by Peter Scherer
This Saturday we visit newcomers Berkhamsted, who like our neighbours Long Eaton Utd, have struggled this season after promotion into the Southern Premier League Central Division.
Mickleover are back at the top of the league, only just, and will be looking to maximise their points tally against one of the struggling teams.
Manager Steve Heath and his backroom team have recently left the club and they have started the New Year with Chris Devane back in the hot seat. Having secured promotion with a league and cup double for the Comrades last season.
They ended 2023 with a 3-1 win at Hitchin Town, only their second win of the season so far, the first being the opening day of the season at home to Nuneaton.
They visited the Don Amott Arena back in August and went down 0-4, with Marcus Barnes and Ben Sault each scoring twice and currently lie 21st in the table.
Goalkeeper Jamie Head has spent much of his career at Dunstable Town, having started out in 2012. Stops at Cambridge City, Hemel Hempstead and Biggleswade preceded his second spell at Dunstable, before another spell at Cambridge City. Bedford was his next stop for almost three years, before playing at Dunstable again in 21/22.
He joined Berkhamsted pre-season and was captain until recently.
Centre back Sam McClelland started with Crawley Green, before moving to Dunstable Town where he had spent the last three years. He was another pre-season signing.
Midfielder Aaron Austin was the next of the players to follow Steve Heath from Dunstable in pre-season. He was originally with St.Albans City, before going to Dunstable in August ’21. He joined Biggleswade a year later, before returning to Dunstable last season.
Another player to arrive pre-season from Dunstable is striker Max Bustamente, in his second spell at Berkhamsted. He made a couple appearances in 20/21 during his time with Kings Langley, then had brief stops at Biggleswade and Bedford. He started last season at Royston, before going to Beaconsfield and ended the season with a move to Dunstable last February.
Louie Collier is a striker or midfielder. He started at Kings Langley before coming to our hosts in 2018/19. But after a spell back at Kings Langley he was at Tring and Leighton Town, before starting last season at Dunstable and ending it back at Leighton.
The last of the six pre-season signings from Dunstable is midfielder Jordan Frederick, he first arrived at Berkhamsted in March 2012 from Leverstock Green and stayed for three years before a move to Aylesbury. Then after a short spell at Dunstable he returned to Berkhamsted in January 2016.
As well as a return trip to Aylesbury, he had also played for Egham Town and had spent four years at Leighton Town, plus two more spells with Berkhamsted in 2018 and 2021. He spent the whole of last season at Dunstable again.
Right back Anthony Ball arrived from Aylesbury Vale Dynamo in August. He was at Berkhamsted in 2018 too and has also played for Luton Town Cedars and Aylesbury FC.
Adam Martin is a midfielder and early season signing from Potters Bar. He started at Watford and was loaned to Slough Town before joining AFC Wimbledon on his release. Further moves have taken him to St.Albans, Bohemians in Ireland, Wealdstone, Cambridge City, Chesham, Enfield, Farnborough and Beaconsfield, before joining Potters Bar last September.
Striker Sam Meakes started with St.Albans City, before moving on via Hitchin and Dunstable, arriving at our hosts pre-season from Frome Town.
Dan Newton was another early season signing, a centre back from Biggleswade, who was at Barton Rovers and Northwood, before a two-year spell with Hitchin Town. He joined Biggleswade last November.
Former Watford Junior striker Edu Toiny-Pendred came from Hertford last summer. He had previous spell at Berkhamsted and has played for Kings Langley and in the US with St.Mary’s Rattlers.
After spells at London Colney and Chesham, midfielder Mark Riddick spent a couple of seasons with Tring Athletic, before staying over three years at Aylesbury. He was another pre-season signing for our hosts.
Another former Watford Junior striker is Kyal Williams. He spent last season at Gosport and has played at Northwood and Kings Langley too.
