Category: Club News

Busy Week In The Transfer Market

by Peter Scherer

Mickleover manager John McGrath had a busy spell in the transfer market last week, making four signings.

Talented young striker George Nunn has come on loan for a month from Derby County, having only arrived at Pride Park during the summer from Chelsea.

George couldn’t have got off to a better for Sports, scoring on his debut at Barwell, after coming on as a second half substitute.

Right back Lucas Yeomans is another former Rams Junior, but has come on loan for a month too, from our Southern Premier League Central neighbours Tamworth. He made his debut at Barwell too.

Thirdly Oliver Greaves has arrived until the end of the season. An attacking midfielder, he debuted at Barwell  and has arrived from newly promoted Northern Premier League side Liversedge.

The final signing is Lekan Osideko, a striker on a dual registration with Hereford Utd, who he joined in the summer, after an impressive trial, from Chatham Utd. He was on the bench at Barwell.

There have outgoings too, since George Milner rejoined Ashton Utd last week, following his early season loan.

Having already been out on loan to Gresley Rovers this season, midfielder George Atwal has joined Kimberley MW for a month in United Counties Premier Division South, while Elliott Walker has gone to Northern Counties East Premier Division South on a dual registration.

Mickleover FC Announcement

We can officially announce that we are finishing our agreement with the NPLFA for the Mickleover Football Academy at the end of this season. It has been a pleasure to work with the team from the NPLFA and we wish them well in their endeavours for the future.

The club is currently hosting the MCG Academy at the Don Amott arena who are working alongside the DCCT (Derby County Community Trust) as we continue to develop the facility as a base for future footballers and a future educational base at Mickleover.

Mickleover have a proud history of bringing new and exciting talent from the junior section through to the academy and onwards in their football journey. We are sure that tradition will continue with our new partnerships and the guidance of John McGrath and the coaching staff.  

Thanks to all at the NPLFA and good luck to the new ventures.

Neil Hadfield
Treasurer

Sports’ Players Go Out On Loan

by Peter Scherer

Three of Mickleover first-team squad have gone out on loan for the next month.

George Milner will be playing at former Northern Premier League rivals Ashton Utd, while youngster’s George Atwal and Kai Moore will both be gaining experience at NPL Division One Midlands’ Gresley Rovers. 

Mickleover Play Their Part

by Peter Scherer

Over the recent years a number of players have appeared at the Don Amott Arena in Mickleover’s red and black, as part of their growing careers.

Most have been loanees and are now part of their league clubs first team squads. Here are some of them.

Striker Max Watters, goalkeeper Louis Jones and midfielder Liam Ravenhill all came on loan from Doncaster Rovers. 

Watters was with us for a month from September 2019. He was an ex England Schoolboy International and scored one goal from his six games.

He then left Doncaster for Crawley Town, before joining Cardiff City last December and was in the starting line-up for Cardiff in last weekends 1-0 win over Norwich City.

Goalkeeper Jones came in 2019 too and stayed for six weeks. He played his first league game at Doncaster in March last year, having made his first team debut in the EFL Cip a year earlier.

He was on the bench too for Doncaster’s away draw at Bradford City last weekend.

Liam Ravenhill was already well-known to Mickleover, being son of assistant manager Ricky. The young midfielder had two loan spells during last season, having broken into Doncaster’s first squad in between.

The experienced gained with his home first team was immediately obvious on his return to Mickleover in February and he was in the starting line-up for Doncaster last Saturday.

Nathan Broome was part of the England Under 18 squad when he arrived on a season long loan in 2019/2020, playing 20 games for us.

He was an ex Manchester City youth player, but after returning to Stoke he moved onto AFC Wimbledon last January. He was on the bench for the teams opening day victory against Gillingham.

Last season we were fortunate to have Burton Albion’s Ben Radcliffe on loan for much of the season. He played in midfield, wing back and centre back and midfield, gaining valuable experience.

He has become part of the first team squad at the Pirelli Stadium during pre-season and was on the bench last Saturday awaiting his first team league debut.

Although no longer a league side, Yeovil Town have former Mickleover Academy graduate centre back Morgan Williams in their squad. He was a Forest Junior before coming to Mickleover and moved to Coventry for the 2017/18 season. He had loans spells at Yeovil before joining permanently in July 2021.

It’s an unbelievable achievement for us as a football club to be involved in these players development

said gaffer John McGrath, who has seen his own son move to Coventry City and a number of other home grown players going for trials at various clubs.