Legends reunited at beer festival

The Millers legends are pictured on the second day of last weekend’s beer festival at the Stokeld Stadium, together again to celebrate the EVO-STIK League South club’s historic promotion from the Northern Counties East League to the Northern Premier League at the end of the 2016-07 season.

The Nottinghamshire club’s president Roger Smith and chairman Mick Garton welcomed then manager Tommy Brookbanks and a host of familiar faces back for the event, along with others who’ve never left including former star and committee member Ian White.

Johnny Brookbanks, Mark Dickinson, Phil Bignall, Simon Newell, Paolo Piliero, Daryl Thomas, Grant Brindley, Martin Ball, Ian Barker, Dean Gent and Dominic Thomas were among those who returned along with former captain Steve Garrett.

Former coaches Brian Franks, Dave Nairn, Gary Stones and Daryl Claypole and ex-physios Martin Jephson and Stuart Scott were also in attendance along with current physio Trevor Wells who was at the club a decade ago helping out Brookbanks who also took part in a Q & A with fans.

The Millers – who polled their legends on plans to consider launching a ‘hall of fame’ – say the idea sparked fierce ‘banter’ as the club’s former stars jockeyed for a place in the top ten. After a straw poll of the players, supporters and members of the committee at the festival, legendary goal-scorer Phil Bignall provisionally took second place behind Mark Dickinson, widely acknowledged as club’s greatest ever player.

A Millers spokesman said: “The fact so many of those players turned up showed the respect and esteem they still held the club in. What a fantastic day indeed and one that will long live in the memory!”

Image courtesy of carltontownfc.co.uk

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