by Peter Scherer
It’s another important game for Mickleover on Saturday, when we welcome fellow strugglers Bamber Bridge to the Don Amott Arena.
While Mickleover are looking for their second win of 2025, our visitors have yet to get off the mark, with just a point from their visit to Stockton to show since the New Year.
Their last wins were back-to- back in December at home to Hebburn and Leek Town.
New Mickleover signings Chris O’Grady, Kwaku Donkor and Samson Hewett all impressed on their debuts for Mickleover in the defeat to Ashton Utd on Tuesday night, but Michael Hollingsworth and possibly Andy Dales, now join Jake Bennett, Tyreece Palmer, Will Atkinson and others on the casualty list.
Jamie Milligan has been in charge at Bamber Bridge since December 2019.
Current goalkeeper Harvey Bardsley has been on loan from Blackpool since the end of November.
Simon Grand is a vastly experienced centre back, having played in Leagues One and Two. He started out with Rochdale, before moving on to Carlisle Utd, Grimsby Town, Morecambe, Northwich and Fleetwood.
After loans at Mansfield and Aldershot, he made a permanent move to Southport, but was soon on the move again via Telford, Barrow, Salford, Fylde, Chester and Charnock Richard. He started last season with Lancaster City and joined our visitors in January 2024.
Finlay Wallbank is another young centre back. He started at Preston, but spent last season with Workington, before joining the pre-season signings at Bamber Bridge.
Captain Adam Dodd is a left back with experience in the Scottish League. He is another former Blackpool Junior who was loaned to Altrincham and Ayr Utd, before joining Chorley on his release. He first joined our visitors in January 2016, but after 3 ½ years moved onto FC United, but returned four years later to start last season.
Fellow left back Liam Brockbank was a pre-season signing from Altrincham. He was a junior at Carlisle, before joining Workington. Lancaster and Altrincham were his next stops, with loans at Gloucester City and Warrington Rylands.
Right back Macauley Wilson rejoined Bamber Bridge from Bury last September, having only moved at the start of the season. He started off at Lytham before Manchester Utd signed him. He was also a junior at Blackpool and was first loaned to Bamber Bridge in 2016. After a loan at Fylde he came to Bamber permanently in July 2017, following his release from Blackpool and s a former club captain.
Defensive midfielder Alex Kenyon made over 250 senior league two appearances, after starting his career with Everton. He joined Chorley following his release, before a three year stay with Stockport County.
After moves to Morecambe and Scunthorpe, he went to Scotland with Ayr Utd, returning to England with Chester. He was at Curzon Ashton last season, before his pre-season move to our visitors.
Central midfielder Jack Baxter has spent most of his career at Preston North End. He was loaned out to Clitheroe, Chorley, Stalybridge, Cork City and Radcliffe, before joining Stafford on his release in July 2022. He came to Bamber at the start of last season.
Michael Potts is an experienced central midfielder too, after starting out with Manchester Utd and Blackburn Rovers. Following his release he moved to York City and Guiseley, before a loan at Stalybridge.
Next stops were Bradford Park Avenue and Curzon Ashton, before his first spell at Bamber Bridge in 2016. After two years he moved to FC United and returned to our visitors at the beginning of last season.
Chris Churchman is a long serving central midfielder, having signed from Hyde Utd in July 2018. He started out at Stockport and was loaned to Buxton, before a permanent move to Macclesfield. The next stop was Welsh League side Connahs Quay, followed by a year at Clitheroe before he joined Hyde.
Lewis Hey is another midfielder who arrived from Bradford Park Avenue pre-season, having previously played for Guiseley.
Striker Mark Cullen has played in the Premiership and all three EFL Divisions. He spent much of his career at Hull City during which time he was loaned to Bradford City, Bury and Stockport, before moving to Luton Town.
Two years at Kenilworth Road were followed by a move to Blackpool, who also loaned him to Carlisle, before a permanent move to Port Vale. His next stop was Hartlepool, before our visitors signed him from Fylde at the start of last season.
Midfielder Jarma Mohammed came from Wigan Athletic, but has also played junior football at Liverpool, Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers.
Jeff Adubofour is a midfielder too and has played Champions League Futsal for Manchester, while fellow midfielder Billy Bould is now a regular in the squad too.
Midfielder Alex-Ray Harvey is dual registered with Colne FC. A former Burnley Junior, he was loaned to Fleetwood, before a permanent move to Barrow. After stops at Guiseley and Hednesford, he spent last season with Stafford Rangers and came to Bamber Bridge at the start of this term.
Lewis Pilgrim has recently come into the first team squad. A young midfielder, he previously played for Charnock Richard.
Striker Sandro Da Costa is on loan from Salford City. He started out at FC United and has also had a loan spell at Warrington Rylands.
Robbie Cleary is another striker and another loanee from Salford. He joined Salford at the start of this season, having spent his early career in his native Canada, with Oakville SC, RVDL Soccer Academy, Burlington SC,Sigma FC and Forge, before spending three years at Oakland University in the US. He has also had a loan spell with FC United.
Fellow striker Harry Scarborough started out at Bamber Bridge, before joining Wigan Athletic. But after four years at Chorley he headed across the Atlantic to play for Providence Friars in US College football last August.
After a three month stay he returned to the UK and rejoined Bamber Bridge.
Will Russ is an on loan striker too from Southport. A former Wales Under 16, 17 and 19 International, he started out with Chesterfield, before joining Leicester City’s Academy. He then joined Fleetwood on his release and was loaned to FC United, South Shields, Hyde Utd and Marine, before moving to Southport in January last year.
Carson Greaves is a young striker, that recently made his first debut after coming through the clubs reserve side.
Kick off is 3pm, everyone welcome.