, Carshalton, Potters Bar, Welling and Maldon & Tiptree too.
Defender Harry Beckett is on loan from Cambridge Utd and has also had spells out on loan at Concord Rangers and St.Neots too.
Goalkeeper Ethan Gannon, Midfielder Franco Ciuffa and defender Lewis Williams have also been on the bench recently, having come through Royston’s own youth scheme.
Kick off 3pm at the Don Amott as usual, as Sports try and make it 11 straight league wins this season and to consolidate the top spot in the table.