KICKABOUT

all things non-league football

GIANT KILLERSPicture: John Hopkins

*FC United’s New

Stadium*

GrassrootsFootball in Crisis

* Football Manager

2015 Review

Warrington Town defy the odds to reachthe FA Cup Second Round

NEWS

FEATURES

THE WARM DOWN

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COVER STORY

United We StandFC United are set to open their firststadium Broadhurst Park after onlynine years in existence

Magic Of The CupWarrington Town defy the odds toreach the FA Cup Second Round

GamesIt’s time to lose another year of ourlives to the addictive beast that isFootball Manager 2015

Grassroots Football:A Matter Of Life and DeathMPs and football enthusiasts cometogether to discuss what’s goingwrong with the beautiful game

The Future of EnglishFootball Starts HereAfter another poor World Cup showingis it time for the authorities to stopputting funds into the elite level andinto the amateur game?

My Perfect XIChester FC’s Academy Media OfficerSteve Peach chooses his ultimate non-league eleven

Contributors

Richard Searle (photography)

John Hopkins (photography)

WSC (merchandise)

We all love a good giant-killing don’t we? Christmas certainly cameearly for Warrington Town with their historic First Round FA Cupvictory over the full-time professionals from Exeter City. It was thefirst time in their history that the club had reached the first roundproper and winning the game was the icing on the cake followingfive qualifying rounds, covering seven games, including two replaysand beating three teams from higher divisions.The victory over League Two Exeter was against a team four

divisions and 100 league places higher - and the reward is now adifficult trip to high-flying Conference side Gateshead who madethe play-off final at Wembley last season. Another victory wouldgive Warrington the chance of a plum tie against a Premier Leagueteam like Manchester United or Liverpool.The amount of support for the team has been amazing and proves

beyond all doubt that the people of Warrington will getbehind a successful football team. I would urge all footballfans to get behind the club and help them on their

journey, as the sell-out 2,400 crowd for the victory over Exeter Citycertainly proved to be the twelfth man.A successful football club will bring a significant economic boost to

the town and the publicity the club got nationally with a 2.2 millionaudience watching their live televised game and the column inchesin the national press is something money can't buy! Congratulationsto manager Shaun Reid, the board of directors and all those involvedat the club - keep up the goodwork - and here is hoping forWarrington Town being in thehat for the third round properof the FA Cup!Away from the glamour of

the cup and into grassroots,there has been a lot ofpublicity around the issuerecently and we’ve looked indepth as to what is goingwrong, with anex-professional’s opinion

from a certain Ray Parlour(pictured).

Callum LambertEditor

Follow me or ping me a tweet@callumlambertt

FC United of Manchester haveassured fans that they areconfident unveiling their

new 5,000 capacity stadiumbefore Christmas.

The breakaway club’s move intoBroadhurst Park, on RonaldJohnson Playing Fields in Moston,will be their first official site sinceforming nine years ago. They had originally hoped to be intheir new home by August 2013but a prolonged judicial reviewinto the verdict to award planningpermission put their plans onhold.

It is a remarkable rise from aclub that was built solely by fanswho opposed the Glazier takeoverof Manchester United, basingthemselves at Bury's Gigg Laneand latterly Stalybridge Celtic’sBower Fold.

Like any other club, ‘The Rebels’relied on benefactors to fund the

stadium, but a third of the £6million needed was raised througha fans Community Shares schemewhich Press and CommunicationsOfficer Andy Walker believes hasbeen integral towards building theground.

“If it wasn’t for the fact that weraised the funds from theCommunity Shares and also fromdevelopment funds then wewouldn’t have been able toleverage grant funding fromorganisations as diverse as SportEngland, Football Foundation,Manchester College andManchester City Council,” Walkerexplained.

As well as the main pitch, therewill be a couple of grass pitchesfor local side Moston Juniors andtwo 3G pitches for thecommunity.

Brodie Kemp from the under12s side “can’t wait” to try outthe new pitches.

“It will be exciting to tell peoplethat I’m playing on a pitch nextto FC United,” Brodie revealed.

“Hopefully they will make it intothe Premier League one day.” The club is also hoping to openmedical and ancillary facilities forpeople in the local area to use.

Walker said: “The fact that we aregoing to have a community facilityand a number of people comingon a fairly regular basis will webelieve help to develop the local

community and its commerce sothat will be an important part ofwhat we are doing when wemove.”

