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by Peter Scherer
An ex Derby County youth player Andy Dales went from strength to strength during his time at Mickleover.
He spent 10 years with the Rams, having started in their Academy aged nine.
I played in the reserves and got as far as being a first year pro when they released me. But I had a bit of an injury when I left and while others went for trials I couldn’t and had no pre-season offers.
he explained.
Having looked around himself for any possibilities, his time with Mickleover began.
After one look I felt at home and was happy to sign for the 2014/15 season, which became a four year stay.
He was part of the promotion winning team back to the NPL Premier Division, “my first senior medal,” he commented.
But it 2017/18 when he became hot property, with 23 goals in the season and named in the Northern Premier League’s best 11 of the season alongside team mate Morgan Williams.
At the suggestion of manager John McGrath both he and Williams went to the Jamie Vardy V9 Academy.
There were scouts there and I had been watched. Then Scunthorpe rang me and offered me a contract without a trial.
He joined the Irons for a record fee in June 2018 and played 25 games for the League 1 team, scoring two goals, one on his debut.
I had been in the starting line-up for the first five or six matches, but was then in and out and I wanted to be playing regularly, to gain more experience at the higher level.
The offer of a loan at Dundee cane up and he moved to the Scottish Premiership in January 2019 for the rest of the season, making 12 appearances.
Having started last season back at Scunthorpe, where they had gone to League 2, he made three appearances before returning to the Scottish Premiership again with Hamilton Academicals, where he played four games and scored one goal before the pandemic intervened.
Apart from Celtic and Rangers the rest of the Scottish Premiership is quite similar to League 1. I would prefer to be playing my football in England though given the choice. But it was Mickleover manager John McGrath that has been a big influence, he has supported me all the way.
by Peter Scherer
Morgan Wiliams is a true Mickleover success story. The defender came through the junior teams at the Don Amott Arena, before earning himself a regular first team place throughout the 2017/18 season.
He started in the Academy at 18,
I was playing at College and then for the Academy for about five months, and had about two reserve games, trained with the first team and made my debut the same year,
he said.
It was a big jump from junior to men’s football and in the first year I was on the bench to start with, but got more starts towards the end of the season, before becoming a regular in 2017/18,
His impressive performances earned him a place in the Northern Premier League team of the season that year and a trial at Coventry City.
I had played a couple of games already in the week I went for a trial, so wasn’t at my best and didn’t impress them. I didn’t hear from them, so John McGrath suggested I tried with Jamie Vardy’s V9 Academy”
Both Morgan and team mate Andy Dales attended the sessions and it proved to be the turning point, as both players were signed for record fees.
At the end of it we played on the same team in an open match and there were loads of scouts there. I took it as my last chance as I had trials elsewhere, three at Exeter. That night Coventry called and signed me,
Having signed in August 2018 he made his first team debut in the EFL Trophy a month later and played his first League match towards the end of the season.
He made six first team appearances, but had been a regular in the under 23 side.
Last season Coventry were flying at the top of the league, so it was hard to break into the team. I needed to get more experience and games when the under 23’s finished, so went to National League Yeovil on loan in December 2019,
He played four games before the pandemic interruption.
It was different style of playing, especially for a defender, but good experience. My highlights at Mickleover though were winning the title and the help and encouragement given to me throughout by John McGrath.
by Peter Scherer
Striker Connor Hall has had two spells at Mickleover, but is remembered for his prolific goal scoring.
He started playing football as a four year old at Binfield and played junior football both there and at Eldon Celtic, before joining Ascot United under 18’s.
It was from Ascot that he made his first step into the football league with Sheffield United in January 2015.
I was offered a six month contract straightaway and then it was extended for another year,
he explained.
Having played in the Blades under 18’s, he went out on loan to Sheffield in the Northern Premier League.
I had a bad start and didn’t score in my first five games,
he added, but went on to score 13 times in 17 appearances.
His stay at Mickleover followed and after his release from Sheffield United, he was jointly registered for both National League Woking and Mickleover.
