Opposition Preview: Burton Albion

Our latest pre-season friendly saw us come away with a solid 3-0 victory. We visited National League North side Hereford at the MandM Edgar Street stadium, as we ramped up our preparations for the upcoming season against tough opposition. A welcome return to the starting lineup for attacker Jacob Wakeling was short-lived, taking a knock early on, before been replaced just before the half-hour mark by Charlie Footes. Tyrell Warren made his first start for The Moors in defence, looking solid and assured just a day after signing for the Club. The first half was an even affair, with not much to note in terms of chances on a difficult, slightly sloped pitch in windy conditions. Hereford came closest to opening the scoring, with Keziah Martin forcing a good save from Nat Ford, palming the ball away for a corner. The second half started much the same, and it took until the 56th minute to break the deadlock. Junior Tiensia showing tremendous pace to beat Kyle Howkins to a long ball down the left flank, before driving inside and firing past goalkeeper Theo Richardson to put us a goal ahead, with what his first goal since returning to The Moors. 0-1 Shortly after conceding, Hereford made a host of changes, bringing on several of their under-18's, giving them invaluable experience of senior football. The tempo understandably dropped after so many changes, but with 5 minutes of the 90 remaining, a Moors corner led to Callum McFarlane having a good header well saved by Hereford keeper Ollie Lewis, only for Kian Ryley to be in the right place at the right time, to rifle home. 0-2. A minute later, with the result now beyond doubt, The Moors managed to put a bit of gloss on the scoreline, forcing an own goal after good work down the right-hand side. A Hereford defender glanced the ball into his own net under pressure. 0-3. Game over. Full time saw Chris Millington's men secure back-to-back wins in pre-season after previously not tasting victory in the first three fixtures. All in all, a good afternoon's work, more minutes in the tank, a clean sheet, 3 goals and a run out for several the new signings and youngsters. Bulls manager Aaron Downes praised his sides mentality and work rate against higher division opponents, and despite the eventual scoreline, had a lot to be positives to take away. We'd like to wish Hereford all the best for the new season. Next up, we host League One outfit Burton Albion at Damson Park on Tuesday, 28th July at 7pm. Don't miss out on our penultimate fixture before our National League campaign begins. Tickets are priced: Adult - £9.00 Under 18 - £6.00 To purchase yours, visit the link below https://solihullmoorsfc.ticketco. events/uk/en/e/solihull_moors_vburton?version=m Match report written by Scott Cattell

Solihull Moors are delighted to announce the signing of defender Tyrell Warren ahead of the 2026/27 National League season, subject to league & FA approval. The 27-year-old arrives at Damson Park following his departure from Grimsby Town, bringing with him significant Football League and National League experience. A product of Manchester United's Academy, Warren began his senior career with Salford City, gaining valuable experience during loan spells with Radcliffe, Boston United and later FC Halifax Town, before securing a move to Barrow in 2022. After two seasons in League Two with Barrow, Warren joined Grimsby Town ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, where he made over 50 appearances across all competitions and established himself as a regular in the Mariners' defence. Now, Warren joins Solihull Moors as Chris Millington continues to strengthen his squad ahead of the new National League season. Chris Millington added: “Tyrell is a very effective defender who also has the ability to create and support attacks. As a person, he has a professional, no-nonsense way about him which will be a great value across the course of the season. I'm thrilled to welcome Tyrell to the Moors." Everyone at Solihull Moors would like to welcome Tyrell to the Club and wish him every success in blue and yellow.