Midfielder or defender Connor Toomey is one of the few players remaining from last season. He started at Berkhamsted in 2012 and has played at Kings Langley, Hemel, Hayes & Yeading, Chesham and Leighton. He is now in his fourth spell with the club.
Former Berkhamsted winger Tom Silford returned to the club in August 2022 from Dunstable. He has had numerous spells at Dunstable before, and has also played for Bedford, London Colney, Welwyn, Leighton Town, Leverstock, Crawley Green and Totternhoe.
Charlie Smith was an MK Dons Junior and had a spell on loan with Biggleswade. He made his move to our hosts in the summer.
Centre back Luke Massingham came from Rushden & Diamonds in October. He started off at Wealdstone and has played for Rayners Lane, Kempston Rovers and Thame Utd too.
Sami Bessadi was an October arrival too, a midfielder from Enfield Town. After starting off at Haringey, he moved on via Maldon/Tiptree, Braintree and Weymouth.
Winger Lewis Johnson is an ex Aston Villa youngster, who arrived pre-season after being released by MK Dons. He had loan spells at Banbury and Concorde Rangers too, during his time with the Dons.
Striker Matt Bateman is in his second spell at the club and was recently made captain. Having left originally in 2019 to join Royston, he had a spell at Hemel, before returning to Royston in August 2021. He rejoined our hosts in November.
Right back or right winger Lynford Sackey has recently arrived following his release from Bolton Wanderers. He was previously at Reading and had a brief stay recently at Sholing FC.
Lesley Duru is a left back and another new arrival. Fulham signed him from Whyteleafe, but after less than a year he was released to join Glebe FC. Chesham, Sevenoaks, Maldon/Tiptree and Hungerford were his next stops, before starting this season with Corinthian Casuals.
Hamilton Bunga is a well-travelled centre back who started out Kingstonian. Staines, Arlesey Town, Thurrock, Royston, Northwood and Bedford Sports followed, before moving to Leiston in October 2019.
Basildon, Three Bridges, Hemel and Marlow followed in close succession, before arriving at Rushden & Diamonds. Stratford and Harrow Borough were his next visits, before spending a couple of months with Basingstoke prior to his recent arrival at Berkhamsted.
Striker Nathan Frater scored both goals in the win over Hitchin, he has spent most of his career in and out of the Dunstable squad over the last 14 years, having arrived at our hosts again pre-season. In between he has had short spells with Barton Rovers, Royston and St.Neots, having started at Arlesey Town.
Olu Lawal was signed from St.Albans City in October. He started out with Drogheda Utd and Shelbourne in Ireland, before moving to England with Chippenham. An attacking midfielder he then joined Scottish League Falkirk in August 2022.
Callum Ismail came from London Colney and has made one substitute appearance so far.
Defender James Towell is another returnee, having left the club originally to join Leighton Town. He came back for the 2018/19 season and went back to Leighton again, until starting this season at Bedford Town. But after three games he made his third move to the Comrades.
Midfielder Danny Green came from Walthamstow in December. After starting out at Harpenden, he went to St.Albans, with stops at Hertford, Potters Bar and Hitchin following before a return to St.Albans.
Dunstable and Chesham, before a four-year stay at Royston. He has played for Arlesey Town too.
Defender Luke Warner-Ely is yet another well-travelled player. From starting out at Leverstock Green, he played for Potters Bar, Hemel, Royston, Barton Rovers, Uxbridge, St.Ives, Chesham, Dartford, Harow, St.Albans, Billericay, Peterborough Sports, Cheshunt and Concord Rangers, before coming to Berkhamsted in December from Hayes/Yeading.
Alex Stelmach is a young striker who has come through the clubs youth scheme and recently joined the first team and finally another returnee is attacking midfielder Josh Chamberlain. He has spent most of his career at our hosts making well over 300 appearances, scoring 135 goals.
He had a spell at Hayes & Yeading in between and went to Tring Athletic in December 2022, before returning again almost exactly a year later.
Kick off will be 3pm as usual, your support would be more than welcome.