Former scholars round-up (01/07/21)

If you missed the comprehensive Season 2020/21 round-up featuring the whereabouts of various ex-scholars, click here.

Jonny Maxted - the new Northampton Town 'keeper for 2021/22 (Photo: Northampton Town FC).

Up and down the country, right now is the worst time of the year for footballers.

There will be plenty of worries around as many players will be out of contract (therefore effectively unemployed). Some will be seeking a new club where they can earn a decent enough income - thus negating the need to get a full-time job away from football, some will be on trial at clubs (or about to start one), whilst others will have gone part-time and dropped into the non-league scene.

Regardless of contract status though or whether its the professional or semi-professional game, the beach holidays and sunshine surroundings of the past few weeks are well and truly over and most training sessions (for those who've already returned) will have consisted of running, running and lots more running! 

Don't mention the bleep test!

Liam Ravenhill signs his first professional contract (Photo: Doncaster Rovers FC).

Those who've taken part in Richie Wellens' first sessions as Doncaster Rovers manager this week include Branden Horton, Lirak Hasani, Ben Blythe, Ben Bottomley, Louis Jones, Liam Ravenhill and AJ Greaves.

Defender Blythe and 'keeper Bottomley, both part of the title-winning youth team in 2019/20, were the most recent to be announced - the duo penning one-year deals to remain at the Keepmoat Stadium, whilst box-to-box midfielder Ravenhill has agreed a two-year contract despite being strongly linked with a move elsewhere.

Hasani, who is eligible to represent both Kosovo and Albania at international level, cut a frustrated figure in the latter part of last season because he was unable to play despite being fully fit. Nevertheless, the dynamic midfielder has agreed a fresh one-year deal with the option for a second - though the confirmation article doesn't make it clear whether it's the club or the player who has the option!

Horton, fresh from establishing himself at full-back in the closing weeks of last term, has also extended his stay at the club by another year - as has Greaves.

Nothing has been officially confirmed yet with regards to Jones but considering he's been pictured modelling the new kit (where he looks really happy!) and involved in training this week, its safe to assume the 'keeper will be at the club for 2021/22.

Rovers' first pre-season outing will be a visit to Rossington Main and Ben Hunter's side began preparations for the new campaign by walloping Mexborough Athletic, 11-0, last weekend.

Cameron Barnett bagged four goals during the rout whilst Jack Watson, who took part in the LFE Exit Trials yesterday, also scored two. Conner Williamson also featured whilst Kian Johnson had a very quiet game between the sticks in a game which was abandoned after 70 minutes.

Elliott Walker, a regular at right-back for Main last term, wasn't present and it remains to be seen whether he'll turn out for Rozzo this year or seek a move. His older brother (and former St Neots Town loanee), Tyler Walker, is still on the books at Goole and they begin their pre-season schedule with a game against Belper Town on Friday.

Rossington's next pre-season game is away to Pontefract Collieries and that's where Scott Brown will be playing in 2021/22 with the defender having signed for the Step 4 outfit following a spell at Worksop Town last term.

Despite the fact that Northampton Town once caused Jonny Maxted much anguish; the Cobblers memorably beating the Grecians, 4-0, in the 2020 League Two Play-Off Final, the Sixfields Stadium is where Maxted has rocked up. The 27-year-old 'keeper, who made 12 appearances in an injury-hit 2020/21 campaign, was released by Exeter City but has put pen-to-paper on a one-year deal with Northampton who were relegated back to League Two last season.

Maxted played at Rovers alongside James Husband who has signed a new two-year contract to remain with Blackpool who returned to the Championship by beating Lincoln City in last season's League One Play-Off Final. Speculation remains as to whether one-time academy player Jerry Yates, scorer of 23 goals last term, will stay at Bloomfield Road or move elsewhere and Nottingham Forest are amongst a number of 'big' clubs to have been linked with the talisman.

Elsewhere, last season ended in disappointment for Paul McKay as Airdrieonians missed out on promotion to the Scottish Championship - losing in their Play-Off Final to Greenock Morton. However, the defender will be moving up a league after agreeing terms to join Queen Of The South (based in Dumfries). 

His twin brother, Jack McKay, was one of 13 players to be released by National League side Chesterfield who also endured Play-Off heartbreak as they were beaten by Notts County. Liam Mandeville scored in that game and has extended his Spireites stay by another 12 months.

Also remaining in the Vanarama National League for another campaign is centre-back Andrew Boyce who has signed a new deal to remain with Eastleigh - for whom he has been an established figure over various seasons now.

Reece Fielding is staying at Stocksbridge!

In other news, Reece Fielding has impressed sufficiently enough to remain at Step 4 outfit Stocksbridge Park Steels for another 12 months (despite being linked with a move elsewhere), and Mitchell Lund will be wearing a Bradford Park Avenue shirt again in 2021/22, having agreed fresh terms. Nothing has yet been confirmed either way regarding the future of striker Will Longbottom at BPA though they begin their pre-season campaign with a clash against Campion AFC next week.

In Australia, Jordan Tucker, who spent time in the youth set-up in 2017/18, was voted into the Football Queensland Premier League following an impressive showing for South West Queensland Thunder.

Finally, although he didn't represent Rovers at Under 18s level, Shane Blaney was once a familiar face at the club - captaining the Under 23s team before they were unceremoniously scrapped when the Covid-19 pandemic wreaked havoc around the world.

Now at Sligo Rovers in Ireland, the centre-back scored what I believe to be his first goal in senior football when he was on target in a 2-1 reverse to Drogheda United last month. Despite the defeat, Sligo are performing strongly, challenging for the title, and have a Europa Conference League qualifying tie against Fimleikafélag Hafnarfjarðar to look forward to - opposition who nobody I bet can pronounce!

There are at least half a dozen moves and trials already lined up for other ex-scholars which haven't been mentioned in this piece but will be in next month's article, along with a recap of them in pre-season friendly action.