In an age of increasing ticketprices, FC United will continueto allow its members to set theprice of matchtickets despitemoving into the new multi-million pound stadium.

Walker claims there has been alot of “blood, sweat and tears”along the way to the opening oftheir new stadium after losingtheir first proposed site at TenAcres Lane in Newton Heaththrough no fault of their own.

A green and gold scarf stillrests on the fence of the newsite to remind people of theiropposition to the Glazier family,but as the club moves forwardinto its second decade ofexistence there’s a feeling thatthe club is now more aboutthemselves than ManchesterUnited.

AboveBuilders puttingthe final touchesto the St Mary’shome end

BelowNot long till fanswalk through theturnstiles

United WeStandNine years afterbreaking away fromManchester United,FC United of Manchesterare about to open theirfirst stadium

There has been alot of bloodsweat and tearsalong the way

Pictures: Richard Searle

Among the hot topics ofdiscussion was thee-petition originally submittedover a year ago by David Crausby.

It calls for the Premier League tocommit seven and a half per centof their broadcasting rights backinto grassroots football and is thebrainchild of Kenny Saunders.

Blackburn Eagles’ under 12scoach Stuart Quinn was at theevent and he urged other coachesand parents likehimself to sign the petition.

“Last weekend pretty much all ofthe pitches in Hyndburn werecalled off due tosurface water on the pitches,”Quinn said.

“Sometimes kids can go a hugeamount of timewithout playingfootball andsomething has to be changed tostop this. The council just doesn’thave football high on its lists ofpriorities.”

Hart says that it is up to peopleto sign the e-petition and if it is toreach 100,000 signatures they willforce adebate in court.

“The thing about lobbying is themore people who pressure andsupport the campaign the morechance there is of action,” Hartrevealed.

“And that’s why anyone who isconcerned about the future ofgrassroots football should voicetheir opinion by signing thepetition.”

Those wishing to sign theSave Grassroots Football e-petition can do so bysearching @savegrassroots onTwitter or by searching SaveGrass Roots Football onFacebook

Life And Death’, which was a partof Parliamentary Week.

The occasion was hosted by GaryHart of the Houses ofParliament Outreach Service withspeakers including KennySaunders from the ‘SaveGrassroots Football Campaign’,David Crausby MP who submittedan e-petition for a change atgrassroots level and Graeme JonesMP, a member of the All PartyParliamentary Group for football.

Hart, as well as being anamateur league footballer, is theregional officer for theNorth-West and Scotland of anorganisation which promotes thework for House of Commons andHouse of Lords.

He decided to organise the eventafter many questions were askedat Westminster about the state ofgrassroots football.

“From my perspective we try toreach people who might not havepreviously have thought aboutengaging with parliament,” Hartsaid.

“Especially in the North Westpeople think parliament is aplace where what goes onthere doesn’t affect our lives,well it does and grassrootsfootball is a primeexample of that.

“The dialogue we got goingbetween the MPs, grassrootscampaigners, ordinaryfootball coaches, players andfans show that everybody canrelate to grassroots footballand I’m sure it was a positiveexperience for everyoneinvolved.”

Hundreds of footballenthusiasts and localMembers of Parliament

came together on the 21stNovember to discuss the state ofthe game lower down thefootballing pyramid, after anoutcry for change.

The hospitality suite atAccrington Stanley was thelocation of the event, entitled‘Grassroots Football: A Matter Of

Above ‘Save

GrassrootsFootball’ e-

petition

Top (fromleft) DavidCrausby MP,KennySaunders,GraemeJones MP,Gary Hart

BelowWoolton FCUnder 6svoice theirconcerns

“The dialogue wegot going... showsthat everybody canrelate to grassrootsfootball and I’msure it was apositive experiencefor everyoneinvolved.”

“Sometimes kidscan go a hugeamount of timewithout playingfootball andsomething has to bechanged to stopthis.”

GrassrootsFootball:A Matter ofLife and Death

MP’s, campaigners and footballenthusiasts like coaches, playersand referees all come together asone to discuss the game atamateur level

Olympiastadion, 1st September2001. England’s ‘goldengeneration’ had just dismantled

Germany 5-1 in their own backyard. Inthe same year the Football Associationannounced plans for a national centre offootballing excellence at St George’sPark, near Buxton upon Trent inStaffordshire.

