by Peter Scherer
CAN WE make it five games undefeated, when we visit Sutton Coldfield Town on Saturday afternoon?
Back in early November our hosts snatched a point when they visited the Don Amott Arena, after Josiah Dyer and Paddy Webb had given us the lead.
Since that date Sutton Coldfield have had just the two wins, including a 1-0 home victory over Lichfield on New Years Day. However they had been unbeaten over five games until going down 0-2 at Rushden & Diamonds last Saturday.
Our hosts are currently 15th in the table, nine points below Sports in eighth. But after the impressive Derbyshire Senior Cup performance, Sports manager Gareth manager is confident that the team can continue their aim of a play-off place.
“It’s good to have competition for places, we have George, Danny and Brad competing for centre back and up front there’s Josiah and Manni, both different sorts of players, but equally effective,” he said.
Sutton Coldfield manager Jemiah Richards took charge in late October, having previously managed Sporting Khalsa, Bromsgrove Sporting, Hednesford and Racing Club Warwick.
James Wren has been first choice goalkeeper of late, but it was Lewis Landers between the sticks for the their 0-2 at Rushden last Saturday, with Wren on the bench. Wren started out with Walsall, before joining Burton Albion following his release. He then moved on to Tamworth, who also loaned him to Redditch, before visiting Barwell, Nuneaton and Stafford Rangers.
He first joined our hosts in 2015, moving to Hednesford two years later. Stourbridge, Walsall Wood and Rushall followed, before return to Sutton at the beginning of last season, after a year at Chasetown.
Landers is a recent signing who started out at Birmingham City and joined Cambridge City on his release. He’s played for Nuneaton, Bugbrooke, Worcester Peterborough Sports, Cradley Heath and Coton Green, and returned to Coton at the start of this season after two years at Coleshill.
Right back Tom Hurley came through Sutton’s own youth scheme. He made his first team debut at 16 and also had a spell at Wolverhampton Casuals before rejoining our hosts and has recently made his 100th appearance.
Left back Jack Lynch was signed from Shepshed Dynamo at the start of last season. An ex Aston Villa youth player, he has played for Walsall, Coleshill and Spalding Utd too.
Ayo Lekuti also plays left back or midfield. He was a pre-season signing from Rugby Town after starting his career at Northampton Town. He’s also played for Bromsgrove Sporting and Lye Town.
Captain and centre back James Beresford is another home produced and long serving player. He has been with the club for 10 years.
Sam Smith is a centre back signed pre-season. He’s played for Solihull Juniors, Darlaston and Studley.
Signed in December from Stourbridge, centre back Joe Hull started out at Bromsgrove. He started this season at Rushall, but has played for Redditch and Stourbridge too.
Also on his cv are Hinckley Utd, Stourport, Halesowen, Alvechurch and Boldmere, plus return trips to many of his previous clubs.
Luke McGinnell is a defender who arrived in July 2024 from Chasetown. He has also played for Loughborough Dynamo.
Remie Birch is a midfielder signed initially in August 2023. He also had a spell at Romulus before returning to our hosts.
Isai Marselia is a midfielder who began his career in the Netherlands with NEC Nijmegen and Go Ahead Deventer, before coming to Mickleover in 2018.
A November arrival Romehl Critchlow is another midfielder. He’s played for Hednesford, Solihull Moors and Bromsgrove too.
He soon moved on to Stamford and Halesowen before joining our hosts in September 2019. After a year he moved to Alvechurch and Boldmere, before returning to Sutton in July 2021. He’s played for Coleshill. Wolverhampton Casuals and Romulus too, spending last season with Sporting Khalsa, before returning to our hosts in pre-season for a third spell.
Another pre-season signing Ryan Shaw is in his second spell at Sutton Coldfield. He started out at Bishops Cleve, before moving on to Boldmere and Chasetown and his first spell with our hosts. He made his return after spending last season at Bedworth.
Jayden Campbell is a right sided midfielder who started out at Walsall. He joined Rushall following his release, before spending two years at Chasetown. He joined our visitors in pre-season after spending last season with Sporting Khalsa.
Ryan Edmunds came from Bromsgrove in February 2023. Another midfielder, he started at Alvechurch and played for Rushall, Boldmere and Stafford before joining Sutton initially July 2015. After two seasons he moved to Coleshill, followed by Nuneaton, Redditch and Bromsgrove, preceded his return to Sutton.
Striker Kory Burke played for our hosts last season, before leaving for Boldmere St.Michaels. He returned last month. He’s played for Bedworth too.
Reece Gibson is an experienced and long serving midfielder and often captains the side.
Zazi-Bope Zazi is a more recent signing. He’s played for Stourbridge, Rushall Olympic. Alvechurch, Bromsgrove, Chasetown, OJM Black Country and Tividale.
James McGrady is another midfielder, previously at Sporting Khalsa as is Lewis Davis, a recent graduate from Sutton own youth scheme.
Kick off is 3pm as usual.