by Peter Scherer
Sports will be keen to overcome their disappointing defeat at Sutton Coldfield on Tuesday night and get back to winning ways, with six consecutive league games before we face Alfreton Town in the FA Trophy.
Our visitors took their first win of the season on Tuesday, beating Boston Town 4-1 to lift them off the bottom of the table, having previously had just two points.
Player manager Bradley Munn started his career in the Mansfield Town Academy, before joining Burton Albion. He has played for Bedworth, Coalville and Loughborough Dynamo too.
He started his managerial career at Loughborough, but after five years at the club he came to Long Eaton initially as joint manager in August 2023, taking full charge three months later.
Goalkeeper Lewis King is the first of the ex Mickleover players in the Long Eaton line-up. He came through the youth scheme at Derby County and Sunderland, before joining Stockport County on his release.
Eastwood Town, Boston Utd, Stalybridge and Matlock Town followed, before coming to Mickleover in July 2016 from FC United. He stayed for three years before a move to Stafford and a return trip to FC United. He joined our visitors at the start of 2024/25, after spells at Gresley Rovers and Loughborough Dynamo.
Full back Luke Williamson first joined Long Eaton on a dual registration with Sandiacre Town at the end of last season. He’s played for Newark & Sherwood too and made his first team debut earlier this season.
Harry Eden is a left back signed from Lichfield at the beginning of the season. He’s played for Racing Club Warwick, Solihull Utd, Studley, Sutton Coldfield, Rugby Town and Redditch too.
Gianluca Bucci is a centre back who came through Lincoln City’s Academy. He then spent a year each at Gainsborough, Spalding and Loughborough, before joining Long Eaton in September 2024, after two months with Coleshill.
Teenaged Russian defender Artem Maslenikov spent part of last season training with out visitors, after a spell at Dallas Academy. He has also spent time with Lancaster City.
Defender Jayden Cotterill was signed at the beginning of 24/25. A former Burton Albion graduate, he has also played for Hanley Town, Barwell, Gresley Rovers and Belper Town.
Courtney Nyakuhwa played his junior football at Mansfield and Notts County. He moved to Tamworth following his release and was loaned to Nuneaton. He is dual registered with our visitors.
Jamie Hanson played Championship and League One football, racking up well over 100 appearances, during his time at Derby County, Wigan and Oxford Utd. His non-league career started at Ilkeston in July 2023, before a loan to Long Eaton in May 2024, became permanent two months later.
James Taylor is a central midfielder, who came through Long Eaton’s own Academy. He made his first team debut in 2020. After a move to Heanor Town in July 2023, he rejoined our visitors at the start of 24/25.
Connor Pace is a central midfielder too, a former Burton Albion Junior. He arrived at Grange Park during 24/25 having previously been loaned to Gresley Rovers.
Callum Cocks is another midfielder who returned to our visitors in March from Eastwood. He had previously left Grange Park after a couple of seasons to join Basford and has also played for Loughborough Dynamo.
Midfielder Alex Howes came from Carlton in pre-season. A former Notts County Junior, he has was loaned to Tamworth, before going to Basford on his release. He joined Carlton in February 2022, after an initial loan.
Casey Johnson is a home-grown talent that’s come through our visitors own Academy. A midfielder he moved onto Ilkeston Town in September 2024, before going to the US with Lionsbridge FC. He is the son of ex Rams star Seth Johnson and has only recently returned to Grange Park.
Former Sheffield Utd junior midfielder Riley McLachlan is currently on a months loan from Mansfield Town, along with defender Jacob Stubbs.
Right sided midfielder Curtis Durose came from Basford in July. A former Rotherham youngster, he was loaned to Gainsborough and Scarborough before joining Matlock following his release. He then returned to Gainsborough before making the move to Basford in September last year.
Jahvan Davidson-Miller is a former Sports player too. He was a Derby County striker before joining Barwell on his release. Coming to Mickleover in November 2021, he struggled to hold down a starting role and returned to Barwell 11 months later. He then came back to Mickleover for a very short spell in September 2024, before going to Redditch and Rugby Town and finally joining our visitors in July last year,
Midfielder George Atwal, is a graduate of our own Academy and spent the 23/24 season at Long Eaton, before moving on to Redditch and Bromsgrove. He came back to Grange Park at the beginning of last season.
Kieran Francis is an attacking midfielder too, arriving from Lichfield City in early September, after a number of years at the club.
Striker Evan Garnett is another ex Mickleover player. He started with Burton Albion and moved to Worksop after a loan spell with Hucknall Town. Belper Town, Ilkeston and Kidderminster followed, before he came to Sports in July 2017, after a year at Alfreton.
After two years at Mickleover he moved to Stafford, and has played for Loughborough Dynamo too, before arriving at Long Eaton at the start of 24/25.
Assistant manager to Munn is ex Derby County Junior Aaron Cole, another ex Mickleover player in the Long Eaton squad. Eastwood, Stockport, Barrow, Hinckley Utd, Rocester, Worksop and Belper Town were all his ex clubs before arriving at the Don Amott Arena in 2017.
He moved on to Market Drayton, Belper, Stafford and Gresley Rovers and has been assistant player/manager at Long Eaton since November 2023.