TICKETS Season Tickets Season tickets are not valid for this fixture. All tickets can be purchased here Opening times and turnstile access The car park will open at 5:00 pm The box office for ticket collection will be open from 5:30 pm The turnstiles will be open from 5:30pm for home and away supporters to gain entry into the stadium. When you purchase a match ticket, you must sit or stand in the area where you bought your ticket. The main bar and the Trevor Stevens Bar will be open at 5:30 pm. Hospitality/Executive Boxes Hospitality doors for this fixture will open at 5:30 pm. Junior Tickets 14-year-olds and under must be accompanied by a full-paying adult on the day of the match; otherwise, U14 ticket holders may be refused entry to the venue: to turn up to the match without a full-paying adult is a safeguarding issue. SAFEGUARDING RE ADMISSION: Note for reference, those supporters aged 14 and under MUST be accompanied by an adult to enter the ground, i.e. individual must be 14 or over. REFRESHMENTS Supporters can purchase alcohol and refreshments from the Main Bar and the Trevor Stevens Suite. There will be food available at: Hot Food Bar in the old reception GETTING HERE PARKING The Car Park is open from 5.00 pm Please do not park on the Damson Parkway dual carriageway – this is a red route and parking here is strictly prohibited. Supporters will receive tickets for parking illegally, so we stress the importance of utilising the NCP Car Park and planning your journey well in advance. If fans forget to pay before leaving, they will still be able to pay via Post Pay within 24 hours of exiting the car park however this will charge them the original tariff. Failure to pay will result in a Parking Charge. To learn more, including tariffs and PostPay, please visit: https://www.birminghamairport.co.uk/parking/freeport-car-park . Any supporters' coaches must drop fans off at the NCP parking point, as the Damson Parkway dual carriageway is a red route. It is at the coach driver’s discretion to drop supporters off on the red route; supporters must then walk from the NCP Car Park to the stadium. Travel by Bus The X12 bus runs to the ground every 15/20 minutes from Solihull Town Centre, the NCP and Birmingham International. In night matches, this increases to every 30 minutes. Click here to view the X12 bus route, stops and full timetable . Travel by Train Solihull Railway Station is served by trains from Birmingham Moor Street and London Marylebone. The ground is situated two and a half miles away from the station in a roughly north-easterly direction. Birmingham International Station is roughly one and a half miles from the ground and is on the Euston to Birmingham New Street line. Kick It Out You can report an incident of discrimination via the Kick It Out App, which can be used on iPhone and Android devices. Phone – 0800 169 9414 Twitter - @kickitout , or by contacting the organisation’s Reporting Officers on @kickitoutreport. Solihull Moors Supporters Association Click here to find out more about the Solihull Moors Supporters Association.

After securing our first victory of pre-season, Solihull Moors are back in action this weekend as we travel to Hereford for our latest pre-season clash. Saturday’s victory over Hednesford Town ended a three-game winless run in pre-season, after some difficult outings against Birmingham City, Knowle and Alvechurch. Goals from Kian Ryley and Conor Wilkinson saw the Moors come from behind to secure a narrow victory and finally end their winless run. Saturday will see us make the short but difficult trip to National League North side Hereford, with the game beginning at 2pm. Ahead of Saturday’s clash, here is everything you need to know for our trip to Hereford. —— An overview of Hereford: The 2026/27 season will be Hereford’s ninth straight season in the National League North, with the club narrowly avoiding relegation on the final day of the campaign. Back-to-back victories over Radcliffe & Marine as well as a draw with Peterborough Sports ensured that Aaron Downes’ side will stay in the sixth tier next season. Hereford have had three pre-season friendlies, beginning with a 1-1 draw against Hereford Pegasus before being beaten by Bishop’s Cleeve. Their last outing was a 3-1 win in mid-week against Worcester City. —— Head-to-head: The two sides haven’t met in a competitive fixture since October 2021, when we defeated them 1-0 during a fourth-round qualifying match in the FA Cup. One year prior, Hereford beat the Moors 1-0 themselves – meaning the previous two games have been narrow score-lines with clean