by Peter Scherer
Tuesday night we welcome neighbours Belper Town to the Don Amott Arena in the Derbyshire Senior Cup, with some familiar faces in their squad.
Mickleover will be hoping to bounce back from their disappointing visit to Halesowen last Saturday and it will be the first chance for home supporters to see new signing Leon Clarke in action.
The Nailers are currently in the Northern Premier League East, having been relegated from the Northern Premier after just one season.
Lee Attenborough has been manager since January, having previously been at Corby Town and Loughborough Dynamo. In his playing career he was also at Loughborough, along with Leek Town and Coalville.
Coach Matt Wain also came from Corby with Attenborough.
They have recently suffered three successive league defeats, including a 1-7 result at Stockton, but still lie fifth in the table after a good start to the season.
Jonathan Hedge and former skippers Phil Watt and Mason Warren all moved from Mickleover to Belper in pre-season.
Hedge was first choice keeper, but they have recently signed Jason Alexander from Basford, following Hedge’s departure. A former Chesterfield Junior, he played Boston Utd, Clipstone, Worksop, Loughborough Dynamo and Corby Town too, but is yet to make his debut.
Watt has scored five goals for the Nailers this season and is team captain, while Warren has two as well.
Centre back Declan Dunn was another pre-season arrival, from Basford. A former Notts County Junior, he was also loaned to Grantham before Magpies release.
Cam Johnson started his career with Doncaster Rovers, before going to Rossington Main on his release. Matlock, Deeping, Boston Utd and Tamworth followed, before the striker went back to Deeping in January 2019.
Peterborough Sports, Spalding and Stamford followed, before an 18-month spell at Gainsborough preceded his pre-season arrival at Belper.
Midfielder Rev James was another pre-season arrival from Basford. An ex Rotherham Junior, he was loaned to Basford prior to joining Oxford Utd on his release in 2019.
His next stop was Tamworth, before a second spell at Basford, during which he was loaned to Nuneaton. That stay became permanent, until he returned to Basford again last February.
Defender Ben Algar was a Sheffield United and Chesterfield Junior and made 15 league appearances for the Spireites before being released and then short periods with Burton Albion and Mansfield Town followed, before joining Matlock Town.
He moved to the US in 2011, playing for FC New York and following his UK return has played for has played at Frickley Athletic, AFC Mansfield and Maltby Main.
Sidik Atcha is a central defender or midfielder, signed from from Shepshed Dynamo in 2019. He previously played under the Nailers manager, Lee Attenborough at Corby Town and at Loughborough Dynamo but has also appeared for Harborough Town, AFC Rushden & Diamonds, St Ives Town, Soham Town Rangers and Daventry Town.
Anthony Mackie is a defender who originally signed for our visitors in January 2019 from Sheffield FC. He is primarily a right full back and started his career at Barnsley, followed by spells at Maltby Main, Goole, Ossett Town and Sheffield FC, with a second spell at Belper preceding a move to Handsworth. He came back to Belper again in the summer.
Ben Rhodes is an attacking right back, signed from Worksop Town in summer 2020. He can play anywhere in the back four. He has also played for at Stocksbridge Park Steels on a dual registration spell with Penistone Church. He also won the Manager’s Player of the Season award in 2022/23.
Fellow defender Danny South originally joined the Nailers during summer 2018, having played at Sheffield FC, Frickley Athletic, Ossett Town and Ossett Albion.
He was part of the promotion team to the NPL Premier Division in 2022/23, but moved to Ossett United in October 2022, before returning pre-season.
Keiran Walker is a defender too, and was previously at Long Eaton Utd, Boston Utd, Rainworth MW, Hucknall and Carlton Town.
Midfielder Lewis Austin is a product of the Nailers own Academy. He made his first team debut against Ashbourne Town in the Derbyshire Senior Cup, in December 2022 and scored.
Adam Bessadi is a midfielder too, signed pre-season from Kirby Muxloe. He started his career at Aylesbury Town and Wantage Town and is currently a student in Leicester.
Curtis Burrows is a midfielder, who began at his youth football with Burton Albion. He then went to Ilkeston Town, making his first team debut in April 2013. After a loan spell at Grantham, he joined Coalville Town, before a move to Loughborough Dynamo in March 2019. He was at Corby with manager Attenborough and arrived at Belper in February 2023.
An experienced midfielder, James Cadman came from Ossett Utd in the summer. He was at Scarborough Athletic too, where he played a big role in their promotion to the National League North in 2021/22. Originally a Rotherham United academy player, he has played for Harrogate Town, Stalybridge Celtic, Hyde United and Mickleover too.
Luke Martin is a holding midfielder who had impressed manager Lee Attenborough at Loughborough Students. Another pre-season signing, who can play almost anywhere.
Striker Kevin Bastos arrived pre-season too from Loughborough Dynamo, where he scored 16 goals with 17 assists for last season. He was previously at Tamworth, Basford, Spalding, Ilkeston Town and Grantham.
Fellow striker Brodie Litchfield was another pre-season signing, but a returnee. A former Sheffield United youngster, Brodie he went to Bracken Moor on his release, before a move to FC United of Manchester. His stay with the FC United was brief and he soon moved to Gainsborough.
He had a spell at Mickleover too, before moving to Ossett United and joined the Nailers just before the season curtailment in March 2020. He then left at the end of the 2022/23 season to join Basford United but rejoined last month.
Toby Gregory is a young attacking midfielder, signed from Worksop. He has played for Sheffield FC too.
Josh Ashman is the newest signing. A former Sheffield Wednesday junior centre back, he has just arrived from Guiseley initially on a months loan.
Kick off at the Don Amott is 7.45!!