by Peter Scherer
Mickleover returned to winning ways last Saturday with a 3-1 win at strugglers Bourne Town and now face 15th in the table Wellingborough Town, who beat us 4-2 earlier in the season.
Our visitors have won three of their last 10 games, which have all been at home., but their last game on the road was a 0-1 defeat at Shepshed.
We have now reached the half way point in the season with 21 games played, seeing Sports currently 8th in a very close and competitive season
Under Jake Stone’s managership, Wellingborough were promoted to the NPL Division One Midlands at the end of 23/24 and finished eighth in the league last season.
Goalkeeper Dean Snedker was signed a couple of weeks into the season. A former England Under 19 international, he started out at Northampton Town. He joined Brackley after his release, quickly moving on to Kidderminster, Nuneaton, Kettering, Cambridge City, St.Albans, Hemel and Rushden and more recently with Coalville.
Captain and centre back Jack O’Connor is in his sixth season at the club, since signing from Kettering in July 2020.
Glenn Walker is one of the pre-season signings. A left back, he started out at Banbury and has played for Corby Town, Hednesford and Brackley and came to our vistors after a two-year spell with Spalding.
Sam Warburton is a left back too and a former Northampton Town youngster. He joined Rugby Town following his release, before moving to Nuneaton who loaned him to Kings Lynn before a permanent move. Corby, Rushden & Diamonds and Bedford were his next stops, before coming to Wellingborough from Spalding in November 2024.
Joe Pursey plays wing back or winger and is another pre-season arrival from Coventry Sphinx, where he had spent the last few seasons.
Left back Daniel Emovon came from Potters Bar in October. He’s also played for Hemel, Wingate, Hitchin and Kettering, before initially joining our visitors in October 2024. After four months he returned to Wingate and started this season at Potters Bar.
It was a pre-season return to the Dog & Duck for defender Charlie Green. He left Wellingborough at the start of last season for Rushden & Diamonds.
Theo Robinson is a young defender on loan from Notts County. He has also been on loan at Kettering.
Lloyd Buckby is the clubs longest serving player. A central midfielder, he joined the club in 2016 and has made over 200 appearances as he is now in his ninth season.
Romeo Ingman is an attacking midfielder who started the season with a brief stay at Rushden & Diamonds. He was previously at Bugbrooke St.Michaels.
Fellow midfielder Chris Clements has made over 200 league two appearances during his time at Mansfield Town, Grimsby and Forest Green. He started out at Crewe Alexandra and was loaned to Nantwich, Leigh Genesis, Stafford Rangers and IBV Vestmannaeyjar in Iceland, before joining Hednesford on his release.
He then spent almost five years at Mansfield, before moving on to Grimsby, Barrow, Forest Green, Cheltenham, Nuneaton and Potters Bar. He had spent the last two yeas at Rugby Town, from where he joined our visitors pre-season.
Danny Draper is a right sided midfielder, signed from Spalding in September last year.
Archie Murray is a midfielder too, and an ex Northampton Town youngster.
Connor Furlong is the most recent signing, having made his debut in last Saturday’s victory. He started with MK Dons and was loaned to Oxford City and Aylesbury Utd before joining Bedford Town on his release. St.Ives, Barton Rovers, Biggleswade, Rushden & Diamonds and Royston followed, before rejoining Bedford again in March 2023. Nuneaton and Daventry followed, before spending the last two seasons at St.Neots.
Isa Abrahamu is a winger who signed for our visitors at the start of the season, after a short spell at Coventry Utd.
Striker Nile Ranger has played in al three EFL Divisions and the Premiership. He started at Crystal Palace and Southampton, before joining Newcastle in 2008. Further loans at Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday followed before a permanent move to Swindon Town.
Blackpool was his next stop, before three spells at Southend Utd. He’s played for Spalding and Boreham Wood too, before joining our visitors in October, after a year at Kettering.
Ethan Johnston is another striker signed from Rushden & Diamonds last month. He started at Northampton Town, before loan at Kettering preceded a move to Banbury. He spent two years with St.Ives, before his two-year spell at Rushden.
Kobi Bivens is another striker recently signed locally from Northampton Silbey Rangers, while Taylor Franklin and George Barnell both came through the ranks with our hosts.
Fellow striker Will Jones first came to our hosts at the end of the 23/24 season dual registered with Cambridge City. He was previously at Sporting Khalsa.
Joziah Barnett is on loan from Northampton Town. A winger originally from Stotfold, he has also been out on loan at Redditch.
Kick at the Don Amott Arena is 3pm and REMEMBER “WHEN THE RAMS ARE AWAY COME AND WATCH MICKLEOVER PLAY”