Merthyr Town take on their former striker Stuart Fleetwood in Southern League action at home this afternoon.
Fleetwood left the Martyrs to join Redditch United earlier this season after Merthyr Town’s financial problems were revealed.
Manager Gavin Williams and his team complete their Premier Division season with this match against Redditch at the Loadlok Community Stadium (3pm).
Fleetwood, who started his playing career with Cardiff City, leads the Redditch attack, while their manager is former Newport County director of football Tim Harris.
Both men live in the Gloucester area and Fleetwood says: “I always wanted to work with Tim Harris, but I thought it might be at Gloucester City
“My season at Merthyr, but I got a call from Gavin Williams the manager telling me there had been a bit of an issue with money with a tax bill to pay.
“As I was non-contract they couldn’t afford to pay me. It was as simple as that.
“I needed to get myself sorted and it was a strange situation and so out of the blue, but I made some calls and Darren Byfield was manager of Redditch at the time.
“We’d played them a week earlier and I had a half decent game so I gave him a call. He invited me in straight away and it all went through after international clearance.
“I was sent off on my first game after about 10 minutes, which wasn’t a great start
“Byfield then ended up getting the sack just before Christmas and Tim came in. Danny Jackman and I took the team for Weymouth away and we lost 5-0.
“I didn’t know everyone that well, so Danny picked team and I took warm-up and training.
“Tim was up in the stand, I saw him and thought ‘here we go’.
“I’ve been scoring goals for Redditch and I even get a lift to training from the manager. The club is stabilising and we have a lot of good young lads here.
“Tim has signed a few players for next season and I am hoping to be there beyond the summer so as long as we can consolidate this year, we can have a really good go next year.”
Fleetwood has a full-time job outside football, working as a personal trainer at The Gym in Gloucester Quays
“It’s something I have always been interested in, throughout my career,” he says.
“In football, it’s becoming more common for strength and conditioning to be used as injury prevention.
“I’ve always been in gyms and it’s something I wanted to pursue, so I did all my qualifications with a home learning course which took around a year.
“I am now taking classes and working with clients, so it’s different being on the other side of it after being in that gym for two and a half years training.
“Now I am in the uniform and really enjoying it. The other PTs have been great with me, giving me advice so it’s been a good start.”
Merthyr Town lost 4-0 at Bishop’s Stortford in midweek. Goals from Alfie Mason (12 mins), Darren Foxley (41), Jamie Cureton (61) and Darren Foxley (88).
The Martyrs will be without club captain Ashley Evans, Kyle Patten and Adam Davies against Redditch this afternoon.
Evans is having a hernia operation, a problem he has been struggling with for some time. He has played through his injury to lead the team.
Patten, who injured an ankle against Banbury, and Davies, who has a calf strain,will also be missing.
Premier Table
| # | Team | Pl | HW | HD | HL | AW | AD | AL | W | D | L | F | A | Diff | Pts |
| 1. | Hereford | 45 | 19 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 35 | 5 | 5 | 109 | 33 | 76 | 110 |
| 2. | King’s Lynn Town | 45 | 16 | 6 | 1 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 29 | 10 | 6 | 96 | 38 | 58 | 97 |
| 3. | Slough Town | 45 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 29 | 9 | 7 | 109 | 48 | 61 | 96 |
| 4. | Kettering Town | 45 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 5 | 7 | 29 | 7 | 9 | 116 | 54 | 62 | 94 |
| 5. | Weymouth | 45 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 29 | 7 | 9 | 100 | 48 | 52 | 94 |
| 6. | Royston Town | 45 | 16 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 24 | 5 | 16 | 83 | 63 | 20 | 77 |
| 7. | Tiverton Town | 45 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 2 | 11 | 24 | 5 | 16 | 78 | 69 | 9 | 77 |
| 8. | Chesham United | 45 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 21 | 11 | 13 | 84 | 58 | 26 | 74 |
| 9. | Banbury United | 45 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 19 | 14 | 12 | 90 | 59 | 31 | 71 |
| 10. | Basingstoke Town | 45 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 20 | 8 | 17 | 88 | 69 | 19 | 68 |
| 11. | Hitchin Town | 45 | 11 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 19 | 9 | 17 | 67 | 63 | 4 | 66 |
| 12. | St Neots Town | 45 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 13 | 15 | 79 | 75 | 4 | 64 |
| 13. | Frome Town | 45 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 17 | 7 | 21 | 75 | 96 | -21 | 58 |
| 14. | Redditch United | 45 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 15 | 9 | 21 | 71 | 71 | 0 | 54 |
| 15. | Stratford Town | 45 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 15 | 9 | 21 | 67 | 80 | -13 | 54 |
| 16. | Biggleswade Town | 45 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 21 | 51 | 62 | -11 | 52 |
| 17. | Merthyr Town | 45 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 19 | 74 | 96 | -22 | 52 |
| 18. | Bishop’s Stortford | 45 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 13 | 14 | 9 | 22 | 73 | 78 | -5 | 51 |
| 19. | Farnborough | 45 | 9 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 15 | 6 | 24 | 80 | 114 | -34 | 51 |
| 20. | Dorchester Town | 45 | 11 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 21 | 61 | 82 | -21 | 50 |
| 21. | Kings Langley | 45 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 8 | 14 | 23 | 60 | 94 | -34 | 38 |
| 22. | St Ives Town | 45 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 8 | 9 | 28 | 54 | 103 | -49 | 33 |
| 23. | Gosport Borough | 45 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 4 | 5 | 36 | 37 | 142 | -105 | 17 |
| 24. | Dunstable Town | 45 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 4 | 5 | 36 | 27 | 134 | -107 | 17 |
