by Peter Scherer
Looking to end a run of five straight league defeats, Mickleover have to face top of the table Macclesfield at the Don Amott Arena tomorrow night.
Apart from draws at home to Hyde Utd and away at Ilkeston, Macclesfield have won every other league game and come to us fresh from their FA Trophy win last Saturday at Curzon Ashton, following a penalty shootout.
Our visitors lost out to Marine in the play-offs last season after finishing as runners-up. Michael Clegg departed as manager in June after only four months, and since then Robbie Savage has been in charge.
It’s been a tough season so far for Mickleover and last weekends defeat at Whitby leaves then in 19th place and the threat of relegation, but hopefully the tide will turn as we have six games to play before Christmas.
Goalkeeper Max Dearnley was a pre-season signing from Buxton. He started out at Penistone and after a season at Ossett Utd, moved on to Huddersfield Town. His next stop was Farsley Celtic, before joining Buxton at the start of last season, ending it on loan at Chorley.
Centre back Sam Heathcote is in his second season with our visitors, since arriving from Runcorn Linnets. He started out at Altrincham and then spent a year each at Ramsbottom and Hyde Utd, before making the return trip in July 2019. Before moving to Runcorn, he spent 2 ½ years with West Didsbury.
Right back Lewis Fensome is a former Preston North End Junior, who spent 3 ½ years at Lancaster City, before signing for Macclesfield in January 2022.
Dontai Gabidon is a midfielder that came from FC United n September. He started at Altrincham too and also had two years at West Didsbury.
Danny Whitehead plays in central midfield and is another pre-season signing from Fylde. He has league two experience and started his career with Stockport County, before a move to West Ham Utd. Following his release and a short stay at Accrington, he joined Macclesfield for the first time in July 2015, but moved to Wigan after six months.
He was loaned back to Macclesfield, along with Cheltenham, before a permanent return to our visitors. Next stop was Salford City, with another loan back at Macclesfield preceding a move to Port Vale. He was then loaned to Altrincham, before joining Fylde in January 2022.
Justin Johnson is a right sided midfielder. His career started at Sparta Rotterdam and Manchester Utd, before a spell at FC United. He then headed north to Dundee Utd, who loaned hm to York City. Cyprus was his next port of call, spending two years at Othellos Athienou, including a loan at Akritas Chlorakas, before returning to Scotland with Hamilton Academicals. He moved on again via Morton, Stalybridge Celtic and had two years at Fylde before joining our visitors pre-season.
Tre Pemberton favours the right side of midfield. A youngster with Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City, he joined FC United on his release. He was loaned to Longridge before a move to Stafford Rangers, where he spent nine months before arriving at Macclesfield in July 2022.
Luke Duffy is a right midfielder too. He came from Warrington at the beginning of last season after a three year spell and was previously at Lower Breck FC.
John Rooney is the brother of Wayne and is an attacking midfielder who started his career at Macclesfield back in 2008. He moved to the United States with New York Red Bulls and Orlando City, before returning to the UK with Barnsley.
Next stop was Bury, who loaned him to Chester, before the move became permanent. Wrexham was next, followed by Guiseley, Barrow and Stockport County. He came back to Macclesfield in August 2023, after a year at Oldham.
Alex Curran is another midfielder and was the two goal hero in last Saturday’s FA Trophy win over his former club Curzon Ashton. A Former Blackburn Rovers junior, he joined Colne on his release, before moving to Stockport County. Loans at FC United and Curzon Ashton followed, before the latter became permanent, spending a year with them before joining our visitors.
Winger Sean Etaluku started out at Burnley, before joining Mossley on his release. He moved to Barrow in July last year, who loaned him to Buxton and Matlock, before coming to Macclesfield two weeks ago.
D’Mani Mellor is a former Manchester Utd junior striker, with experience in Leagues One, Two and the Europa League. He was loaned to Salford before making a permanent move to Wycombe Wanderers. Further loans at Rochdale and Sutton Utd followed, before joining Gateshead at the start of this season. After just two weeks in the North East he signed for Macclesfield.
Fellow striker Danny Elliott was a pre-season arrival too. A youth player at Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa, he moved to the US in 2014 with Hofstra Pride, a University side.
He was loaned to Carolina Dynamo and Long Island Rough Riders, before his four-year stay ended, with a move to Spain with San Cristobal. Three months later he was back in the UK with Port Vale, and has played for Chester, Alfreton, Hartlepool, Boston Utd, Boreham Wood and Gateshead, before joining Scunthorpe in February last year, spending five months with the Irons before becoming a Silkman.
Neil Kengni is another striker signed from Marine in July 2022. He started off at Rochdale and has played for Stalybridge too.
French midfielder Laurent Mendy was signed in June 2021 from IFK Amal in Sweden and was the first player to make 100 appearances for the reformed Macclesfield FC.
Paul Dawson is a midfielder too. Signed from Bamber Bridge in May last year, he has also played for Lancaster City
Former England C International Elliott Whitehouse is a central midfielder, with League One and Two experience. As a Sheffield Utd youngster, he was loaned to York City, before moving to Notts County. He then went on loan to Nuneaton, before a permanent move to Halifax, preceded a return to Nuneaton.
Lincoln City, Grimsby Town, Forest Green and Scunthorpe followed, with a loan at Spennymoor followed by Chester, from where he joined Macclesfield pre-season.
Winger Edy Maieco came from Bradford Park Avenue in September on a return trip. Having previously been at Macclesfield.
Midfielder Basit Yusuff has recently stepped up from the clubs Academy and also plays in the reserve side.
Left back Brandon Lee s one of the longer serving players, having come from Longridge in September 2021. He started at Bolton Wanderers and has also played for Chorley.
Tony Clare also arrived in 2021, a striker from Pontefract. He started off at Barnsley and Bradford City, before joining Boston Utd after an initial loan. He then had spells at Bradford Park Avenue and Buxton, before joining Pontefract in September 2020.
Central midfielder James Edmondson is currently on loan from Blackburn Rovers.
Kick off at the Don Amott Arena is 7.45 and t’s forecast to be a cold night.