by Peter Scherer

Following our 4-1 win at Pinxton in last Saturday’s opening pre-season match, it’s time for or first home game. It’s hardly a welcome to Mickleover for Belper Utd on Tuesday evening, as they are our new tenants and have already lost 2-4 to Ilkeston and won 4-1 against Long Eaton at the Don Amott Arena.

Belper just lost out on promotion last season, after losing in the United Counties League Premier North Division play-offs. They are in step 5 and were promoted in 22/23.

Under Alex Steadman’s guidance they have improved year by year, from 13th in 23/24, to 8th in 24/25 and fourth last season.

They have retained many of the players from last years successful season, including goalkeeper Joe Fryatt. An ex Derby County junior, he’s played in the US for Boston Eagles, as well as Rushall Olympic, Lye Town, Gresley Rovers, Selston and Loughborough. He joined our visitors in January 2024 and was briefly loaned to Belper Town too.

Striker Diego Edwards is a full International for St.Kitts & Nevis. He arrived midway through last season from Belper Town, having started out Notts County and Mansfield, he has also played for Basford, Ossett, Nuneaton, Leek and Carlton.

Centre back Ben Price was last years players player of the year and rarely missed a match.

Central midfielder Micah Edwards started off at Derby County too. He began last season at Belper Town, before joining Utd, and has played for Ilkeston, Gresley Rovers, Barwell and Rugby Town too.

Keaton August is a winger who was signed from Belper Town. He was previously at Anstey Nomads, but spent his early career in the south with Chalfont St.Peter, Walton Casuals and Windsor & Eton.

Signed at the end of last season from Chasetown, Devante Ramsey is also a winger and has played for Derby University too.

Jade Ferron is striker and has Rushden & Diamonds, Littleton FC, Redditch and Worcester Raiders on his CV.

Defender Kyle Bryant was signed from Quorn at the beginning of last season, where he previously been captain. He also played for Coalville.

Midfielder Jay Bruce starts his second full season with the club since signing from Wellingborough.

Tyrel Francis is in his third year at the club and plays in defence or defensive midfield.

Striker Kieran O’Connell is on of many former Mickleover players in the squad. He’s played for Gresley Rovers, Belper Town, Ilkeston, South Normanton Athletic and Ilkeston and is one of the longest serving players.

Fraser Corden and Brandon Ferron are both well known to Sports fans too. Midfielder Corden came from Rushden & Diamonds at the start of last season, before initially going on loan to Belper. He’s and England Futsal International too.

Left back Ferron had just started to break through in the first team at Mickleover, when he opted to take a step down.

Larrel King is another full back who came to Mickleover from Mansfield in 2021. He then moved on to Long Eaton Utd and Belper Town before his current stop.

Josh Powell is a midfielder who came through Academy at Mickleover. He had a speel at Granthan last season too, and is the son of former Sports reserve team manager Steve, who is also on the Belper coaching, Grandson of ex Rams Star Steve and Great Grandson of Tommy another ex Rams favourite.

Kick off as usual is 7.45 with all the usual facilities available.

by Peter Scherer

Mickleover started their pre-season build up with a 4-1 win at Pinxton, highlighted by three second half goals.

Starting line-up: Aaron Chapman; Trialist A; Hamza Bencherif; George Wilkinson; Archie White; Callum Minkley; Cieron Keane; Josh Carter; Trialist B; Theo Rowe; Manni Norkett.

It was a lively start from Sports with Rowe earning a corner after three minutes. Despite having he majority of the possession though, clear cut chances were proving illusive in the hot and dry conditions.

But 12 minutes Mickleover scored the inevitable opening goal when Trialist B struck a great shot from the edge of the box, giving the Pinxton keeper little chance 0-1.

The chances continued to be few and far between despite the amount of possession. Keane put a 43rd minute free kick just wide of the post, but it remained 0-1 at half time.

There were wholesale changes as the players re-emerged for the second half and it was three of those changes that found the net. Firstly Kane Richards collected the ball on the edge of the box and chipped the keeper to make it 0-2 after 51 minutes.