Fast forward thirteen years later and

Germany are now the world championsafter a trilogy of top three finishes;England haven’t progressed past thequarter-finals in any of the four WorldCups since that famous night in Munich.It would be hard to argue with theopinion that the national team has infact deteriorated rather than flourishedafter their worst tournament showingever out in Brazil.

Whilst no one can dispute thatEngland’s facilities are now world-leading at elite level it’s the amateurgame that has gone into free-fall. FAchairman Greg Dyke has recentlyadmitted that grassroots football “is in adegree of crisis.”

Dyke plans to invest £250m in newtraining facilities and improve English

coaching standards in a bid to preventEngland falling further behind othermajor countries like the current worldchampions.

However Kenny Saunders, coach of135 five and six year olds at Liverpoolbased Woolton FC believes that the newinitiative is like “putting a plaster on amassive open wound.”

“£250m across every city won’t goanywhere. At the present moment theestimated figure is over £8 billion toimprove grassroots football.”

The money suggested by Dyke will relyon sponsorships as well as FA fundingbut Kenny claimed that if he was amulti-millionaire he wouldn’t want to

get involved with a “failing brand.”“We keep blaming the FA but should

they really have spent £750m on astadium that is hardly used and evenwhen it is used by England it is halffull,” Saunders asked.

“The simple answer is no. Theyshould have ploughed the money intograssroots football, took Englandaround the country and played up inNewcastle, Middlesbrough, Liverpool,and places like that – rather than

costing working class people an armand a leg to go to Wembley, especially if

THEFUTURE OFENGLISHFOOTBA LLSTARTS HERE

With England coming offanother poor major

tournament, could theproblems lie at the bottom of

the pyramid? ‘Save GrassrootsFootball’ campaigner Kenny

Saunders believes so....They should have ploughedthe £750m into grassrootsfootball, took Englandaround the country andplayed up in Newcastle,Middlesbrough, Liverpool”

Broadway Celtic playing on one

of only 639 3G pitches in the country

effect on a child’s development.“The weather in England these days

means you can have three monthswhere you are not playing a game soyou need to get 3G pitches out there tohelp them,” the former Arsenal manclaimed.

In terms of coaches, Germany has28,400 (England 1,759) coaches withthe UEFA B licence, 5,500 (895) with theUEFA A licence and 1,070 (115) with theUEFA Pro licence, the highestqualification.

This UEFA data shows a startlingdifference between the two nations andSaunders believes the FA must do moreto help volunteers. Currently coachesare expected to pay £350 of their ownmoney to study for a FA Level 2qualification, the step before the Blicence.

“This is the way we get abused ingrassroots football by the FA. Thevolunteers do not get the credit thatthey deserve for holding up grassrootsfootball with their time and money formany years and as I said it is sad nowbecause their money is running out as istheir free time. There are less and lessvolunteers to come in and help out.”

through.”Saunders maintains that until the

grassroots game is addressed Englandwill continue to struggle whencompeting with the other top nations.

Despite this he is confident thee-petition will reach the 100,000signatures needed this time around forthe matter to be debated in court givenincreased publicity around the issue;after achieving just over 30,000 lastyear.

“The biggest problem compared toGermany which I’ve got is at the presenttime they have 5,000 3G (thirdgeneration) pitches and at this presentmoment we have got 639,” thegrassroots campaigner explains.

Parlour agrees that the lack of facilitiesat amateur level is having a detrimental

it’s a night game in midweek and theyhave to take time off work.”

Former England international RayParlour secured ten caps for his countryand played over 400 games for Arsenal,Middlesbrough and Hull before a briefspell at non-league side Wembley FC.

“The problem you’ve got is the FA is atotally different product to the PremierLeague, until they lock horns to try andget a deal for both sides it’s never goingto change.”

Less and less dreams of becoming aprofessional footballer are turning intoreality. It is estimated that an Englishacademy prospect has a less than oneper cent chance of signing a procontract as they now no longer have tocompete with just people in their areabut with players from across the globe.Parlour admits that domestic playersaren’t given the same chances he hadwhen he was first breaking through.

“I’d love to see more English playersbeing given a chance at the top level,”the former midfielder says.

