In these unprecedented times, no one knows what is happening with football. It’s on an enforced hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic and there’s no real sign of when this will be lifted. There’ll be a logistical backlog of games to get through. Aside from that, there is also the need to consider player contract situations – the projected end date for the season being past the traditional 30 June cut-off point for contracts.
Accrington Stanley will always and forever be linked to a certain milk marketing advertisement and the phrase ‘who are they?’ Well the Lancastrians play at the Wham Stadium and currently find themselves nestled in 17th place in League One on 40 points and are eight points clear of the last of the relegation places held by Tranmere (32 pts). Like all sides, they are facing very uncertain times what with football being the way that it is at the moment. Some of that uncertainty surrounds the issue of player contracts; here are five Stanley players whose contracts are due at the end of June.
Zaine Francis-Angol left-back): London-born Francis-Angol joined Stanley from National League Fylde in mid-July last year. He’d started his career with Spurs before a free transfer from their Under-18s to Motherwell’s Under-20s in 2011, Francis-Angol staying in Scotland for four years. Since signing on for Accrington, he has made six appearances for them, five of those coming in League One this season.
Phil Edwards (right-back): Edwards first signed for Lancastrians Accy in October 2005 on a free transfer from Wigan, staying with Stanley for six seasons before leaving for Stevenage. He signed up a second time in August last year, joining from now-defunct Bury. In total he has 225 appearances for the club, scoring 23 goals and providing two assists. This season has seen a modest addition to that total with just four appearances in League One (94 minutes) and one assist although he has four appearances and an assist from the Leasing.com Trophy games.
Seamus Conneely (defensive midfield): London-born Irishman Conneely is the club captain and signed for Accrington from Sligo Rovers at the opening of the January 2015 transfer window. He’d previously experienced English football at Sheffield United after being brought over by the Blades from Galway United. During his time at the Wham Stadium, Conneely has 219 appearances under his belt and has scored 11 goals also adding 11 assists.
Dimitar Evtimov (goalkeeper): Bulgarian stopper Evtimov, a former five-cap Under-21 international, first came into English football when Nottingham Forest brought him over from FC Chavdar. He was released by Forest at the end of August 2018 and was picked up by Burton Albion in mid-September that year. He arrived at Stanley in mid-January 2019 on a free transfer from the Brewers. He’s featured 32 times for Accrington in his time at the club, conceding 46 goals and keeping five clean sheets. This season has seen him turn out 19 times, conceding 29 goals and keeping three clean sheets in the league.
Jordan Clark (right-winger): Clarke joined Accrington Stanley from Shrewsbury in early-August 2016 on a free transfer. He’d joined the Shrews from Barnsley after coming up through the youth ranks at Oakwell. His time at Stanley has seen him make 191 appearances, scoring 29 goals and providing 29 assists. This season he’s featured in 34 games and scored six goals as well as contributing with six assists.