I had been playing well at Woking, but then got injured and joined Mickleover to get back to full fitness. I would call my manager at Woking, if I wasn’t selected that week I then continued to play at Mickleover.
In total he made nine appearances for Sports, but scored 11 goals, including five against Ilkeston on Boxing Day.
It was during his time at Woking he was offered a trial at Bolton Wanderers.
I did well at that and they signed me for a year
He was Bolton’s Young Player of the Year in 2017/18 and made his first team debut in the FA Cup in January 2018.
To continue his development he had a loan spell with League One Accrington Stanley. He played 17 games and scored twice in his six month spell,
A lot of the time I was coming off the bench
Having returned to Bolton he was playing in the Under 23 side, when financial troubles began to affect the club.
I was hoping to break into the first team but got an ankle injury again at the start of the season and was out for over three months.
He decided to join Chorley on loan to get match fit, but the current pandemic brought a swift halt to his stay. Hopes are still high that when Bolton get to play again, he will be part of their line-up.
by Peter Scherer
Defender Jake Bennett was a key member of the Mickleover side between December 2014 and 2016.
He started his career playing for his home town team Telford AFC.
I joined them when I was 15 and made two starts in their first team, before going out on loan to Market Drayton
he said.
It was during a game against Mickleover that Jake’s potential was spotted.
I had a good game against Andy Dales and was made an offer. As the team were pushing for promotion back into the Premier Division of Northern Premier League, I went for it.
In his first season he played about half of the games, but then became a first choice team member.
His two years at Mickleover came to an end after a series of offers of trials from league clubs.
I spoke to an agent and Sheffield United offered me a contract. I made my first team debut against Walsall in the EFL Cup in 2017 and played some friendly matches too. But was due to go on loan to Chesterfield, but injured my cruciate ligament playing against them and was out for 10 months
A thigh injury then precluded any games for Chesterfield and in October 2019 his time at Sheffield ended and he joined National League Alfreton.
I was only at Alfreton a short time and was in and out of the team. As I wanted regular games I decided to step down again and joined Coalville Town in the Southern League Premier Division Central
Jake is still looking to rebuild his career but looks back fondly at his time with Mickleover.
My lasting memory was winning the title, the first medal I had ever won in football.
During this week we are going to be looking at four players that have donned the red and black of Mickleover FC and moved on to well established league clubs.
You can read how they got to play for us and where they are playing football now.
Tuesday’s will be defender Jake Bennett, with striker Connor Hall on Wednesday.
The Thursday and Friday players both have Derby connections, as it’s defender Morgan Williams and winger Andy Dales that complete our quartet.
Burton Albion have offered to bring their full first team squad to the Don Amott Arena to play Mickleover FC in a friendly match.
With Mickleover manager John McGrath and striker Stuart Beavon both ex Brewers players, the connections between the two clubs remain close.
It could be new player manager Jake Buxton’s first games in charge since taking over from Nigel Clough, plus Buxton is also due to play in the NHS All Stars Charity match.
We want to thank Burton chairman Ben Robinson and Jake Buxton for offering to bring their team to help us survive and at no cost, also for loaning some kit for the Charity match. It’s absolutely brilliant that a local football league club would do this to help us.
said Mickleover chairman Don Amott.
by Peter Scherer
We have now covered all the ex and current footballers due to play in the NHS Allstars match and some of the guests, so we are now going to look at the final three participants.
Derbyshire cricketer Tony Palladino is a medium pace right handed bowler and right handed batsman. He made his First Class debut playing for Cambridge University against Essex in April 2003 and joined Essex on a full time basis later that season.
He had seven years at Essex, but after a spell in Namibia and with Suffolk, he was released by Essex in 2010 and began his long association with Derbyshire.
Among his career highlights are seven wickets in an innings against Leicestershire in May 2019 and figures of 7-53 again with Kent the victims in 2012.