“The problem you’ve got now isacademies are a lot different. Arsenal’sacademy for example is full of foreignpeople so that gives the English playersa lot harder opportunity to break

“The volunteers do notget the credit that theydeserve for holding upgrassroots football withtheir time and moneyfor many years”

At the end of the full timewhistle there was an old-school joyous pitch

invasion – and nobody cared.Warrington Town had a pizza

delivery driver, a window cleanerand a plasterer amongst otherprofessions to call upon for theirsole appearance in the first roundof the world’s oldest competitionat Cantilever Park. On thisoccasion it was the latter CraigRobinson who scored the onlygoal of the game to write his nameinto cup folklore. He isn’t the firstand certainly won’t be the last.

Players were hoisted on fans’shoulders and treated like kingsas The Yellows made light of a100-place gap in the footballpyramid between themselves andLeague Two side Exeter City toreach the FA Cup second round.

In a world where increasing wagesat the top tiers of the footballpyramid are separating playersaway from their fans, the noveltyof the FA Cup never fails to bringeuphoria to footballers who arejust as ordinary as theirsupporters.

The BBC had chosen to show thistie to mark the beginning of theirnew FA Cup contract and thehome fans revelled in thespotlight. Loud drums, tin foilcups, even fireworks were let offas no expenses were spared increating a raucous atmosphere tohonour the occasion.

Exeter’s players looked startledright from the moment they hadto walk past standing fans to enterthe playing field. On the otherhand the opposition stood tallwith their chests out as they weretreated to a huge ovation. Whetherthe beaming smiles across

Warrington’s players were down tothat or the fact they were wearingcommemorative shirts with theirnames on the back for the firsttime remains unknown. For allinvolved, this was theirbiggest night in frontof an audience ofmillions and theyweren’t going to let itslip by.

Rob Wood,chairman of theWarrington Townsupporter’s club,said there wasnothing that cameclose to theimportance of thisgame in the 22years of following theclub.

“I think it’s just got thatreputation. When playerscome to England they alltalk about playing the FACup,” Wood believes.

“It’s known worldwide asbeing the biggest cupcompetition in the world.The Coppa Italia, TheCopa Del Rey (Italian andSpanish equivalent of theFA Cup) teams putreserve sides out butthe FA Cup is massiveit’s the one all theplayers want to playin, because it’s so oldI guess. All the greatshave won it, it justdraws people in.”

In a town where a rugby leagueclub is more popular for locals,the game at Cantilever Parkreached its 2,500 capacity; crowdsusually average 200 for theirgames in the eighth tier of Englishfootball.

“It’s a huge achievement it reallyputs us on the map football wisein the town,” Warrington Town’sproud chairman Toby Macormacsaid.

“We’ve had huge support fromthe town and it shows with theticket sales, we basically sold awhole game in just less than fourhours.”

Straight from the openingwhistle The Yellows’ front pairingof Ben Wharton and Scott Metcalfemade it difficult for Exeter’sdefence with their high energyapproach. This set the examplefor the rest oftheir team-mates and theaway side foundthey had notime on the ballto exert theirtechnicalsuperiority. Evenwhen theyfoundthemselves inspace athunderous

challenge was just around thecorner, which was treated just likea goal by the spectators. Infairness the referee alsocontributed with his leniency inmaking this contest feel like it wasfrom a bygone era. It wasn’t

barbaric, no one was seriouslyhurt. It was just afootball matchthat the fans couldrelate to. The sportis regarded as aworking class gameafter all. Before the game

Macormacacknowledged thathis side faced anuphill battle but drewconfidence fromprevious upsets in thepast.

“It’s a huge David & Goliathcontest they’re a full timeclub, train every day yet wejust train twice a week,”Macmormac explained.

“For us we have a chanceto write ourselves into

history. A bit like SuttonUnited has done, they’re well

known in the gamefor giant-killing andwe have our chance.”He would have been

forgiven for thinking itwould take a littlelonger than sevenminutes for his club toenter the record books.Captain Karl Mannixswung a corner in fromthe left which was met at

the near post by Robinson to sendthe stadium into hysteria. For allhis side’s endeavour in theopening minutes, Mannix showedreal quality with a delivery youexpect from a player who was apart of Liverpool’s ChampionsLeague winning squad in 2005before a serious knee injurycurtailed his professional career.