sheets in each too. —— Tickets: Tickets for Saturday’s clash against Hereford are available to purchase online right now and are available on the gate. The prices are as follows; Adults (16-64): £16.00 Senior Concessions (65+): £14.00 Under 16s: £3.00 There are no booking fees to pay when purchasing your tickets, but tickets must be purchased here . —— Getting to the Stadium: Hereford play their games at Edgar Street, located north of Hereford town centre. The 492 bus service does serve the stadium, giving supporters a chance to hop on public transport to reach the stadium. Likewise, Edgar Street is a 13-minute walk from Hereford train station or a six-minute drive. Edgar Street Stadium is located on Edgar Street in Hereford. The postcode is HR4 9JU. —— In the dugout – Aaron Downes The man in the Hereford hot-seat this weekend is Aaron Downes. The 41-year-old is a former EFL footballer with the likes of Bristol Rovers, Chesterfield and Cheltenham Town before retiring in 2018. Downes has had interim roles throughout his career thus far, but finally landed his first permanent position with Hereford in February 2026. Since taking the role, Downes has won nine of his opening 21 matches – earning a win percentage of 42.9%. —— Familiar faces: There is one familiar face for Solihull Moors fans to welcome this weekend, with summer signing Fin Holmes now with Hereford. Holmes joined the club after impressing on trial, but despite a lack of game time – he continued to standout with a memorable goal against Everton U21s in the National League Cup. However, he was sold to Halesowen Town last summer but continued to impress with an increased amount of first-team exposure – leading to a move to Hereford this summer. Likewise, Moors winger Kian Ryley was previously a loan player with Hereford – as was Callum McFarlane. —— We hope to see as many of you as possible, ahead of Saturday’s clash with Hereford. COYM 🟡🔵 Written by Callum Moseley

Chris Millington and his Solihull Moors side are set to continue their preparations for the upcoming 2026/27 Enterprise National League season with a trip to face Hereford FC at Edgar Street on Saturday afternoon. The Moors will be facing a side led by Manager Aaron Downes, who finished in 20th place last term in the National League North. Their pre-season started with a 1 – 1 draw with Hereford Pegasus, before making the trip to Kayte Lane to take on Bishop’s Cleeve, losing 2 – 0 in the end. Worcester City were next in what was their most recent friendly before facing Millington’s men, winning 3 – 1 at the aforementioned Edgar Street. It is well known that Hereford FC are a phoenix club founded following the demise of Hereford United in 2014, starting life in the Midland Football League for the 2015/16 campaign, while keeping the nickname and club colours. The Bulls went on to sensationally win the League and Cup double, whilst also going on to win the Herefordshire FA County Challenge Cup, and playing in front of 21,000 of their fans at Wembley for their appearance in the FA Vase Final in the English Capital. They then continued that success in the following season, earning an incredible total of 107 points as they lifted the Southern League South & West title, whilst they also retained the Herefordshire FA County Challenge Cup, and beat Royston Town in the Champions v Champions clash at the end of the season. Hereford then completed what was an extraordinary third promotion in a row in the 2017/18 season, winning the title with as many as three games to spare, going on to earn a total of 113 points overall by the time that the season concluded. In the FA Cup that season, they got to the First Round Proper and were only narrowly defeated in a replay by Fleetwood Town of League One. After a difficult first season in the National League North, the 2021/22 season saw a mid-table finish with a view of venturing into the upper echelons of the table the following season. We now rewind time to the origin of the original club, Hereford United, who were formed all the way back in 1924. Over their extensive history, they spent a total of 31 seasons in the English Football League, with the highest division they reached being the Second Tier when it was known as the Second Division, spending a single season there back in the 1976/77 campaign. In the third tier, League One, they spent 25 seasons there cumulatively, whilst they had 5 years in League Two. They are also responsible for producing a number of top players, chief amongst them being West Ham United forward Jarrod Bowen, who began his professional career there back in 