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Gaunt strengthens his Glapwell side again
After a pre-season campaign of mixed results, and with the start of the Evo-Stik League season now less than a week away, Glapwell manager John Gaunt has acted again and bolstered his squad with two more impressive signings.
Much sought after former Mansfield Town striker Ian Holmes (pictured above right) was snapped up by Glapwell on Sunday before their friendly game against Matlock Town, one of the sides who had been chasing him since the beginning of the month when his recently-signed contract with troubled Ilkeston Town was declared null and void by FA officials whilst the club faces a winding up order in the High Court.
25-year-old Holmes began his career playing university football in Sheffield, but came to prominence with UniBond Premier Division outfit Matlock Town where the 34 goals he scored during the 2006-2007 season earned him a move to Football League Two side Mansfield Town.
After scoring three goals in 18 league and cup appearances, mostly coming on as a substitute for his new club, Holmes fell out of favour and was sent out on loan to AFC Telford United in March 2008, but was released by the Stags at the end of that season when they were relegated to the Conference.
In July 2008, Holmes signed for UniBond Premier Division side Eastwood Town where he scored over 20 goals in all competitions that first season, helping the Badgers gain promotion to the Conference North.
Holmes impressed in Glapwell’s midweek friendly win over Mickleover Sports, as did Alan O’Hare (pictured below), an experienced 28-year-old Irish defender who began his career at Bolton Wanderers and was a regular in their reserve team but, after a couple of loan spells with Chesterfield, he opted for a permanent move to the Spireites in November 2002 in search of first team football.
After a six year stint as a regular with over 140 appearances in the Chesterfield side, naturally left footed O’Hare left Saltergate when he was released at the end of the 2007-2008 campaign, but trialed for newly-relegated Conference National team Mansfield Town before signing for them in time for the 2008-2009 season.
O’Hare joined York City at the end of June 2009, but went out on a month’s loan to Gainsborough Trinity at the beginning of October after struggling to break into a York side going well, and successive loan deals kept him at Trinity until the end of the season, after which York announced that he would be released when his contract expired 30 June 2010.
O’Hare put pen to paper and signed for Glapwell after impressing again in Sunday’s friendly win over Matlock Town.