With 374 wickets in 146 games, he is one of Derbyshire’s most historically prolific bowlers and having taken five wickets in an innings on 16 occasions, he is the only Derbyshire bowler to achieve the feat in the 21st century.
The final two supporters won’t be on the field of play but do have their part to play. Radio Derby and Derby County legend Colin Gibson. After over 30 years covering Rams games he joined the club on the media side and currently works for Rams TV.
Colin’s duties during the Charity match will of course be match announcer.
Bob Badwal won’t have far to travel as he is a Mickleover resident. He runs an electrical business in the day time, but at night transforms into an Elvis tribute act.
His act is called Aaron – Memories of Elvis, and he has been touring the UK and entering competitions for 20 years. So Elvis will be in the stadium!!
NHS CHARITY MATCH JUSTGIVING PAGE
All donations raised for the match will go straight to the NHS.
by Peter Scherer
Stuart Beavon is another current Mickleover player due to join the NHS Allstars Charity match action. He became the third generation of his family to play professional football, following in the steps of his Father Stuart and Grandfather Cyril.
But it all started for Stuart junior at Hellenic League Ardley United, before swiftly moving on to Combined Counties side Wallingford. He scored 13 goals in 36 games between those clubs, before being snapped up by Didcot Town.
Despite stepping up to the Southern League South & West Division, he quickly found his goalscoring touch and had two seasons with the club. He played 139 games and scored an amazing 107 goals and was a winner in the 2004/5 FA Vase too.
His next step was to the Conference with Weymouth, spending three seasons on the South Coast, and adding 27 more goals to his tally from 90 appearances.
For 2008/09 he had his first spell in the Football League with League 2 Wycombe Wanders. He scored on his debut and his initial loan became permanent.
He was a prolific scorer again but the team were promoted and relegated twice during his stay. After 125 games and 34 goals he moved to Preston North End in League 1 again.
There was debut goal again and having settled at Deepdale he stayed for two years, before an initial loan at Burton Albion became permanent for the 2014/15 season.
He gained promotion again with the Brewers to League 1 but part way into his third season he left in January 2017 with 15 goals and 102 games under his belt, destined for Coventry City.
A strange end of season saw the Sky Blues win the EFL Trophy, but were also relegated to League 2. Although he was a Coventry player for the next two seasons, his final one was spent on a years loan at Wrexham.
Early into the 2019/20 season he joined Nuneaton, but it was when he began his current connection at Mickleover that he regained his scoring touch.
NHS CHARITY MATCH JUSTGIVING PAGE
All donations raised for the match will go straight to the NHS.
by Peter Scherer
Mickleover assistant manager Ricky Ravenhill has been at the Don Amott Arena for almost two years. He started as a youth player at Barnsley in 1998, but got his break when he joined then Conference side Doncaster Rovers in 2002.
His forceful midfield role played a part in Doncaster’s play-off win in 2003, which took them back into the Football League, only to celebrate a double promotion success as Division 3 Champions a year later.
He had five season with Doncaster, making 159 appearances and scoring 10 goals, before a loan spell at Chester preceded a permanent move to Grimsby for the 2006/7 season. They lost out in the League 2 play-off final and after a change in management, Ravenhill had another loan at Darlington, which after 15 games and a goal was made permanent.
His stay at League 2 Darlington lasted a couple of seasons, making another 84 appearances with five goals.
The next stop was with Notts County, joining in the summer of 2009, he was League 2 title winner. But in his second year it was considerably tougher in League 1, although the Magpies avoided relegation, another loan spell beckoned at Bradford City.
He had made 97 appearances at Meadow Lane and hit three goals, before his move to Bradford City became permanent again in 2012. They were League Cup runners up and League two play-off winners by the end of the season.
But 68 games and two goals under his belt and the next stop was Northampton Town. An initial loan again became permanent, before a brief spell in the League with Mansfield Town in 2015.
He then played moved into the Northern Premier League with Buxton, before joining Mickleover in September 2018.
NHS CHARITY MATCH JUSTGIVING PAGE
All donations raised for the match will go straight to the NHS.