2014. Hereford FC now look forward to what they hope will be a successful and fruitful 2026/27 season in the Sixth Tier, the National League North, as they meet with Chris Millington’s Solihull Moors at Edgar Street as both sides prepare for the campaign ahead. In the opposition dugout – Aaron Downes Aaron Downes, the current Manager of Hereford FC, only recently joined the club. The Australian was appointed by The Bulls back on 16th February 2026. His coaching career began as the assistant manager of Torquay United back on 13th December 2018 before going on to be appointed as the interim boss of The Gulls a few years later in February 2024 following the departure of Gary Johnson. However, he did leave in May of that year after he had guided the club to safety in the National League South. Then, in June 2024 became assistant manager of Cheltenham Town, returning to the club after having spent time there as a player. He then departed on 30th September that year following the appointment of permanent boss Steve Cotterill. His appointment at Hereford then followed early the following year. As previously mentioned, Downes did have a playing career before going into management, with his time as a professional player lasting for as many as 15 years between 2003 and 2018. He played for the likes of Hampton & Richmond (2003), Frickley Athletic (2003 - 2004), Chesterfield (2004 - 2012), Bristol Rovers (Loan, 2012), Torquay United (2012 - 2015), before retiring at his final club, the aforementioned Cheltenham Town, with whom he spent three years between 2015 and 2018. Key Player – Aaron Skinner After a string of exceptional performances last term, defender Aaron Skinner was named as the Bulls’ player of the season after his efforts on the pitch played a vital role in Hereford’s survival in the National League North. He began his youth career with Bury, spending 5 years there before departing for Bolton Wanderers in 2019. He only spent what was a short time with The Trotters before being snapped up by Tottenham Hotspur, with whom he played for their youth teams until his departure from the North London club in 2021. From there, he went to Bamber Bridge, where in the 2022/23 campaign he was their player of the year before making the move to Hereford FC on 24th May 2023. He also recently signed a new contract with The Bulls in order to remain at the club for the duration of the upcoming 2026/27 season. Preview written by Adam Holt

Tickets for our match away at Hereford FC on Saturday are available to purchase via the link below & on our website. We have been advised that supporters will NOT be able to purchase tickets through their website. https://herefordfc.ticketco.events/uk/en/e/hereford_fc_v_solihull_moors_away_supporters_only

Solihull Moors can confirm that our away National League fixture against Forest Green Rovers has been rescheduled. The match, originally due to take place on Monday 28th December (3:00pm kick-off), will now be played on Tuesday 29th December, with kick-off at 7:00pm. Any further ticket information will be communicated in due course.

It’s been a challenging start for Chris Millington’s men in terms of pre-season results, but could this weekend mark the start of a change as we travel to Hednesford Town? After defeats against Knowle & Birmingham City and a draw with Alvechurch, will Saturday be fourth time lucky for the Moors – as we continue our search for our first victory of the 2026/27 season? The Moors have scored just once in pre-season thus far, courtesy of Joe Sbarra’s strike against Alvechurch last week. Saturday will see us make the short but difficult trip to newly-promoted National League North side Hednesford Town, with the game beginning at 3pm. Ahead of Saturday’s clash, here is everything you need to know for our trip to Hednesford Town. —— An overview of Hednesford Town: Hednesford have spent their entire history as a non-League club, though they did go close to sealing promotion to the fourth tier in the 1990s; despite finishing third in the table – play-offs weren’t in existence, and they ultimately missed out. Within a couple of seasons, Hednesford made history in the FA Cup, reaching the first round proper and defeating Hull City 2-0. At this time they had gone from no qualification in 70 years to reaching the first round three years on the spin. Current Moors boss Chris Millington was formerly an assistant manager for Hednesford Town back in December 2015 – working under Frank Sinclair, but the pair left four months later after they were relegated. Their replacement was a manager called Liam McDonald, who went