On Saturday, Celtic kick off the 2019/20 season with an away match at Mickleover Sports (kick off 3pm). Like Celtic, Mickleover survived to fight another year on the final day of the season. Their 2-1 away win at Bamber Bridge (a late winner from Evan Garnett), coupled with Celtic's 1-0 win at home to Grantham enough to send Marine down in their place and allow Mickleover to finish in nineteenth.

Mickleover spent much of last season in bottom five, occupying one of the relegation spots for the final third of the season. Wins away at Workington and Nantwich put them in a position where the final day victory was enough to grant them survival. Last season, they won five of their home fixtures, the same as away; they drew six at home (and five away), whilst losing the other nine and ten away.

Mickleover's last home win was at the start of January, which was also the last time Celtic visited Mickleover, when Mickleover beat Celtic 2-1, with a brace from Shaq McDonald enough to see off a late pounding from Celtic that resulted in a single, wonder goal from Elliott Cooke. That win came off the back off two straight wins for the Derby side, also beating Stafford and Marine after Christmas.

We met Mickleover on the opening day of the season last season as well, with Mickleover visiting Celtic and earning a 0-0 draw. They went five games before Mickleover got their first win, beating Hednesford Town 1-0 at home, with Buxton beating them 3-1 in their opening home fixture. Their joint top scorers last season were Evan Garnett and Nathan Jarman, both of whom finished on seven goals each. Jarman has since gone on to join Lincoln United, whilst Garnett remains at the club.

On average, they scored 0.9 goals per game (0.8 at home), whilst conceding 1.5 goals per game (1.4 at home), finishing with thirty-seven goals (seventeen of them at home), and conceding sixty-one (twenty-seven of them at home). They kept nine clean sheets (six at home) and failed to score fourteen times (split equally home and away). Their worst home defeat was 4-1 by Warrington, whilst they never won a home game by more than one goal. Their worst away defeat was 5-0 by Buxton.

Both sides have made significant changes to the playing squad since last season. Celtic started last season quite well, with only three losses in our opening ten games, and five wins. Celtic's problems came in the final third of the season, with only four wins since the turn of the year, and ten losses in our final twelve games.

Preview by Debbie Taylor