Striker Out - Keeper In at Ilkeston

There has been player movement at the Microlise New Manor Ground where Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central club Ilkeston Town have lost their top scorer and gained a goalkeeper.

Leaving the Robins to join Vanarama National League North side AFC Telford United on loan until the end of the season is striker Montel Gibson.

The 24-year-old has scored 6 times for the Robins this season, having re-joined in January 2022.

He had signed a permanent deal with Southern Premier Division Central side Stourbridge in November 2021 after being on loan from National League outfit Grimsby Town since the start of the 2021/22 season.

He originally signed a three-year deal with the Mariners back in the summer of 2020, going on to make a total of 23 appearances in all competitions, scoring on 3 occasions.

He fell out of favour at Blundell Park following the arrival of manager Paul Hurst, having been signed by former boss Ian Holloway.

He started out in the youth ranks at Midland League Highgate United before being signed by Notts County.

He spent the 2016/17 campaign out on loan at various non-League clubs, including Romulus, Barwell, Hednesford Town and Sutton Coldfield Town. After being released in the summer of 2017, he signed for Ilkeston Town before he joined Redditch United in March 2018.

He then switched to Bedworth United in November 2018 before linking up with Halesowen Town in July 2019.

His goalscoring prowess over the next eight months or so saw Halesowen in promotion contention in the Southern Division One Central and the Yeltz also memorably reached the semi-finals of the FA Trophy before the pandemic brought an early end to the 2019/20 season.

However, his exploits had not gone unnoticed and in the summer of 2020, he was signed by Holloway on a three-year deal.

Joining Ilkeston until January 2023 on loan from League Two side Grimsby Town is keeper Ollie Battersby.

The 21-year-old first joined the Mariners at under-9 level, spending a year at Sheffield United before returning to Town in 2020.

Battersby made his debut for his home-town club in the EFL Trophy against Leicester City under-21s but has also enjoyed loan spells at the likes of Lincoln United, Mickleover, Gateshead, Belper Town and Hereford FC.

Ilkeston Town Web Site