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Popular Brewer departs Ilkeston |
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Defender Rick Brewer has left Ilkeston Town after being edged out
of first team action by the squad's excellent start to the Unibond
Premier season. |
The 21-year-old agreed a new contract in the summer
after several clubs expressed an interest in the former Mansfield
Town youngster.
Manager David Holdsworth said Brewer's progress had been hampered by
injuries and he has left the New Manor Ground by "mutual
consent."
He said: "The emergence of the squad is a factor and so is the
arrival of Paul Hurst, who is in front of him at left-back. Rick
wants to take a year out and we wish him well."
With the departure of Gareth Holmes, Brewer was the Robins' longest
serving player, making his debut at Gresley Rovers four years ago.
He has recently been bothered by a hamstring strain. He was a junior
at Mansfield Town and was released when Stags' staff began to look
at handing out YTS deals. While doing a sports science course at
Newark and Sherwood College, his lecturer was Phil Stant, a former
Mansfield player. When Stant became manager at Ilkeston, one of his
first acts was to bring Brewer along with him. He has played about
80 times and scored a couple of goals.
One of those will long be remembered by home fans - though not by
him. He headed in a cross, crashed into a post and was knocked out.
While Brewer was leaving, Holdsworth praised Hurst, who took over
the captain's armband for Saturday's FA Trophy win at Ashton United.
"You can't emphasise enough the quality of Paul Hurst and his
leadership role. The little man has not put a foot wrong and is a
fantastic asset to us.
"He is not a ranter and a raver but does the correct things.
His preparation, his desire, his ability; all these things are a
credit to Paul who is an amazing character," he said.
The manager was left happy by the progress in the Trophy, especially
as it came after two defeats in the League. "It was a tricky
tie but the way we went about it was excellent," he said.
Captain Lee Thompson was rested with midfielder Rob Scott taking his
right back berth. Central striker Tom Cahill played wide on the
right as part of a three-pronged attack with Jon Douglas in the
middle and Anthony Howell roaring up and down the left.
The system worked well but the manager is keen to see his side turn
chances into goals. On Saturday these were provided by Cahill and
Douglas.
"It could have been more. We have not got the killer instinct
in front of goal just yet. It will come because we have the
appetite," he added.
Ilkeston will now travel to Southern League Division One side
Chasetown, who hammered North Ferriby United 4-1 in a replay on
Tuesday night and have become renowned in recent years for their
prolonged FA Cup runs.
On Saturday, Ilkeston are back to work in the Unibond Premier with a
trip to Frickley Athletic.On August Bank Holiday Monday, a crowd of
495 saw Ilkeston win 1-0 through Howell's penalty. And on Tuesday,
November 11, old rivals Boston United visit the New Manor Ground for
a league match, which kicks off at 7.45pm.
l David Holdsworth has paid tribute to the man who took over a
Unibond club and turned it briefly into a major force in Scottish
football.
As reserve team manager at Gretna, Holdsworth had a grandstand view
of the massive impact of Brooks Mileson, who died on Monday aged 60.
"I hope people across Scottish football will recognise what he
tried to do for a small club. It was simply magnificent and just
incomparable.
"We won three promotions, got into the Scottish Premier League
and into the Scottish Cup Final. I worked for him for
three-and-a-half years and never had a bad day with him.
"It was a privilege to know him and help him to develop that
club.
"He was a great enthusiast and a lovely man. Gretna is really
just a village and what he did for the place, for under-privileged
people and for children was simply wonderful.
"Our thoughts go out to his son Craig and all his family,"
added Holdsworth.
After meeting through football, the two men quickly became firm
friends and Mileson was godfather to Holdsworth's son Charles.
Pony-tailed Mileson wanted to get involved with English League club
Carlisle United but turned his attentions to Gretna, just over the
Scottish border.
He poured money into the club but was not afraid to do menial tasks,
like running a vacuum cleaner over the carpet in the bar. Mileson
became ill last season and withdrew from public life. Gretna were
relegated after just one campaign in the Scottish Premier, before
going out of business completely. But he will be remembered as the
man who made impossible dreams come true for supporters of small
clubs who fancy facing the best.
After they were beaten by Hearts in the 2006 Scottish Cup Final,
they played in the UEFA Cup. Their decline set in as Mileson's
health worsened |
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