on to leave the club for Solihull Moors within seven months of getting the Hednesford role. However, relegations followed around that time, and the club have had to undergo several rebuilds to get themselves back to the stage they are today. This summer, Hednesford have already been extremely busy in the transfer window – signing a plethora of players who played against Solihull last season. Therefore, this fixture will be entirely different from the 2025 contest. —— Head-to-head: Despite the difference in leagues, there has been a recent meeting between the two sides. In 2025, Solihull Moors made the trip to Hednesford in the Birmingham Senior Cup, in which we came out victorious following a brace from former Academy graduate Tyler Bruck. There have been prior meetings in both 2014 and 2015, but the two clubs have only met once since then, in which we came out victorious. —— Tickets: Tickets for Saturday’s clash against Hednesford are available to purchase online right now and are available on the gate. The prices are as follows; Adults (18-64): £8.00 Senior Concessions (65+): £5.00 Kids (13-17): £2.00 Under 13s: £0.00 There are no booking fees to pay when purchasing your tickets. Please note the following; - Hednesford Town have recently installed three self-scanning turnstiles, meaning supporters will need to scan their tickets before entering the stadium. - Due to our National League status, Saturday’s game has been made a ‘designated fixture’, meaning alcohol will not be eligible to be consumed in view of the pitch. - Parking at the stadium has been significantly reduced due to building work. - Nobody under the age of 16 is allowed to enter the stadium without a full-paying adult or senior citizen. - In accordance with the National League ground regulations, the stadium is a smoke- and vape-free venue, but you can consume these via the outdoor bar. —— Getting to the Stadium: Hednesford Town play their fixtures at the Keys Park Stadium, which is located via Keys Park Road (WS12 2DZ) in Hednesford. It is located 28 miles (36-minute drive) from Damson Park, with the number 23 bus service, calling within a five-minute walk of the stadium. The closest train station to Keys Park is Hednesford Railway Station, which is easily accessible from stations such as Marston Green, Birmingham International and Birmingham New Street and is a three-minute car ride away. Alternatively, it is a 20-minute walk. —— In the dugout – Kelvin Davis Former Southampton goalkeeper Kelvin Davis is the man in the dugout for Hednesford Town, after guiding them to promotion late in the season. Davis previously had a managerial stint with fellow National League side Eastleigh, but took on the role as Hednesford boss back in February 2026. The 49-year-old successfully guided the club to promotion to the National League North last season and will be eager to push on. He has been heavily backed by the club’s owners this summer, signing several National League departures such as George Langston (Braintree), Aaron Hayden (Carlisle) and Dale Gorman (Woking). —— Familiar faces: There are several familiar faces for Solihull Moors fans to spot this weekend. Former loan goalkeeper Sam Hornby joined Hednesford on a free transfer from League Two side Walsall earlier this summer and is likely to start between the sticks. Similarly, Omari Sterling-James remains with the club – even despite the sheer number of signings that have been made so far this summer. Alternatively, for Chris Millington, he faces a reunion with former playmaker Jamie Cooke, who is likely to feature for Hednesford, following his summer switch from Halifax Town. —— We hope to see as many of you as possible, ahead of Saturday’s clash with Hednesford Town. COYM 🟡🔵 Match preview written by Callum Moseley

Chris Millington and his side are set to face Hednesford Town in their latest friendly as preparations for the upcoming 2026/27 National League season continue. Saturday afternoon’s game will see Solihull Moors face a team on the rise at Keys Park, with Kelvin Davis’ side having recently sealed a second consecutive promotion last term, which sees them now compete in the National League North. The Pitmen opened their pre-season with what was a commanding 6 – 0 triumph over Chasetown, a result that was secured thanks to the goals of Niall Maher, Jamie Cooke, Aaron Jarvis, and Josh Mabbley. This was then followed by a goalless draw in their second and most recent friendly against Stratford Town ahead of their encounter with Millington’s men. Hednesford have an extensive history, with the origins of the club able to