by Peter Scherer
This Saturday we welcome Workington to the Don Amott Arena, with Mickleover aiming for points get them out of the relegation zone, after last weekends defeat at Whitby.
Our visitors are currently 15th in the NPL table, four places and two points ahead of Mickleover, having played the same number of games.
There were some strong performances at Whitby, despite the somewhat flattering result, so manager Gareth Holmes will be looking for a continuing improvement in form, to see them climb the table.
Mark Fell has been in charge of our visitors since March, when he took over from Danny Grainger, having previously been at Lancaster City for five years.
They drew 2-2 at our fellow strugglers FGC United last Saturday, but have only had three wins in the last 10 games, at home to Worksop, Ilkeston and Whitby, having lost their last five games on the road.
Keeper Alex Mitchell started his career at Carlisle, before a move to Scotland with Gretna. He was loaned to Queen of the South, before joining Annan Athletic. He first came to Workington in July 2015 and alternated between our visitors and Annan for the next six years, before moving to Blyth Spartans in July 2021. He came to Workington pre-season and has made over 150 League Two appearances.
Mitchell’s deputy is Danny Eccles, another former Carlisle youngster. He joined Barrow following his release, moving on via Bradford Park Avenue, Kendal Town, Congleton Town, Chorley, Ramsbottom and Ashton Utd. He joinedour visitors in August 2021 from FC Squires Gate.
Aran Fitzpatrick is a young defender on his second loan spell at Workington. He arrived in September for a three month stay.
Centre back Efie Ambrose is vastly experienced, having played in the Scottish Premiership, Championship and League One, plus the Israeli Premiership and both the Champions and Europa Leagues.
His career started in his native Nigeria with Kaduna Utd and Bayelsa, before moving to Israel with FC Ashdod. He then came to the UK with Glasgow Celtic, who loaned him to Hibernian, before a permanent move preceded a move to Derby County in February 2019.
After a few months he returned to Scotland with Livingston, St.Johnstone, Dunfermline, Morton and a return to Queen of the South. He spent last season at Bury and was another pre-season signing for our visitors.
Steve Swinglehurst is another experienced centre back, having made over 250 League Two appearances. He started at Carlisle too and joined Annan Athletic after an initial loan. After 12 years with the Scottish Club he came to Workington pre-season too.
Unlike Ambrose and Swinglehurst, Tom Wilkinson is at the opposite end of his career. A teenaged centre back, he arrived pre-season too after being released by Preston North End.
Theo Farquharson is another centre back and only arrived last two weeks ago, from Warrington. He was previously at SC Espinho in Portugal and FC United.
Right back David Symington has League One and Two experience. Another Carlisle youngster, he first came to our visitors in February 2015 on loan. After a permanent move to Barrow, he returned to Workington in July 2018, after a two–year break from football.
Kai Nugent is a midfielder and like so many of his team mates, an ex Carlisle Junior. He was loaned to Workington at the beginning of last year and was released after a further spell at Annan Athletic, joining our visitors permanently pre-season. He made 25 League One appearances and scored two goals.
Midfielder Matty Clarke came from Clitheroe earlier this month. He had started at Penrith and first came to Workington in 2019, after a short spell at Bradford Park Avenue. He played for Lancaster too before his nine month stay at Clitheroe.
Now in his forties, midfielder David Norris is vastly experienced, with almost 500 appearances throughout the Championship, Leagues One and Two under his belt, scoring 60 goals, after starting his career at Boston Utd.
He joined Bolton Wanderers in 2000 and was loaned back to Boston and after a further loan Hull City he moved onto Plymouth Argyle. Ipswich, Portsmouth and Leeds Utd were his next stops, before moving to Peterborough in 2015.
Blackpool, Leatherhead and Salford City followed, before returning to Boston from Shaw Lane in 2018. He then spent five years at Lancaster, before joining our visitors in September.
Jake Allan is a midfielder too, partly into a three-month loan period from Carlisle Utd. He is joined my team mate Sam Herrington, a striker currently on a two-month loan.
Kaedyn Kamara is another loanee from Preston, but he had started out with Burnley.
Right sided midfielder Jamie Allen arrived pre-season from Curzon Ashton, where he spent the whole of last season. A former Fleetwood Town youngster, he was loaned to Barrow, Fylde, Stalybridge and Southport, before joining Dover Athletic. He then had three years at Halifax, before a year at Telford preceded his move toCurzon Ashton.
Josh Galloway is a right winger with League One, Two and Scottish Premiership experience. He started out at Carlisle too, but then spent three years with Leeds Utd. He had a loan spell at FC United, but made a permanent move to Annan Athletic in July 2022, before joining Workington at the start of this season. If the name is familiar, it should be, as he is the son of our assistantmanager Mick.
Steven Rigg is another player with League Two and Scottish Championship experience. A striker, he played for Keswick and Penrith before joining Carlisle. He then spent two seasons at Queen of the South, before returning to Carlisle.
His next stop was Chorley, who loaned him to Workington in March 2018, before spells at Gateshead and Dover Athletic preceded his return to our visitors in July 2021.
Midfielder Ruben Grewal is a recent arrival after being released by Wigan Athletic, along with Lucas Wane, a former Burnley defensive midfielder, who has had a short spell at Longridge.
Amadou Doumbouya is a vert recent arrival on a dual registration with Chorley. A midfielder, he started out at Bury, before moving to Chorley. He also had a loan spell at Bamber Bridge last season.
Young striker Ben McCarron played for Cleator Moor Celtic and Parkside before joining our visitors pre-season.
Sam Christian is a midfielder who has graduated from their own youth scheme, along with striker Alfie McDonough and Owen Johnston.
Tyler Beck was previously at Macclesfield, a defender, he has also become part of the first team squad after a pre-season trial. He has played for Garstang and Padiham too.
Winger Tom Stephenson came through pre-season trials to earn a contract. He started in the Blackpool Academy and has also played for Holker Old Boys.
Striker Brad Hubbold has spent most of his career at Workington. He had a spell at Lancaster City in 22/23, but is now in his third season back with our visitors.
Defender Jordan Little came to Workington part way through last season. Initially he was moving to Carlisle City at the start of the season, but was persuaded to return. He is currently out injured.
Aidan Howarth and Cieran Casson are both community coaches and former Carlisle Academy players. Casson is a midfielder who has been at Workington since 2019, while 16 year old defender Howarth made his first team debutearlier this season.
It‘s forecast to be wet and windy for Saturday’s 3pm kick off, but come and bring your support and lets get THREE POINTS!!