The home side’s fierce pressurelasted until about the half an hourmark when their bodies began toshow the effects of only trainingtwice a week compared to theprofessionals on the opposingside. Just before the break, Exetermissed a glorious chance to golevel when Liam Sercombe pulleda cross back to David Noble whounleashed a volley against the

crossbar. Warrington’s FA

Cup journeybegan way back inAugust, when theybeat Barton TownOld Boys 4-1 infront of a crowdof a little morethan 100. Fastforward threemonths and fourmore preliminaryrounds, the

Above (fromtop) Robinson

steers hisheadergoalwards;Fans showtheir support;A banner thatwas hung on

the terraces

BelowWharton andMetcalfecausingproblems

“It’s a huge David &Goliath contestthey’re a full timeclub, train every dayyet we just traintwice a week”

Magic OfThe FA CupPart-timers WarringtonTown stun League Twooutfit Exeter City to reachthe Second Round

Northern Premier League DivisionOne North outfit were up against aside that features a currentEngland under-20 international inMatt Grimes.

With the whole nostalgic feelingof the game it wouldn’t have beena surprise if the Warringtonplayers ditched the isotonic drinksat half time for oranges butwhatever they consumed did thetrick. It wasn’t easy, it wasn’tpretty but they somehow held on.Sercombe went close with aneffort before Grimes began toshow the quality that you wouldexpect from an English youthinternational.

As The Yellows began to etchdeeper and deeper towards theirown goal, the fans played theirpart in making sure their playersfought to the end with theirundying enthusiasm. After oneGrimes shot in particular wassaved by goalkeeper Karl Wills,humorous chants of “England’snumber one” began to be sungacross Cantilever Park.

Left-back Tom Hardwick was thefirst of many Warrington playersto go down with cramp as theypushed their bodies to its limits.By the end of the match it wassimply a case of last man standingas exhaustion swept across theside, even the full-time fitnessinstructor Lewis Field was seengrimacing. However where

Warrington lacked in fitness wasmore than made up with theirheart and desire. Last ditchchallenges and goal line blockshelped them to hang on despitethe constant pressure from Exeter.

The final whistle was met byfirstly a few seconds of disbelief;however it soon escalated into astate of frenzy once the fansrealised the scale of theachievement from their players.

Those in attendance will savourthis night for the rest of their livesand the urban legend will bepassed on throughoutgenerations. As the fans began topile on to celebrate, a Spice Girlssong began to be beamed acrossthe tinny PA system. It was thatkind of night.

It remains to be seen whetherthe new influx of supporters willstick around for the leaguefixtures. However what is certainis that on the 6th December thetown which is very much rugbyorientated will once again cometogether and turn their attentiontowards their football team whenthey travel to high-flyingGateshead United of theConference North, a game inwhich BT Sport have chosen fortheir flagship tie of the round. IfWarrington Town can overcome amere three division gap this timearound, one of the heavyweightsof English football could lie in waitin round three. Teams as big instature as Arsenal, ManchesterUnited, Leeds United, andNewcastle United could be forcedto enter the cauldron of CantileverPark if The Yellows can once againdefy the odds. Write them off atyour peril, but the magic of the FACup has that familiar habit ofproving people wrong.

Above Warrington’splayerscelebrateRobinson’sgoal

BelowCelebrationstook place onthe pitch atfull-time

As the fans began topile on to celebrate,a Spice Girls songbegan to be playedacross the tinny PAsystem. It was thatkind of night.

Pictures: John Hopkins

Othernew releases

One more match?... If you insistSports Interactive return with their most addictive manager sim yet

FootballManager2015(PC, Mac)

The phenomenon that is the FootballManager series has returned for itseleventh appearance with SportInteractive delivering their mostvisually stimulating performance todate.

The game is still built on the samedetailed algorithms that have madethe franchise so successful over theyears and the database now boastsover 600,000 players and staff, themost in-depth game to date.

This year’s edition is tougher thanever as the AI manager will be morevaried in the tactics they put outagainst your side. A few times Ifound my side 2-0 up and coasting,only to walk away and find that thescores are level upon my return. Theconstant tinkering of player roles area key factor in preventing theopposing manager combating yourstrengths and exploiting yourweaknesses. Not too much though,otherwise ex Chelsea boss ‘TheTinkerman’ Claudio Ranieri and hisintellectual property lawyers maycome knocking at your door.

It is simply more than just a game.

EDITOR’SCHOICE

GAMES

FIFA 15This years edition bringsfootball to life in stunningdetail so fans can experiencethe emotion of the sport likenever before.

