by Peter Scherer
After a two year absence, Mickleover head back to the Northern Premier League this weekend, with their opening league match of the season at Hyde Utd.
For Sports manager Gareth Holmes it’s a first league game in charge and debuts for a number of our pre-season signings.
I am planning to have two more players signed before the end of the week, who should be available for the game. We have had a positive pre-season and really looking forward to the start of the season, but it’s still work in progress
he said.
“I will only be really happy with a win, but we need to continue to be a better version of ourselves. There will be ups and downs as we know, but it’s exciting and positive from what we have seen so far,” he added.
Our hosts were sixth last season, just missing out on the play-off’s. Manager Nicky Spooner has been charge since February 2022, having previously coached at Halifax and Bolton Wanderers.
Unbeaten in their six pre-season games, their last 1-1 with Marine last Saturday, former Sheffield Utd junior Callum Hiddleston is first choice goalkeeper. He finished last season at Ossett Utd.
Centre back Harry Ditchfield s about to start his fourth season at the club, since his release from Salford City.
He will be joined in the centre by new signing Drew Baker. A former Manchester City, Crewe and Oldham youngster, Baker joined FC United on his release, but soon moved onto Fleetwood Town and has been loaned to Bohemians and Waterford in the Republic of Ireland.
He has played in League One and the League of Ireland, and following his release from Fleetwood, he finished last season at Macclesfield.
Will Hall is another centre back and another new arrival. He started out at Salford too, then joined Altrincham on his release. Loans at Whitchurch, Ramsbottom and Ashton Utd followed, before joining Ramsbottom permanently at the start of 22/23. He moved on again to start last season at Trafford, before finishing off at Clitheroe.
Right back Ethan Vaughan is another new arrival. He started at Norwich City before moving to Burnley, who then loaned him to Farsley Celtic, before a permanent move to Guiseley.
He was soon on the move again to Marske Utd, before joining Bootle. Loans at Bradford Park Avenue and Stalybridge followed, before joining Hyde a few weeks ago.
Midfielder Jordan Scanlon recently arrived from Atherton Collieries. He started at Rochdale, but after loans at Ashton Utd and Ramsbottom, he started last season at Atherton following his release.
English born midfielder Matt Fearnley has spent most of his recent past in the USA, where he played for Flint City Bucks and Georgia State Panthers. He joined our hosts in January last year on his return to the UK.
Sonny Whittingham is a midfielder and a product of the Huddersfield Town Academy, after they picked him up from Bradford City. He had already been loaned to Bury, when he first came to Hyde as a loanee in October 2022. He returned permanently at the start of last season.
Former Bolton Wanderers junior midfielder Ryan White is one of the few retained players from last season. He came to Hyde in August 2022 after four years at Bamber Bridge.
Winger, striker or midfielder Harry Bunn is vastly experienced with over 200 league games under his belt, through the Championship, leagues one and two and the Scottish Premiership.
He started off with Manchester City and was loaned out to Rochdale, Preston, Oldham, Crewe, Sheffield Utd and Huddersfield, before being sold to Bury in 2017. After a loan at Southend he was released and headed to Scotland with Kilmarnock, before moving on via York City, Scunthorpe, Buxton and Ashton Utd, moving to Hyde at the start of last season.
Striker Jack Redshaw is another long server, having come from Ashton Utd in July 2022. He is another ex Manchester City youngster, who made a successful career through leagues one and two. His first move was Rochdale, followed by stays at Salford, Altrincham and Morecambe, and then Blackpool, who loaned him back to Rochdale.
Salford, Halifax and Tork City followed, before he arrived at Ashton Utd. He was then loaned to Chester before joining our hosts.
Akeel Francis is a new arrival, a striker who played his junior football at Rotherham. He was loaned to North Ferriby before going to Accrington on his release. He was soon on the move again to Wrexham, Rochdale, Guiseley, Farsley and Grantham, before heading to Scotland with Falkirk. After a year he returned to England, firstly with Braford Park Avenue, and then Warrington Rylands, before heading north again with Stirling Albion.
He had a number of further spells at Grantham and a loan at Sleaford, before joining Hyde last month.
Fellow striker Connor Heath has recently arrived from Southport. After starting at Crewe, he had loans at Witton Albion and Colwyn Bay, before joining Nantwich on his release. After a loan at Farsley he joined Southport in October 2022 and was loaned back to Nantwich and Stafford Rangers too, where he ended last season.
Joe Amado is a defender who came from Atherton at the start of last season. He played for Warrington, Trafford and Irlam too.
Midfielder Jake Maltby is a new arrival too, having spent last season at Silsden. He was previously at Bradford Park Avenue.
Ben Kershaw is a midfielder too and former Stoke City Junior, who started out in Rochdale’s Academy.
Midfielder Ayo Quadri was at Hyde on a dual registration with Halifax at the end of last season and has now made the move permanent.
Fellow midfielder Shakeel Jones-Griffiths was on a dual registration too last season with Prestwich Heys. An ex Bolton Junior, he has played for Glossop North, Congleton and Bury.
Reece Mellor has broken into the first team squad in the last season or two, a midfielder out of our hosts own Academy.
Finally defender Joe Hillary is currently on loan from Stockport County.
Kick off at Walker Lane is 3pm