Gladiators fans have the chance to say "Goodbye" to their former skipper James Lukic and "Welcome back" to midfielder Steve Warne when Blackburn Rovers visit Causeway Lane on Wednesday night.
The Lancashire Premiership visitors are making their second visit to Matlock, this time providing the opposition for Lukic's testimonial game, his last appearance in a Matlock Town shirt before joining up with his new team mates at Blue Square North Gainsborough Trinity.
Blackburn were last at Matlock in an FA Cup First Round tie back in November 1974 as leaders of the old Third Division,and despite a battling performance from an emerging home side which went on to lift the FA Trophy at Wembley at the end of that season, Rovers went through to the next round by a 4-1 margin in front of the second highest crowd to watch a game at Causeway Lane, 5119.
Safety considerations prevent that attendance having a chance of being matched on Wednesday but Lukic, still only 26, deserves a grand send off having made 432 appearances for the Gladiators since making his debut as a 16 year old substitute in a Derbyshire Senior Cup game with Glossop North End back in February 1999.
With Rovers also on tour in Spain and Portugal they are unlikely to send a full strength squad, but as Matlock joint boss Phil Brown emphasises, they should still present formidable opposition.
"I can remember being at Gainsborough some seasons back when Manchester United sent reserves and fringe players and they went and beat us 10-0 so it'll be a great workout for us against some young fit lads and probable stars of the future with some recognisable names probably after match fitness. But this is also Lukey's night, his testimonial and we hope he has a great night and its a cracking game. He has been a wonderful servant to Matlock Town and has been Captain Fantastic for us and I sincerely hope that the Matlock public and non league fans in general turn out in numbers to pay tribute to a great player who always gives his all."
Lukic will definitely play for Matlock on Wednesday but Warne's return comes a little earlier as Matlock play their first pre season friendly at Staveley Miners Welfare on Saturday.
Warne's stay at Alfreton Town proved only to be a brief one. He left the Gladiators to join the Reds last October but as joint manager Gareth Williams candidly put it "His heart is at Matlock" meaning that the 24 year old jumped at the chance of a return to Causeway Lane, with Matlock paying a nominal fee for his services.
He became Brown and Williams' fifth summer signing, linking up with defenders Ashley Foyle and Lee Featherstone, midfielder Liam King and striker Ross Hannah.
"We're absolutely delighted to have Steve back for he's been a highly influential player for us in the past" said Brown. "We feel we've got another really good signing and if he can recapture the form he was in for us before he left, then he'll be outstanding.The training sessions he's had with us so far were like he'd never been away. He was straight back into it and it was great to see him have the same old rapport with the lads."
Warne's arrival might not be the last for Brown indicated that if the right player became available within the finances available,the Gladiators would be looking to add him to their squad.
Matlock will give a run out to most of their squad at Staveley with the exception of Paul Riley, Nathan Benger and Ross Hannah. Benger gets married on Friday and is away on honeymoon while Hannah is on holiday and will also be missing against Blackburn but back in time to line up against Chesterfield in the Banner Jones Trophy next Friday.
Riley though is Matlock's first injury scare of the new campaign. The former Notts County winger who had an outstanding 2007/08 season has picked up a knee injury, ironically in the other knee to the one which was giving him discomfort towards the end of last term., with the first injury now appearing to have disappeared.
"We're trying to get the knee scanned as we're not entirely sure of the extent of the injury yet" Brown explained. "It's just flared up. Naturally we're hoping it's not too serious but we'll have to wait and see. We can't play him for a week or two at least though."
UniBond First Division neighbours Belper Town have snapped up striker Ben Kistell released by Matlock during the summer after the Blues could not guarantee him first team football.
Meanwhile off the pitch a planning application has been lodged with the Derbyshire Dales District Council for the new stand and Social Club which is planned for the Dene Fields side of the Causeway Lane ground. Also incorporated in the plans are four changing rooms for mixed community use, a boardroom and raised spectator viewing so that fans can have a special panoramic view of the action on the pitch.
Club spokesman Jason Beaumont commented "We hope that planning consent will be given and that we can press on to have the new facility fully operational in readiness for the 2009/2010 season. We feel that this is a further positive move by the club to follow on from the excellent signings Phil and Gareth have made, together with the return of our reserve side plus the new junior set up. We want the local community to feel part of the football club and we want them to share what will be our wonderful facilities at Causeway Lane and to enjoy coming to watch Matlock Town."
Supporters Club Treasurer Graham Mumby has announced the launching of an affiliates scheme to further raise funds for the club. The Gladiators have just joined up with a leading currency trader
onlinefix.co.uk to offer some of the best rates on the market. With the holiday season in full swing "Matlock Money" is now live on the club's official website via the link
www.matlocktownfc.co.uk/affiliates and other outlets in different markets are part of the affiliates scheme.
"Through Matlock Money both Matlock fans and the wider community can obtain their holiday currency at a competitive rate and at the same time help Matlock Town" said Graham. "Other outlets part of the affiliates scheme include Tesco and Argos and there are many more leading stores involved as well. Just log into
www.buy.at/matlocktown - it's as easy as that".
