by Peter Scherer
Following last weekends humbling defeat at the hands of St.Ives, the Mickleover squad will be looking to rediscover the form that made them so dominant early season, when we face Barwell Town on Saturday.
We have already played this weekends visitors twice this season, once with a 2-1 win to Sports in late September, with two Oli Greaves goals and only a week later we knocked them out of the FA Cup, after a penalty shoot-out, following two goals from Stuart Beavon.
Both Ryan Wilson and Joe Bateman are back in light training after their operations, but Oliver Bosworth, Lewis Cunningham and Andre Wright continue to be out of action. Since last weeks home defeat against St.Ives, striker Leon Clarke has also left the club.
Now to our visitors, manager Ian King has been in charge since May 2022 and his team this season, retained a number of players from 22/23.
First choice keeper Harry Griffiths was picked up by Crystal Place, after being spotted at Horsham. He then moved on to AFC Wimbledon, who loaned him to Burgess Hill, before a permanent move to Nottingham Forest in July. He is currently on loan from Forest for the rest of this year.
Harry Evans has been in goal in recent matches. Like our own Lewis Ridd he is one of Derby County’s Under 21 keepers, on loan. He also went out on loan to Coalville earlier this season.
Jaden Bevan is another young keeper, signed in pre-season after his release from Shrewsbury Town. He also had a spell on loan with Glossop North End last season
Derby born Micah Edwards started off as a Rams Junior, before the young midfielder had spells at Ilkeston and Gresley Rovers. He has been at Barwell since July 2019.
Centre back Kyle Rowley arrived from Stourbridge for the start of last season. He was a Walsall Junior and after a loan at Sutton Coldfield, he joined Rugby following his release. Moves to Alvechurch, Walsall Wood and Hednesford followed, before his seven months stay at Stourbridge.
Brady Hickey is the club captain and central midfielder, who came from Nuneaton in January 2018, having moved in the opposite direction only seven months earlier.
Beck-Ray Onoru is a young winger or striker signed at the beginning of last season, has pace and a flair for goal.
Defender George Ward was on a dual registration with Weymouth during his time at Loughborough University. He had played for the University side too, as well as Bromsgrove, before joining Barwell in September 2022.
Dominic Brown-Hill is a midfielder who first came to Barwell in 2018 after his release from Notts County. After 18 months he moved to Alvechurch, but returned in July 2021.
Right back Josh Flanagan is a former Northampton Town Junior, who arrived from Brackley last March after a loan spell at Kettering.
Sid Kerr is a defensive midfielder and arrived from Loughborough Students at the beginning of last season. He has also been on the books at Everton, Chelsea and Brighton.
Midfielder Deen Master attends Nottingham Trent University and has also played for Leicester Nirvana.
Jahvan Davidson-Miller needs no introduction having started last season at Mickleover. A former Rams Junior, he was at Barwell before coming to Mickleover too.
Striker Dan Holman is a vastly experienced player. His junior football was in Northampton and with Moulton Magpies and Long Buckby, before joining Cogenhoe Utd.
A return to Long Buckby was followed by Oxford City, Histon and Braintree, before joining Colchester Utd, who loaned him to Wrexham, Aldershot, Dover Athletic and Woking.
He went to Cheltenham after his release and further loaned to Boreham Wood and Leyton Orient, joining Aldershot again on his release. Kettering, Brackley and Torquay followed before a year out preceded his pre-season arrival at Barwell.
Miguel Ngwa is another pre-season signing. A midfielder, he is a former Northampton Town Junior, and was at Rushden & Diamonds and Rushall Olympic before his release in July.
Striker Tom Cursons came from Long Eaton in August. He began with the Metropolitan Police and was loaned to Badshot Lea. He moved to Hartley Whitney in December 2021 and to Gainsborough only a month later. A further move to Long Eaton in December 2022 preceded his arrival at Barwell.
Midfielder Ethan Hill is a more recent arrival having signed from Ilkeston in October, after just three months with our neighbours. A former Nottingham Forest and Mansfield Town Junior, he has played for Kettering and Telford too.
Fellow midfielder Kobe Chong arrived in November. He was at West Bromwich Albion and Kidderminster as a junior, before moving to Cagliari in Sicily.
On his UK return he joined Solihull, before moving on via Banbury, Redditch, Peterborough Utd and Sports, Telford, Nuneaton and Alvechurch.
Midfielder Tremayne Charles was a junior with Luton Town. He then joined St.Albans City, moving on to Arlesey Town, Bedford, Colney Heath, Leverstock, Hitchin, Northwood, Braintree, Hendon, Biggleswade, Berkhamsted, Kempston Rovers and Stamford, before coming to Barwell in December.
Striker George Nunn has recently arrived on loan from Derby County. Well known to Mickleover fans, as he had two loan spells at the Don Amott Arena last season. Originally Chelsea signed him from Crewe Alexandra, before coming to Derby in July 2022. As well as Mickleover, he has had loans at Cheshunt, Braintree and Hampton & Richmond.
Demi Akinwe is an attacking midfielder that started at West Bromwich Albion. He then moved to Shrewsbury, before joining Hednesford on his release. He then played for Bromsgrove and Alvechurch, before arriving at Barwell in December.
Right back Jesper Kutsheinza is a former Leicester City, defender Ruben Freeman came in from Highgate Utd last season and fellow defender MJ Kamara is a former Lincoln City Academy player.
Kick off at the Don Amott Arena is 3pm, with all the usual bar and refreshments facilities.