by Peter Scherer
On Saturday Mickleover face the long trip to Blyth Spartans for a must win game. Blyth have struggled from the word go this season, with just two wins under their belt away at Stockton and at home to Workington for their efforts.
Behind the scenes turmoil for the famous club haven’t helped their on field performances. Their Cup runs are legendary having reached the FA Cup fifth round in 1977/78 beating Enfield, Chesterfield and Stoke City, before eventually losing to Wrexham in a replay at St.James’ Park.
When our hosts came to the Don Amott Arena earlier this season, we were 4-0 winners, with goals from Stuart Beavon, Dylan Edwards, Marcus Barnes and Jahvan Davidson-Miller.
Since that date Blyth have been winless, while Mickleover have managed to take three points from Macclesfield and Basford, with both clubs having a fairly constant turnover of players as they seek a winning a blend.
Their third manager this season, Mick Connor has been in charge at Croft Park since November, after spending 16 years managing neighbours Blyth Town, during which time they gained six promotions.
Having used at least four goalkeepers this season, it’s not sure who will between the sticks this weekend. Ollie Basey came from Gateshead on loan, but now is dual registered. An ex Sunderland and Birmingham City youngster, he was loaned to Barwell, Hednesford and Welsh Aberystwyth Town, before going to Gateshead on his release in August 2024.
Adam Richardson is also on loan from Sunderland, having also had spells at Guiseley and Hebburn. He’s a former England Under 15,17 and 18 International too.
But Matt Bancroft has been the most recent choice, having arrived on a dual registration from Scarborough earlier this month. He has also played for Billingham and Ossett Utd.
Centre back Greg Halford is a former England Under 20 International, with well over 500 league appearances under his belt in every division, having played throughout England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.
He arrived at Croft Park in September, having started his career at Braintree, before joining Colchester Utd. After a spell at Reading he moved to Sunderland, who loaned him to Charlton Athletic and Sheffield Utd, before a move to Wolves in 2009.
Portsmouth was his next stop after an initial loan, before a move to Nottingham Forest in 2012. He spent three years at Forest, including a loan at Brighton, before moving onto Rotherham, Cardiff and Aberdeen.
Southend Utd and Waterford followed, before joining Billericay. It was then two years at Hashtag Utd, before starting this season at Bishop Stortford.
Fellow centre back Ben Milburn was a pre-season arrival, but it’s his second spell with our hosts. Chester Le Street and Carlisle Utd Park View were his junior clubs, before coming to Blyth in August 2021. After a loans at Whickham and North Shields he joined Consett in August 2022, before returning to Blyth.
Joe Oliver is a right back and former Newcastle Utd Junior, who is in his third season with our hosts, after arriving in August 2023.
Former Middlesbrough and Rotherham Junior Joel Holvey made one league appearance before coming to our hosts pre-season. A left back he went out on loan to Gainsborough Trinity too last season.
Paddy Almond only arrived from Ashington on New Years Day. A former Sunderland Junior centre back he was loaned to Blyth in 2022, but joined Shildon on his release. After a further loan at Darlington he joined Whitley Bay, before joining Ashington at the start of this season.
Dan Myers is a centre back on loan from Spennymoor Town. Having started his youth football at Spennymoor, he moved around the North East, with spells at Crook Town, Newton Aycliffe and Marske Utd. He then made the return trip to Spennymoor January last year.
Another loanee and another centre back, Brian Fell came out of Sunderland’s Academy. He spent nearly three years at AFC Blyth before joining Gateshead and after starting the season on loan at Workington, he joined our hosts in November until the end of the season.
Club captain Nicky Deverdics is in his fourth season at the club, since arriving from Gateshead in July 2021. A central midfielder, he has played in League Two, Scotland and Europe, after starting out at Newcastle Utd.
He was at Bedlington Terriers before heading to Gretna and Barnet, before his first spell at Blyth in 2010. After nine months he went to Iceland, returning to the UK with Alfreton after two seasons.
He then moved to TB Tvoroyri in the Faroe Islands for a short stay, before moving back to the UK again with Tadcaster. Dover Athletic was his next stop, before going to Hartlepool, who loaned him to back to Dover, before a move to Wrexham, preceded his Gateshead stay.
Matt Ridley has been captaining the side in Deverdics absence. A centre back who started at Darlington and played for Billingham and Chester Le Street before crossing the Atlantic.
During a 3 ½ year stay he played for Lander Bearcats, Richard Bland College and University of Nevada Las Vegas Rebels, before joining Whitby Town on his return to the Uk. He was then loaned to Consett and Guisborough before a move to Sutton Utd. They also loaned him to Chesham Utd, before coming to Blyth last month following his release.
Billy Gordon is a central midfielder, having arrived from York City at the beginning of last season. His is the clubs leading scorer this season with five.
Alfie Doherty is a midfielder too, on loan from Whitby. He was previously at Middlesbrough’s Academy.
Hartlepool loanee midfielder Max Storey came on a season long loan back in August, his first spell away from his host club.
Will Constantin also came on loan from Gateshead in November and is now on a dual registration. A midfielder, he has also played for Consett, West Auckland and Ashington.
Striker Mitch Curry came through the junior ranks at Middlesbrough. He had loans at Harrogate, Inverness Caledonian and Gateshead before moving to Sunderland.
He then went to the US in 2021, firstly with Fort Lauderdale, then Inter Miami and Hartford, before returning to the UK two years later with Darlington. He was another pre-season signing for our hosts.
Fellow striker Harry Gardiner started out at South Shields before moving to Sunderland. He was then loaned back to South Shields, before his loan spell at Blyth at the end last season, became permanent during pre-season.
Midfielder Charlie Aitken is the son of former goalkeeping coach Ian. He has come through the junior ranks and joined the first team squad at the start of last season and has spent time at Whickham on a dual registration too.
Zach Simpson is another home-grown talent. A midfielder too, he has played at New Hartley Juniors and Newcastle Blue Star.
Central midfielder Dean Briggs came from Bishop Auckland in early December. He started out with Gateshead, before moving to Australia with Holland Park Hawks and Peninsula Power. He came back to the UK in July 2020 with Ashington and was at Hebburn Town last season, before starting this term at Bishop Auckland.
Midfielder Shay Richardson arrived in November too, from Heaton Stannington. He was previously at Consett and has played for Whickham too.
Striker Sam Hodgson came from South Shields in January 2023, initially on loan. But returned last November on a permanent move.
With over a 100 League One and Two games under his belt, striker JJ Hooper has recently returned to our hosts. A former England C International, he moved from Cray Wanderers to Newcastle Utd, who then loaned him out to Darlington and Workington.
He then went to Northampton Town, with loans at Alfreton and Farnborough following, before a year at Waterlooville preceded two years at Port Vale, playing 51 games and scoring 10 goals.
A brief spell back at Northampton was followed by Grimsby, Bromley, Wrexham, Barnet, South Shields and Gloucester City, before joining Blyth at the end of last season. He started this season at Spennymoor but returned to Blyth again in November.
French striker Cyril Giraud arrived in November, after spending a couple of months at Bishop Auckland. He also played for Ashington, West Allotment Celtic, Thornaby, Consett and Newcastle Benfield, after leaving French League Two side Chateauroux to study in the North East.
Joe Dixon is another striker that arrived from Northallerton in November too., and finally Joe Thompson is another young striker, arriving just last week from Heaton Stannington, he made his first start in their defeat to Ashton last Tuesday.
Kick off is 3pm and sometimes there is a live commentary via the clubs website, but this is not guaranteed.