Witness the intensity ofcrowds chanting and cheeringlike on match day, and listento commentators guide fansthrough the story of the gamewith dynamic matchpresentation. For the first timeever, all 22 players on thepitch are connected withemotional intelligence – nowplayers will react to opponentsand teammates within thecontext, and relative to thenarrative of the match.

(Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3,

PS4, PC)

Pro Evolution Soccer2015PES 2015 is a genuine returnto form for the series, one thatcompetes with FIFA on everystep, pass and shot.

(Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3,

PS4, PC)

BOOKS

T-Shirts

Other books

The Story of German Football

by Uli Hesse

Germany did not have professionalplayers or a national league until the1960s, yet it became one of the mostsuccessful football nations in theworld. Tor! (Goal) traces theextraordinary story of Germany’s cluband international football, from thedays when it was regarded as adangerously foreign pastime, throughthe horrors of the Nazi years topostwar triumps.

This new edition brings events up todate, examining the effect that hostingthe 2006 World Cup had on thecountry, and how German club footballhas become the m ost talked about inE urope, culminating in last season’sChampions League final.

“Beautifully crafted... demolishes mythswith the cold-blooded efficiency ofGerd Müller”Times

£9.99 cover price

MorboThe Story of Spanish Footballby Phil Ball

The Cambridge Companion to

Football

By Rob Steen, Jan Novick, Huw Richards

Elephants, Lions & Eaglesby Filippo Ricci £9.99

Out of His SkinThe John Barnes Phenonemonby Dave Hill £9.99

Soccer in a Football WorldThe Story of America’s Forgotten Gameby David Wangerin £12.99

£13.95at wsc.co.uk

Tor!

Morbo is the unique element that givesSpanish football its special flavour. Morethan mere rivalry, it is the expression of thefeeling between clubs divided by history,language and politics. At its most bitterbetween Barcelona and Real Madrid, thesame spirit courses through theuncompromising politics of the BasqueCountry and hangs over the divided city ofSeville.

In this updated edition of his acclaimedbook, Phil ball examines the recentsuccesses of the Spanish national team asthe dark horses finally manage to live up totheir potential.

£9.99 cover price

This new 340-page book brings togetheressays from journalists and academics,covering subjects as diverse as thedisputed birth of the game, the cult of themanager and celebrity players, the impactof money in the Premier League, fanculture, the media and much more

£17.99 cover price

MY PERFECT XI

Steve PeachChester FC’s academy media officer runsthe rule on his non-league gems

CAM Waide FairhurstMacclesfield Town

GK Freddy HallAFC Telford United

RB Ben HeneghanChester FC

CB Tom ParkesBristol Rovers

CB Marc Roberts FC Halifax Town

Craig Mahon LAMChester FC

Tom Bender LBDartford

CM Kingsley JamesChester FC

RAM Lee CookBarnet

CM Stuart SinclairBristol Rovers

ST John AkindeBarnet

Despite playing for Telford who are currentlyfighting relegation, the Bermudan goalkeeper shows

real talent between the sticks having put in somegood performances so far this season.

At the age of just 22, the centre half has proved tobe a reliable go-to player this season having proven

to be a rock at the back for the Gas.

The experienced defender has worked hard so farthis season, helping out the Shaymen on many

occasions to give the team a clean sheet.

Able to play anywhere across the back four, the formerAccrington and Millwall defender has adapted well to the

left back position and proves a threat going forward.

Able to play at centre half or right back, Heneghan wasreleased by Stoke City this summer and has scored some

impressive goals in both the league and FA Cup.

Having made his England C debut in November, themidfielder also scored a goal for the Three Lions and hasproved an integral part with Chester’s team this season.

Having moved back from Greece, the attacking midfielder hasmade cemented his place in the Bees starting XI, notching up

both a number of assists and goals in the process.

After scoring an impressive goal in the FA Cup over Southend,Chester’s Mahon has performed tirelessly so far this

campaign, performing well both attacking and defending.

Signed from Alfreton Town in the summer, Akinde is an imposingstriker who is a handful to deal with when going forward.

Agile enough to play in a top three or up front, the formerLincoln City man is currently having one of his best seasons at

the Moss Rose, chipping in with some impressive goals.

The central midfielder has performed well so far this season,playing just in front of the back four, allowing for him todictate play and create advancing moves going forward.