Kidsgrove Athletic have started announcing their summer signings with goalkeeper Kieran Harrison leading the way in terms of arrivals.
The shot-stopper is just one of four familiar faces to return to the Autonet Insurance Stadium next season as Joe Woolley, Jake Lovatt, and Declan O’Riordan are returning to the club. While Jake Alcock and Nathan Morley have also agreed to star for the Grove next season.
Kieran Harrison first joined the club in January 2019 after a spell out in the States.
He quickly became one of the most highly rated goalkeepers in the Northern Premier League as he kept 28 clean sheets in 83 games for the Grove during his three years with the club.
However in October 2021, Kidsgrove sold Harrison to Midlands Football League side Hanley Town. He would go on to play an important part in helping Hanley win promotion into the Northern Premier League including scoring a 90th-minute equaliser away at Highgate United to help Town to a 2-2 draw in January 2022.
After the title success, Harrison played 33 times for Hanley in the NPL West before opting to see out the season at Northern Premier League Midlands side Boldmere St.Michaels.
The second player to return to the Autonet Insurance Stadium is midfielder Joe Woolley.
Woolley was with the Grove between 2014 and 2015 scoring ten goals for the club before joining Market Drayton Town and, then 1874 Northwich where he helped them to promotion to the Northern Premier League for the first time in their short history.
While at 1874 Northwich, Woolley quickly became a fans favourite as he scored 23 goals in 123 games for the Greens including one in the 2019/20 Macron Cup final as they defeated Runcorn Town 6-3.
Jake Lovatt, meanwhile, has ended 18 months away from the club as he returned following his release from local rivals Newcastle Town.
Lovatt first joined Kidsgrove Athletic alongside manager Scott Dundas in 2020 as they made the move from Chasetown. He scored three times in 11 games during the ill-fated 2020/21 season that was cut short after just one month of action.
The following season Lovatt found the net five times before leaving the Autonet Insurance Stadium for Newcastle Town in January 2022. He would finish up as Newcastle Town’s top scorer last season with 10 goals but, he missed the majority of the second half of the season due to injuries.
Declan O’Riordan is the final player to return to the Grove this summer.
Having signed a contract with the club towards the end of the 2021/22 season, the imposing defender chose to put his playing career on hold as he took a sabbatical to focus on his University studies.
However, he is back at Kidsgrove and raring to go for the new season.
Finally, two new players will be pulling on the Blue of Kidsgrove Athletic next season- Nathan Morley and Jake Alcock.
Like Lovatt, Morley joins the club from league rivals Newcastle Town, where he made 40 appearances for Castle last season. He also chipped in with four goals- .
Morley started out in the youth set-up at Burton Albion. He impressed his coaches to get a first-team contract in May 2019 before being sent out on loan to Newcastle Town in September of that year, that loan spell quickly became a permanent deal shortly afterwards.
Meanwhile, Alcock is making the step into Saturday football having impressed for Sunday League side Greenhoffs where he was described as a hard-working forward.