be traced back to the 19th Century. They were founded all the way back in 1880 when the Red and Whites, also known as West Hill, completed a merger with a club named Hill Top. The club’s first home was ‘The Tins’, which was a site located just behind The Anglesey Hotel, with the name coming from the sheet metal that was found all around the ground. Then in 1889, the Pitmen would go on to become one of the founding members of the Birmingham & District League, going on to finish a very respectable 6th place in their maiden campaign. However, they did leave the league in 1891, despite having finished as high as third place the previous season, though they did go on to join the Walsall & District Junior League in 1894 after predominantly playing friendly matches during their football league hiatus. In the next three seasons, Hednesford would finish second in all three campaigns, with the league being renamed as the Walsall & District League in 1897. 1904 was a historic year for the club, as they moved to the Cross Keys Ground to move away from ‘The Tins’, with them making a deal with a local councillor who was happy to pay off the club’s debt of £40 to leave their previous home. A crowd of 900 watched their first ever game there, where they beat local side Stafford 3 – 1. Fast forward to after World War Two, Hednesford Town Football Club were now competing in the Birmingham Combination, finishing as league title winners in 1952/53, before then finishing as runners-up the following season in their subsequent 1952/53 campaign. The league then split in the 1954/55 season, with the Pitmen now set to compete in the Northern Division. Fast forward to the mid-1970s, they were crowned as the league champions of the West Midlands Regional League, and then in 1982/83 they were able to move up to the Midland section of the Southern League, narrowly avoiding relegation under the stewardship of their former Goalkeeper John Baldwin by the end of the decade in the 1989/90 campaign. The following season, 1990/91, saw them have a successful campaign, finishing third before then securing a historic promotion to the Beazer Homes League Premier Division after they only finished behind Solihull Borough in second place in 1991/92. They finished fourth in the league the following season, during which they were able to reach the Staffordshire Senior Cup Final after losing to Stoke City over two legs. They reached a domestic cup final again in 1993/94, with them going on to be beaten 3 – 0 by Walsall at the Bescot Stadium in what was the Birmingham Senior Cup Final on this occasion. In the following season, The Pitmen were promoted to the GM Vauxhall Conference as Champions. A victory against Leek Town was what secured them the crown, and it was also to be their final ever game at the Cross Keys, with them due to move into their current home, the aforementioned Keys Park. The 1996/97 season was one that would go down in history as one of the most successful campaigns for the Pitmen. They were able to reach the First Round Proper of the FA Cup, the first time that they had done so for 72 years, only losing in the Fourth Round to Middlesbrough, and they beat the likes of Hull City. Then, on the turn of the century in 2000, the club suffered their first ever relegation in 2000/01. A succession of managers followed the departure of John Baldwin, with the likes of Neil Pointon, Colin Lambert, Paul Raynor, Kenny Hibbitt, and Ian Painter all taking the hotseat at Hednesford Town in the years that followed. Fast forward to the 2008/09 campaign, they did finish 8th despite being in great form at the start of the season, though they did still manage to go on to lift some silverware, lifting the Birmingham Senior Challenge Cup for only the second time in the club’s history after a 73 year long wait after beating Stourbridge 2 – 0 in the Final. Moving on to the 2011/12 season, they were able to finish as high as second place in the Southern League Premier Division whilst also going on to lift the Southern League Cup. They did, though, lose on penalties to Salisbury City in the Play-Off Final, before being moved across to the Evo-Stick Northern Premier League for the following campaign. 