Four minutes later, Jude Taylor another second half change, had a great shot just wide of the post. But Norkett had been causing havoc in the home defence and around the hour mark he had an effort cleared off the line and another just wide of the post.

But goal number three soon arrived with Dwayne Wiley heading home a Richards corner, 0-3. Andy Dales went close with a free kick too, before Pinxton pulled one back from a rebound shot 1-3.

Norkett rounded off the 1-4 scoreline though with a well-deserved fourth, and we now look forward to Tuesday night when we face Belper Utd.

 

by Peter Scherer

This is the final part of our six part series looking at teams new to the NPL Division One South.

Barwell have been well-known to us in recent years from our time in the Southern Premier League and in various cup ties.

Founded in 1992 originally as a merger of Barwell Athletic and Hinckley, they were founder members of the Midlands Alliance in 1994.

In 2009/10 they won promotion to the NPL Division One South and won that title too at their first attempt. They then moved into the Southern Premier League, but like Mickleover geographically, they have spent time in both the Northern and Southern Premier Leagues.

They reached the first round proper of the FA Cup in 2015/16 and their Kirkby Road ground has a capacity of 2,500.

They were eighth in the table the year Sports made the Southern Premier Midlands Division play-offs, but having struggled since, they were relegated last season having finished in 20th place.

Damian Beckford-Quailey is their current manager and he has made a number of new acquisitions for the coming season

In 23/24 we beat then 2-1 away and 2-0 at home in the league and won 4-2 on penalties in the FA Trophy too. In the previous year too we were 5-2 victors away, but lost the return 2-3.

Just to add to the interest, we are drawn against them again in this years FA Cup, provided we see off Winsford Town.

We look forward to welcoming players and officials of the club back to Mickleover in the coming season.

 

Honours

• Northern Premier League
• Division One South champions 2010–11

• Midland Alliance
• Champions 2009–10
• League Cup winners 2005–06

• Leicestershire and Rutland Senior Cup
• Winners 1996–97

• Leicestershire and Rutland Challenge Cup
• Winners 2016–17

by Peter Scherer

Up until a few years ago Grantham Town had been regular opponents of Mickleover in the Northern Premier League.

Founded in 1874 the Gingerbreads have had successful history, but have struggled of late. Despite multiple titles under their belt they were relegated from the NPL Premier League after finishing bottom in 2021/22. After a spell in the NPL Eastern Division they were moved to the Midlands Division and were relegated again in 24/25.

But a season in the United Counties League saw the fightback begin, and after finishing third in the table they beat Belper Utd in the play-off semi final and Newark Town in the final, to return to the NPL Midlands.

Their current manager Mitch Griffiths, an ex Lincoln Utd defender, follows some illustrious names from their successful past, including Martin O’Neill, Gary Mills and John Barnwell.

He has been in charge since May 2025, having previously spent a successful year at Newark Town, his first foray into team management.

Home is currently the council owned South Kesteven Stadium, with a 7,500 capacity. Their record crowd came from a third round FA Cup tie, when 6,578 crammed into watch them play Middlesbrough. They had previously reached the third round on two occasions, back in the 1800’s.

Honours

• Northern Premier League
o Division One South champions 2011–12

• Southern League
o Division One North champion 1972–73, 1978–79
o Midland Division champions 1997–98

• Midland League
o Champions 1963–64, 1970–71, 1971–72
o League Cup winners 1968–69, 1970–71

• Central Alliance
o Champions 1924–25
o Division B champions 1924–25

• Midland Amateur League
o Champions 1910–11

• Lincolnshire Senior Cup
o Winners 1884–85, 1971–72, 1982–83

• Lincolnshire County Senior Cup
o Winner 1936–37

• Lincolnshire Senior Cup ‘A’
o Winners 1953–54, 1960–61, 1961–62

• Lincolnshire County Shield
o Winners 2003–04, 2004–05, 2011–12