Blades boss Nigel Adkins has outlaid a number of first team friendlies this summer, starting with Ilkeston away. They swiftly travel to Cheltenham Town next Tuesday and face further fixture down South at Exeter City (23 June) before hosting Newcastle United (26th) as part of Chris Morgan's testimonial match. On Wednesday, 29th Maclesfield Town host the Blades before a home game with newly relegated Hull City (2 Aug) complete the round-up of friendly fixtures.
These game will give the players the chance to be match fit for the new League One season on 8 August where on this occassion they start away at Gillingham. It will also give supporters the opportunity to eye out new signings; to date only Martyn Woolford (from Millwall) is a new addition to the sqaud. They will also be boosted by the return of midfielder Jose Baxter following his recent drugs ban.ing from the squad will be Michael Doyle (Portsmouth), Iain Turner and Ben Davies - all were released last month following the end of there Bramall Lane contracts.
Who are Ilkeston FC.... By Duncan Payne
Ilkeston FC are in a transitional stage after last season's heroics, a season which saw them lose 1-0 in the Evo-Stik League Play-Off Final at Curzon Ashton.The team was decimated by a succession of young stars leaving the club - Kieran Wallace, Che Adams (Blades), Joe Burgess, Akil Wright & Ash Hunter (Fleetwood), Jake Mulraney (QPR), Ryan Wilson (Gateshead) and Kane Richards (Chester) - but they fought valiantly for the promotion they deserved but ultimately lost out on.
Manager Kevin Wilson was not offered a new contract (he wouldn't have even if promotion had been secured), and he took elder statesmen James Reid, Rob Duffy and Joe Maguire (Harry's brother) with him to Nuneaton Town in June, his assistant Steve Chettle (formely with Nottingham Forest as a professional player) joining him as well. Ilkeston appointed Gavin Strachan as manager (called head coach round here!) and former Scotland number two Andy Watson as his assistant. Their brief is to continue to the club's philosophy of bringing through young talent (16-19 year olds) for them to progress to a higher level or to help Ilkeston reach the Conference within three years.
Already, the 'drain' has potentially started, with central midfielder Callum Chettle looking set for a move to QPR and his fellow midfielder David Morgan is currently on trial at Notts County. The good news is that plenty more talent is about to strike fear into the Evo Stik League, although a good number are un-named trialists at the moment. Of the players who have signed, only one has advanced beyond his teenage years and that is the impressive 25 year old Brazilian goalkeeper Evandro Rachoni. Other newcomers include Oliver Luto (Peterborough left-back), Liam Marshall (Peterbrough centre-back), Joe Doyle (Burton midfielder) and the return of Joe Burgess from Fleetwood. Luke Shaw (attacking wing-back), Eli Bako (centre mid), Tyler Johal (striker yet to make his 1st team debut but red hot for the reserves last season), Mike Williams (hard working striker), and Matt Baker (central defender) have all re-signed for this season, but the real hot prospect is wing-back Curtis Burrows, a Premiership player in the making and ready to make the step up from youth team to 1st team without a doubt.
We expect several more signings over the next three weeks; Ilkeston FC are recognised by young players and their agents as THE club to be at to kick-start their careers and the club is having to turn many away as not being good enough (a lad released by Sunderland recently being one example). Che Adams may have been the first to make a good impression (how we loved his efforts against Spurs) but there are players here with the potential to be much better players than our former hero.