2012/13 was amazing for The Pitmen. They accumulated as many as 93 points, finishing second and winning promotion to the Conference, beating AFC Fylde and then FC United of Manchester on the way. They were then also able to win the Birmingham Senior Cup and the Staffordshire Senior Cup in what was a truly historic season for the Midlands-based club. In 2019/20, the season was of course curtailed by the Coronavirus pandemic, and in May 2020, a takeover of the Pitmen was completed by a pair of businessmen, Graham Jones and Hayden Dando, appointing Andy Morrell, who won the FA Trophy with Wrexham, as manager. A few years later, the club had a takeover fall through, with the club in financial trouble in March 2023, but they were saved by the aforementioned Hayden Dando, and the club was then reinstated into the Northern Premier League Division One West. It was announced that then-manager Danny Glover would be taking the Pitmen forward into the 2023/24 campaign. However, Glover and his management team were subsequently relieved of their duties by October 2023 following a poor start that saw them sat bottom of the league with Harry Harris and Steve Hinks taking over after departing Walsall Wood for Hednesford. Then, by March 2024, Craig and Amanda Gwilt completed a takeover of the Pitmen, which saved the future of the club in the process. They then subsequently avoided relegation in 2023/24 thanks to a reprieve. Steve King was appointed before leaving in October 2024. In the second half of the 2024/25 season, the duo of manager Gavin Hurren and assistant manager Lee Vaughan guided them from 14th place in the Northern Premier League West table all the way up to second place after a run of 18 wins and just 3 defeats in what were their final 27 league matches, which included going on a 14 game unbeaten run as well as 13 clean sheets. They had home advantage in the playoffs, beating Vauxhall Motors 3 – 1 in the semi-final, before then securing a place in Step 3 thanks to what was a deserved 2 – 0 triumph over Congleton Town in the Final. Last season (2025/26), they achieved a second successive promotion to the National League North after beating Warrington Rylands on penalties following a 1 – 1 draw in an enthralling and competitive game at Keys Park. They now look forward to their season at Step Two, where they will be looking to continue their progress as a club in the upcoming 2026/27 campaign. In the opposition dugout – Kelvin Davis Kelvin Davis has been manager of Hednesford Town on a permanent basis since 11th May 2026 alongside his assistant Danny Butterfield after initially joining the club on an interim basis back in February. They managed to lead the Pitmen to promotion to the National League North in the second half of last season, and will be looking to continue the momentum over the course of the upcoming season at Step Two. Previously in coaching, Davis spent time as a Football Development Executive and then First Team Assistant Coach at Southampton between 2017 and 2022, briefly being caretaker in 2018. He has also spent time taking charge of Eastleigh between 2024 and 2025 before eventually joining the Pitmen. Davis also had a 22 year playing career, spending time with the likes of Luton Town (1994 - 1999), Torquay United (Loan, 1994), Hartlepool United (Loan, 1997), Wimbledon (1999 - 2003), Ipswich Town (2003 – 2005, Sunderland (2005/06), and finally the aforementioned Southampton from 2006 until his retirement, playing a Testimonial Match in May 2016. His assistant manager, Danny Butterfield, also had a long playing career, which took place from 1997 to 2016. Playing predominantly as a defender, Butterfield was able to represent the likes of Grimsby Town (1997 - 2002), Crystal Palace (2002 - 2010), Charlton Athletic (Loan, 2009), Southampton (2010 - 2013), Bolton Wanderers (Loan, 2013), Carlisle United (2013), and finally Exeter City (2013 – 2016) during his playing career. Key Player – Ahkeem Rose Ahkeem Rose is most certainly one of the standout players for Hednesford Town, and it would be no surprise if he put in similar performances for the Pitmen in the coming season in the National League North. Last term, Rose was the top scorer in the league for the club with 13 alongside Montel Gibson, though the latter is no longer at the club. Rose’s career in football began as a youth player for Grimsby Town, though he has since gone on to play senior football for The Mariners from 2017 to 2020 following spells at the likes of Pelsall Villa (2015 - 2016) and Heather St. John’s during the same period as he was at Pelsall. Following his spell playing senior football for Grimsby, he went on to play for the likes of Boston United (Loan, 2018), Dover Athletic (2020 - 2021), Weymouth (2021 - 2023), Wimborne Town (Loan, 2021), Ayr United (2023 - 2024), Hamilton Academical (Loan, 2024), Hereford (2024 - 2025), and then finally current club Hednesford Town, who he joined back on 4th February 2025. Opposition preview written by Adam Holt