Former scholars round-up (10/08/21)

Signing for a Championship club, upsetting Neil Warnock and swapping America for South Shields - it's been another busy month of trials (just a few!) and tribulations for the scholars who were once on the books at Doncaster Rovers.

Ethan Bojang in action for The Posh (Photo: Peterborough United FC).

Starting with Ethan Bojang, the Gambian youth international has signed a two-year deal with Championship newcomers Peterborough United and will go straight into their Under 23s team who are set to compete in the 'Premier League Professional Development League' this season.

Bojang recently played 45 minutes in a win for a Posh XI at Swindon Town before making a substitute appearance in a defeat at Kings Lynn Town and will endure some lengthy trips with his new team-mates in the coming weeks as Swansea City, Cardiff City and Bristol City are their first three away games.

Lewis Cunningham has also had a positive outcome to a trial because he's penned terms with National League promotion hopefuls York City who have just moved into their long-awaited brand new Community Stadium. The left-back was one of the top performers in last season's youth team and appeared for the Minstermen in pre-season fixtures against Whitby Town and Ossett United whilst he was on the bench for the visit of Middlesbrough.

Boro are of course managed by none other than Neil Warnock and when his team triumphed 3-0 at Bishop Auckland in pre-season, a certain Luca Nelson was in the hosts' line-up.

Footage of the clash went viral in the aftermath due to a sweary foul-mouthed touchline rant by Mr Warnock (what else would anyone expect from him?) and part of the veteran boss' ire was over a bad tackle midway through the first half on one of his players - though it's not certain whether Nelson committed that challenge or just happened to be in close proximity afterwards whilst Warnock was having his meltdown.

Elsewhere, Danny Amos was released by Rovers three months ago and he's spent time on trial at League Two team Port Vale over the past month. His old team-mate Will Longbottom also featured as a trialist in a couple of games for FC Halifax Town, including a lovely, local trip up to Carlisle United, but as yet neither player has signed permanently for a team.

Danny Amos during a training session at Port Vale (Photo: Unknown).

As well as competing in 'tough mudder' competitions during his spare time, Charlie Bell has joined the numerous former DRFC youngsters on the books at Staveley Miners Welfare. 

The right-back has featured in every game so far for the NCEL (Premier Division) outfit who enjoyed a successful pre-season with wins over Spalding United, Carlton Town and Nottingham Forest's Under 23s before losing their season opener to AFC Mansfield. Strikers Myron Gibbons, Rieves Boocock and Declan Howe (who was with the youth team for a short spell) have all been on the score-sheet, but, rather surprisingly, it's Cam Foulkes who has morphed into an unlikely scoring sensation having bagged two goals to date for the Trojans this term!

Matt Parkin is still registered to play at Inkersall Road though it appears winger Matty Davies has moved on and no news (as yet) can be found regarding his current whereabouts.

Rossington Main is another hub where many one-time scholars can be found plying their trade nowadays with Cameron Barnett, Jack Watson, Kian Johnson and Conner Williamson all part of Ben Hunter's team at Oxford Street.

Barnett was the top performer during a pre-season in which he bagged five goals whilst Watson played a leading part in a brilliant 4-2 win over Ollerton Town on the opening weekend of the NCEL (Division One) season - the same game where Williamson went within a whisker of a 'worldie' only to see a 30-yard shot ricochet back off the woodwork. Between the sticks, Johnson has impressed many with his shot-stopping and has attracted surprise  interest from abroad in the shape of Gibraltan outfit Lincoln Red Imps!

One player who won't be pulling on a Rossington shirt anytime soon is Elliott Walker and that's because he's linked up with Reece Fielding at Stocksbridge Park Steels. 

The right-back appeared in a couple of games for Rossington during pre-season and also had a short trial with York City, before eventually signing for Stocksbridge who compete in the NPL Division One (East Division). Furthermore, he featured as a trialist for SPS in friendlies against Spennymoor Town and a Sheffield Wednesday XI - talk about keeping yourself busy!

Perhaps the most surprising switch this summer is that made by Will McGowan who has had a change of heart regarding a scholarship at Missouri in America for a move to South Shields instead. The technically-gifted midfielder hails from the North-East and will be hoping to guide his club to a long sought after promotion to the National League North.

Brad Grayson and Josh Meade are two players who'll likely come up against South Shields at some point in the next 12 months and that's because they've joined NPL Premier Division rivals Grantham Town - managed by ex-England midfielder Carlton Palmer. Grayson scored a couple of goals in the latter stages of pre-season whilst Meade has also been dual-registered to play for Rossington Main this term.

Elsewhere, Morgan James has been on the move - moving up a division to join Belper Town from AFC Mansfield. The ex-youth team skipper links up with Alex Peterson and Craig Nelthorpe at Christchurch Meadows; the latter of those convereting a spot-kick in a 1-1 draw with Boston United.

