Mickleover Football Club is a football club based in the Mickleover suburb of Derby, Derbyshire, England. They are currently members of the Northern Premier League Premier Division and play at Station Road. The club were formed as Mickleover Old Boys in 1948, before becoming Mickleover Sports in the 1990s. In 2020 the club dropped "Sports" from its name.[2]

Mickleover
Club logo
Full nameMickleover Football Club
Nickname(s)Sports
Founded1948
GroundStation Road, Mickleover
Capacity1,500 (280 seated)[1]
ChairmanDon Amott
ManagerGareth Holmes
LeagueNorthern Premier League Premier Division
2023–24Southern League Premier Division Central, 5th of 21 (transferred)
Mickleover (in red) playing F.C. United of Manchester

History

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The club was established in 1948 as Mickleover Old Boys.[3] They joined the Derby & District Senior League, where they played until moving up to the Premier Division of the Central Midlands League in 1993.[3] The club was then renamed Mickleover Sports.[1] A fourth-place finish in the Premier Division in 1994–95 saw them promoted to the Supreme Division.[4] In 1998–99 they were Supreme Division champions, earning promotion to Division One of the Northern Counties East League.[4] The club went on to win Division One and the league's Trophy in 2002–03 and were promoted to the Premier Division.[4][5]

The 2006–07 season saw Mickleover win the League Cup,[5] beating Garforth Town in the final on penalties. In 2008–09 they were Premier Division champions, earning promotion to Division One South of the Northern Premier League. The club went on to win Division One South the following season, securing a second successive promotion, this time to the Premier Division of the Northern Premier League. They also won the league's Chairman's Cup with a win over Halifax Town.[3] However, the club were relegated back to Division One South at the end of the 2011–12 season. A fifth-place finish in 2013–14 saw them qualify for the promotion play-offs. After beating Coalville Town 3–2 in the semi-finals, they lost the final 1–0 to Belper Town.

Following their play-off final defeat, Mickleover went on to win Division One South the following season, earning promotion back to the Premier Division.[4] On 1 June 2020 they were renamed Mickleover Football Club.[6] In 2022 the club were transferred to the Premier Division Central of the Southern League. They finished fifth in the division in 2023–24, before losing 2–0 to AFC Telford United in the play-off semi-finals. At the end of the season they were transferred back to the Premier Division of the Northern Premier League.

Ground

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The club play at the Mickleover Sports Ground. Plans to develop the ground began in 1982, although work did not start until 1992.[3] The new ground opened in 1993.[3] An artificial pitch was installed in 2021.[7]

The ground has capacity for 1,500 spectators, 280 of which are seated,[1] and is also used by Derby County Women.

Managerial history

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Period Manager
1993–1996   Tony Shaw
1996–2003   Mark Kelsey
2003–2007   Martin Rowe
2007–2012   Dick Pratley
2012–2013   Charlie Palmer (caretaker)
2013–2016   Glen Kirkwood
  Craig Hopkins
2016–2024   John McGrath
2024–   Gareth Holmes
Source: Micklover F.C.[8]

Honours

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  • Northern Premier League
    • Division One South champions 2009–10, 2014–15
    • Chairman's Cup winners 2009–10
  • Northern Counties East League
    • Premier Division champions 2008–09
    • Division One champions 2002–03
    • League Cup winners 2006–07
    • Trophy winners 2002–03
  • Central Midlands League
    • Supreme Division champions 1998–99

Records

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Mike Williams & Tony Williams (2016) Non-League Club Directory 2017, Tony Williams Publications, p186 ISBN 978-1869833695
  2. ^ Mickleover In Name Change Northern Premier League, 2 June 2020
  3. ^ a b c d e History Mickleover Sports F.C.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Mickleover Sports at the Football Club History Database
  5. ^ a b Honours Northern Counties East League
  6. ^ We will always be ‘The Sports’ but now we are Mickleover F.C. Micklover F.C.
  7. ^ Don Amott praises community spirit as stolen Mickleover FC pitch finally completed Derby Telegraph, 16 July 2021
  8. ^ "Mickleover History". Mickleover FC. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
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52°55′25″N 1°32′24″W / 52.92361°N 1.54000°W / 52.92361; -1.54000