by Peter Scherer
Back in August we hosted Ilkeston Town in the NPL and went down 0-2. Our hosts had already started the season well under Ian Deakin’s guidance and have gone on to build on those early foundations.
Deakin took over the reins in September 2023 and are fourth in the table and undefeated at home. They beat Worksop 3-0 in their last home game have won five from their last 10.
It was good to see Gabby Adebambo back in action last Saturday at Matlock, where we also saw debutant defenders Keiran Brown and Stefan Galinski. Although a number of players took knocks in that game, manager Gareth Holmes expects them all to be fit for this weekend.
Matt Yates is currently first choice goalkeeper for our hosts, having come from Gainsborough at the beginning of last season, after a two-year spell in Lincolnshire.
He was a Derby County Junior and was loaned to Gloucester City, Hereford and Telford Utd prior to his release.
Centre back Callum Minkley is another former Rams Academy player. He went to Gainsborough too on his release and after two years there made the move to Ilkeston in September 2023.
Club captain Tom Marshall came back to the Robins in November 2023, having left in October 2020. He started his career at Hednesford, moving onto Eastwood, Chasetown, Tamworth, Kidderminster, Stafford, Altrincham and Kettering.
Dec Eratt-Thompson is a right back who came from Sheffield Wednesday’s Academy. He had left in 2016 to join Stocksbridge, but returned to the owls after a two year absence. He was then released again in August 2022 and came to Ilkeston.
Sam Parker came from Long Eaton in September 2023, where he captained their promotion side. He started at the Derby County Academy too.
Midfielder Connor Dixon is another former Rams graduate. He spent a month on loan at Ilkeston early last year and after another loan at Farsley Celtic. He returned to the New Manor Ground permanently at the beginning of last season.
Jamie Walker is another midfielder who came from Alfreton for the start of last season. He had previously spent three years at Long Eaton Utd, after joining them from Basford Utd.
Joining Dixon and Walker in midfield is Jonathan Wafula. After his release from Chesterfield’s Academy, he joined Worksop Town, staying for four years before a move to Shaw Lane. Next stop was Gainsborough, followed by Boston Utd, Guiseley, Matlock Town, Grantham and Basford. He was also loaned back to Grantham, and moved to Ilkeston in February.
Striker L’Varn Brandy arrived from Long Eaton in September 2023, having previously been in Sheffield Wednesday’s Academy.
Fellow Striker Tom Cursons came from Barwell. He began with the Metropolitan Police and was loaned to Badshot Lea. He moved to Hartley Whitney in December 2021 and to Gainsborough only a month later. A further move to Long Eaton in December 2022 preceded his move to Barwell. His prolific scoring has attracted the attention of a number of clubs.
Striker Ben Hutchinson is probably one of the clubs most experienced player. His football league career started at Middlesbrough, after he joined them from Arnold Town. He then joined Celtic and was sent out on loan to Swindon Town, Dundee and Lincoln City before a permanent move to Kilmarnock.
He came back to the Midlands in 2012 with Mansfield, moving on to Nuneaton, Basford, Belper Town, Carlton, Newark and Eastwood, before joining our hosts at the start of last season and has played in the English and Scottish Premiership and the Champions League.
Central midfielder Lindon Meikle is a former England C International and a pre-season arrival. From starting out at Eastwood Town. He had three years at Mansfield, before moving to York City. Stops at Macclesfield, Alfreton and Barrow followed, before a three year spell at Kettering. He then joined Tamworth, before going to Buxton a year later and being loaned back to Tamworth, before rejoining them permanently at the beginning of last season. He first came to Ilkeston on loan in January and made his stay permanent at the start of this season.
Harvey Kirby-Moore is a young striker, who had been on trial pre-season, having been released by Shrewsbury Town. He was signed fully in August.
Colin Daniel is an experienced defender, with almost 30 appearances under his belt in Leagues One and Two. Having started at Eastwood he joined Crewe Alexandra and was loaned out to Leek Town, Grays Athletic and Macclesfield, before a permanent move to the latter.
He was then loaned back to Crewe before a move to Mansfield. He has played for Port Vale, Blackpool, Peterborough, Burton Albion, Exeter City and Aldershot too and started 22/23 at Scunthorpe, before spending last season with Worksop.
Centre back George Wilkinson is a former Chesterfield junior. He went out on loan to Matlock for the whole of last season and joined Rushall Olympic at the start of this term, following his release. But after just nine weeks he made his move to our hosts in September.
Midfielder Jordan Stevens was another September addition to the squad. An ex Nottingham Forest and Leeds Utd youngster, he was loaned to Swindon and Bradford City before joining Barrow on his release. He finished last season with Yeovil Town and has experience at Championship, League One and Two level.
Casey Johnson was a September signing too. A midfielder, he came through the Long Eaton Academy into their first team and is also the son of ex Rams star Seth Johnson.
Striker Alex Hardwick joined the Robins last month from Stockbridge Park Steels. He was previously at Carlton Town and Maltby Main.
Reserve keeper is Mitchell Leivers who came through Long Eaton Utd’s Academy, making his first team debut in October 2022. After spells at Hucknall and Heanor Town, he joined Ilkeston last November and also had a short loan spell at Kimberley MW last season and is on a dual registration with Radford.
Mitchell Robinson is a centre back and came to the club in May from Loughborough Dynamo. He was previously captain at Long Eaton and is currently out injured.
Also out injured too is striker Alex Marshall. He came through the Ilkeston Academy, but returned to the club in October 2023 from Loughborough Dynamo. He has had a couple of spells at Long Eaton and he also spent part of last season away with Heanor Town on a dual registration.
Arriving just before last Saturday’s game at Whitby, Mansfield Under 18’s captain and defender Cormac Maher arrived on a months loan too.
Kick off is at 3pm and a large crowd is expected again.