Jack McKay has also made a goalscoring start to life at Curzon Ashton following his departure from Chesterfield (and Airdrieonians where he was a loanee) at the end of last season. McKay bagged in games against Trafford and Stockport Town and is expected to feature regularly for 'The Nash' as they seek to defy the odds and avoid relegation from the National League North yet again.

His twin brother, Paul McKay, joined Queen Of The South from Airdrieonians during the summer though was unable to help his new club progress in the Premier Sports Cup as they finished in third position in their five-team qualifying group. QOTS will be seeking better fortunes in the Scottish Championship as well this season after a mid-table finish in 2020/21.

Will McGowan (front row, first left) in the annual team photo (Photo: South Shields FC).

Meanwhile, Owan Derrett has been registered by Sheffield-based outfit Handsworth for this term, Chaz Fisher has dropped a division to join Brigg Town, whilst not too far away Liam Nelthorpe has chosen to stay with North Ferriby who are favourites to win the NCEL (Division One) title. 

Former U23s captain Cody Prior is still at Sheffield FC and is popular with amongst the fanbase at the world's oldest football club, whilst further afield in Yorkshire, Scott Brown has made his first appearances since returning to Pontefract Colliers - including one in a 3-2 win over Rossington Main.

Midfielder Harry Middleton was on the score-sheet at Cleethorpes Town during the past month and, after a year where he turned out for three different clubs, Tyler Walker is now at Goole AFC where he is expected to remain for 2021/22. Walker played one pre-season game alongside goalkeeper James Leverton who also appeared for Hemsworth Miners Welfare on a couple of times, including against Worksop Town and Barnsley, prior to a lengthy spell in self-isolation. Cameron Baldock-Smith was also listed on the team-sheet for Pinchbeck United when they were beaten 2-1 by the current DRFC youth team.

Billy Whitehouse is one of extremely few ex-scholars to have tasted European action - something he did with frequent Welsh Premier League title-winners The New Saints who he officially left in March. Nowadays, he is playing for Chorley in the National League North. Mitchell Lund, having completely recovered from a facial injury he received last November, is still on the books at the Magpies' divisional rivals Bradford Park Avenue.

Despite only being in his early 20s, Matt Gains is one of the more experienced players in Thorne Colliery's team at present and he converted a last-minute spot-kick in a 2-1 win over Glasshoughton Welfare. He appeared in a number of pre-season games for the Central Midlands League promotion hopefuls alongside former academy player Evan Fortune-West (the son of none other than Leo Fortune-West) - one of which was a 5-3 victory over the current youth team.

Cody Prior in action for Sheffield FC.

Perhaps the oldest one-time scholars to still be playing senior football are Jamie Price and Chris Dickman. Both were on the books as youngsters at Cantley Park when Rovers were a non-league team and nowadays, Price is turning out for AFC Emley in the NCEL (Premier Division) whilst Dickman has been registered by Dearne & District FC of the Central Midlands League.

There are some ex-scholars who will be competing in the National League or higher this term.

Both Andrew Boyce and Liam Mandeville have remained at Eastleigh and Chesterfield, respectively, during the close season and will be hoping to win promotion to League Two - the level where goalkeeper Jonny Maxted is nowadays following his close-season switch to Northampton Town.

Also in League Two is Jack Muldoon and he featured for Harrogate Town in their opening day victory over Rochdale. He didn't score and he won't be in action for the next 10 days or so either, because a Covid outbreak has put paid to the Sulphurites' next three matches.

Two divisions up in the Championship, James Husband featured as Blackpool drew 1-1 at Bristol City on the opening day thanks to an injury-time equaliser. The Seasiders' Bloomfield Road ground is also home to former academy striker Jerry Yates who has penned a three-year contract extension following his remarkable goalscoring exploits in 2020/21. 

Finally, there are seven ex-scholars in Richie Wellens' current squad at DRFC; those being Lirak Hasani, Branden Horton, Louis Jones, Ben Blythe, AJ Greaves, Ben Bottomley and Liam Ravenhill.

It remains to be seen quite how much they'll feature under the new manager this season - or whether the left-back amongst them managed to escape from the extremely small replica shirt he wore (in an effort to make his arms look big) during the photo session for the player profiles on the website.

Ravenhill and Blythe did make a handful of appearances as trialists elsewhere. Ravenhill appeared in a couple of games for Darlington whilst Blythe scored and set-up a goal in a 9-0 win for Spennymoor Town over Bishop Auckland.

Apologies if I've missed anyone out this month. As you might imagine, trying to keep a track on the various moves and stories, which aren't always well publicised, can sometimes be a big challenge (especially during pre-season). There'll be more news next month - including, hopefully, an update on Nathan Dimou's progress in Australia with Adelaide Comets and Marius Conradi who, by all accounts, is 'banging in the goals' back in Norway though Google isn't throwing up any results!

Good luck to both Josh Clemitson and Junior Smith who have now jetted off to America to begin their scholarships with Aquinas College and Eastern Florida State College, respectively, for the next few years.