by Peter Scherer
Over the last two aborted seasons Grantham Town have been under the threat of relegation and are currently bottom of the NPL.
They have only taken two points at home, ironically one was from our visit earlier this season, but have had three away victories.
With turmoil both on and off the pitch, they have had a rapid turnover of players and have only recently announced Dennis Greene as their new manager. He has previously managed Telford and also ran Charlton Athletic’s Academy.
Goalkeeper Jim Pollard came to Grantham in July 2020 from Maltby, having previously had a season at Barrow.
James Williamson is an experienced defender and the club captain, who lists Tadcaster, Matlock and North Ferriby among his previous clubs.
Defender Thierry Latty-Fairweather is on loan from Burton Albion, he’s an ex Nottingham Forest youth player too.
Henry Eze came to the club at the beginning of the season. The centre back has played at Rushall Olympic, Romulus, Kings Lynn, Kettering, Solihull Borough, Quorn, Barwell and Stamford before arriving at Grantham.
Midfielder Finley Shrimpton is on loan from Scunthorpe until January, he has previously been loaned to Frickley Athletic too.
Ali Aydemir is primarily a winger, a long serving player who was previously at East Hull and Goole.
Midfielder Harvey Grice is on loan from Alfreton Town. The ex Nottingham Forest Academy player has come through Alfreton’s own youth scheme.
Ex Mickleover player striker Nathan Modest started his career at Sheffield Wednesday, making four first team appearances.
After six years with the Owls and a loan at Darlington, he joined Sheffield FC. He moved on to Worksop, Rainworth MW, Lincoln Utd, Gloucester, Hednesford, Telford, Evesham and Goole before Bridlington Town preceded his move to Mickleover in 2019.
He then moved to Barton Town and finally Pontefract, before coming to Grantham this summer.
Central midfielder Shane Clarke came at the beginning of the season from Spalding Utd. A former Lincoln City Academy player, he was briefly at Gateshead following his release, before his first spell at Boston Utd.
He then moved on to Gainsborough, Worksop and Tamworth, before returning to Boston in 2016. A second stay at Gainsborough preceded his move to Spalding in August 2020.
Another of this seasons signings is Jake Wright, a young midfielder who has arrived from Ilkeston, having previously played for Quorn.
Lee Shaw came at the start of the season too from Alfreton. The striker was previously at Grantham in 2018, before moving to Chesterfield. A loan at Guiseley preceded his move to Alfreton just over a year ago.
Michael Williams is a central midfielder, who came to Grantham from Alfreton. He was at Ilkeston for five years, before moving on to Matlock Town, Gainsborough and Sheffield FC.
Joe Parkin is another young midfielder stepping up from Handsworth Paramore, while Sisa Tuntulwana has also been a regular squad member this season.
Jonathan Wafula is a striking midfielder signed in September. He started off at Chesterfield, and has played at Worksop, Shaw Lane, Gainsborough, Boston Utd and Guiseley, before joining Matlock Town for the start of this season.
Striker Gregg Smith is another new arrival on loan from Spalding Utd. He has played for Grantham on two previous occasions, as well as Corby, Kings Lynn, Stamford, Boston Utd, Stamford, Tamworth and Gainsborough.
AJ Adelekan is a defender who started out at Redbridge. He is in his second spell at Grantham, and has played at Walthamstow, Stamford, Rushall Olympic and Alfreton.
Rod Orlando-Young is an attacking midfielder who has travelled widely since he started out as a Norwich City junior. Bishop Stortford, Welling Utd, Grays, Ware, Sheffield FC, Newcastle Town, Ilkeston, Buxton and Gainsborough are all on his list of past clubs, before coming to Grantham from Radcliffe last month.
Josh Render is a young goalkeeper currently on loan from Sheffield Wednesday for a month and similarly Thomas Hoyle is also on loan from Fleetwood Town’s Junior’s and former West Bromwich Albion junior’s defender Ryan Grant, on loan from Blackpool,
Winger or midfielder Ify Ofoegbu was signed last month too from Worksop. He started as a Huddersfield junior, before moving onto Chesterfield and Tadcaster.
The final two new signings are Jeremie Bellune and Mathieu Racine, both yet to make their debuts, following the postponement of last Saturdays game at Scarborough.
Bellune is a defensive midfielder, coming to the UK for the first time. He played in France for Chamois Niort, before moving to FC Schengen in Luxembourg. He then returned to France with Stade Bordelais in July 2020 and is also capped at under 20 level by Martinique.
Racine is also from Martinique and started playing with Lamentin FC. He played US Rungis in France and has been in the UK since 2019 with Haringey Borough.