by Peter Scherer
After two successive local Derby’s on the road, Mickleover return to the Don Amott Arena on Boxing Day to host Ashton Utd.
Although Mickleover’s performance has improved in some of the recent games, they are yet to reap any reward for the behind the scenes efforts made my Gareth, Mick, the rest of their staff and the whole squad.
Let’s take a look at our visitors, Steve Cunningham has been in charge at Hurst Cross since January last year, having previously managed Buxton, Curzon Ashton and Colne.
Currently fifth in the table after Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home to Warrington Rylands, our visitors had previouslywon fuor of their last five league games, but were on the end of a 1-7 defeat to Macclesfield in the FA Trophy back in October.
Goalkeeper Jordan Eastham is on loan from Blackburn Rovers and also spent some time with Hyde Utd at the end of last season.
Assistant manager and left back Sean Newton came from Buxton in January 2023. He started his career at Chester and was loaned to Southport before a permanent move to Droylsden. After a short spell at Barrow he moved on to Telford, who also loaned him to Stockport.
Lincoln City was his next stop, followed by a loan at Notts County, before moving to Wrexham. After five years at York City he joined Buxton in July 2022 following an initial loan. He has played in Leagues One and Two and is an England C International.
Josh Doherty is a left back, who has played in League Two and the Northern Ireland Premiership. He started off at Watford, but after a loan at Leyton Orient, moved to Northern Ireland with Ards.
On his return to England he joined Crawley Town, who loaned him to Colchester before a move to Barnet. He then crossed the Irish Sea again to join Portadown, before making the return trip to join South Shields. After staying in the North East with Spennymoor, he was loaned to Hyde Utd, making it permanent in November 2023. He arrived at Hurst Cross during pre-season.
Right back Dan Cowan started out at Macclesfield and was loaned to Chorley, before joining Stockport County. Guiseley, Curzon Ashton, Chester and Buxton followed,before he returned to Macclesfield in July 2022. He then came to our visitors at the start of last season.
Defender Sam Baird is Ashton’s longest serving player,having just started his fifth season, since arriving from FC United.
Luke Burke is another right back who started out at Wigan Athletic. He made played in the Championship and was loaned to Barrow and Fylde, before making a permanent move to the latter. After further loans at Buxton and Telford, he came to Ashton at the start of last season too and is now team captain.
Trevon Bryan is a left back that has been on loan from Bolton Wanderers. He started in Burnley’s Academy and has also played for FC United.
Defensive midfielder Louis White arrived at the start of this season from Marine. A former Rochdale Junior, he has played for Radcliffe, Wythenshawe, Glossop North End and Halifax too.
Remi Effunuga came from Mossley just over a month ago. A midfielder, he played for Stalybridge and Matlock and spent last season in Croatia with Zmaj Makarska.
Callum Rowe is on loan from Radcliffe. A central midfielder and graduate of Aston Villa’s Academy. He went out on loan to Hereford before joining Exeter City. After further loans at Chippenham and Bath City he joined Yeovil Town, before rejoining Hereford. Next stop was Stourbridge, followed by Rushall Olympic, Redditch and Radcliffe. He then joined our visitors last month.
Nathan Lowe is a central midfielder too, who started off at Burnley. He joined FC United following his release, moving onto Southport, who loaned him to Spennymoor. South Shields was next, who loaned him to Darlington, before signing for Kidderminster at the start of 22/23. After a loan to Macclesfield he made his first stop at Ashton, again on loan in January 2023. His move then became permanent in the September.
Attacking midfielder James Hardy spent his early career at Oldham Athletic and Manchester City. Following his release he joined Fylde, who loaned him to Halifax, before a permanent move to Walsall.
Telford, Altrincham and Chester were next, before moves to Buxton and Macclesfield. He came to Ashton on loan in September last year and made the move permanent two months later.
Jak McCourt is a striking midfielder and a graduate of Leicester City’s Academy. After loans at Torquay and Port Vale he joined Barnsley, followed by stays at Northampton, Chesterfield, Swindon and Macclesfield. Warrington Rylands and Buxton followed, from where he joined our visitors in pre-season. He is currently on loan at Warrington.
Alex Byrne is an attacking midfielder too. Winsford was his starting point, before moving on to Northwich, Shaw Lane, Gainsborough Trinity, Warrington and Buxton. Prior to joining our visitors in July 2023, he spent three years at Matlock.
Well-travelled left winger James Caton came from Bamber Bridge at the start of last season. He started off at Bolton Wanderers and Blackpool, before loans at Accrington and Chester, preceded a move to Shrewsbury. Further loans followed at Southport, Mansfield and Lincoln City, before a permanent move to Southport.
Dover Athletic, Darlington, Nuneaton, Hereford and Nantwich followed, before going to Bamber Bridge in March ’23.
Darius Osei was a pre-season arrival from Stalybridge. A striker with league Two experience, he started his career at Stalybridge, before joining Oldham Athletic. After 18 months he moved to Maidstone, before returning to Stalybridge in 2019. Another move to South Shields preceded his first spell at Ashton, on loan for a month at the end of ’22. After a short spell at Marine he returned to Stalybridge again November last year.
Fellow striker Tom Denton was another pre-season signing. He spent most of his early career with Huddersfield Town, after they signed him from Wakefield. He was loaned to Woking, Cheltenham and back to Wakefield, before rejoining them permanently.
Mossley, Alfreton, Worksop, North Ferriby, Halifax and a return to Alfreton followed. He then had four years at Chesterfield, before going back to Alfreton, but spent last season with Guiseley.
Jason Gilchrist is a another well–travelled striker, since starting out at Manchester City and Burnley. He had loan spells at Droylsden, Accrington and Chester, before a move to FC United. Southport was next, with a loan at Stockport, followed by South Shields and York City. He spent 18 months at Buxton before joining our visitors in January ’23.
George Chmiel is a younger striker, signed from Padiham in pre-season. He had started off with Blackburn Rovers and also played for Barnoldswick.
Ewan Catt is a striker too. He started at Buxton and has played for Litherland and Matlock, before joining Ashton in November last year.
Midfielder Leon Johnson is another pre-season signing, having spent last season at Bradford Park Avenue and has also played for City of Liverpool, Ramsbottom, Prescot Cables, Colne and Witton Albion, after starting out in QPR’s Academy.
Sean Hogan is a young midfielder defender currently on loan from Bolton Wanderers, where he captains theirUnder 18’s.
Fellow midfielder Harry Rimmer is a recent arrival from Burscough. He was previously at Blackburn Rovers and Wigan Athletic.
Kick off is 3pm as usual, with all the usual bar of food facilities.