Rovers are set to welcome one of non-league’s form sides as King’s Lynn Town visit the Eco-Power Stadium this weekend.
The Linnets currently sit top of National League North despite having played two games fewer than the majority of other early pacesetters in the regionalised sixth tier.
Managed by former Southampton and Grimsby Town midfielder Tommy Widdrington, King’s Lynn have lost just twice in the league so far this season.
They reached the first round proper with a 3-1 win over Ashington, having previously beaten Bedford Town in a replay.
WHAT THEY SAID
Linnets boss Widdrington has urged his side to show their impressive start to the season is no fluke as they look to cause an upset in the FA Cup.
He said: “We don’t want to be a statistic. We don’t want to just turn up and people say ‘yeh, remember when King’s Lynn went to Doncaster Rovers?’.
“We want to play a part in the game, we want people to sit up and have a look and see what we are doing from the start of the season is no fluke. We have a way of playing, we want to leave our mark on the game and, ultimately, we want to be in the hat on Monday the same as Doncaster Rovers do.
“I think you have the get the balance right between over-respecting or over-thinking the opposition because they’re from a higher level.
“Usually, game to game in our league, we have been able to say we feel we can be fitter, faster, stronger for longer against most of the teams we have played against, but that isn’t the case this week, we are going to go toe to toe with a proper professional outfit with history steeped in the Football League.
“Danny [Schofield] is a young, energetic manager, he’s had a good start to his tenure at Donny and has a particular brand of football he wants to play.
“I think when you put all the ingredients into the melting pot it is going to be a really good game – they have had an upturn in form and we have done well in the start to the season.
“I think we’d have to be at our best and they’d have to be a gear or two out for us to win, but that’s the beauty of the FA Cup.
“They will not want to be a statistic, they won’t want to be upset, but someone is going to be upset over the weekend and if we want to be part of that process great.”
SQUAD PROFILE
GOALKEEPERS
Paul Jones
Experienced EFL keeper Jones has been with King’s Lynn for the last year. The 36-year-old had time with both Charlton Athletic and Leyton Orient at youth level before joining Exeter City, for whom he made 158 league appearances. He joined Peterborough United in 2011 following a successful loan spell and switched to Crawley Town after a year, making almost 100 appearances. Jones began a spell with Portsmouth in June 2014 and made more than 50 appearances across two season. Norwich City snapped him up as third choice keeper in 2016 and had spells as cover at Fleetwood Town and Sheffield Wednesday.
DEFENDERS
Josh Coulson
The 33-year-old arrived at King’s Lynn in the summer following his release from Southend United, converting a loan spell into a permanent deal. The experienced defender made more than 270 appearances for Cambridge United in an 11-year spell before joining Leyton Orient for four years. Coulson joined Southend in the summer of 2021 prior to his switch to King’s Lynn.
Adam Crowther
Another summer arrival, Crowther spent the previous season with Cheshunt, making 49 appearances and scoring three goals - all of which came in the same match. The 21-year-old represented England Schoolboys at U18 level.
Tyler Denton
Yorkshire-born Denton came through the Academy at Leeds United and represented England at U17 before signing professional terms in 2014. He made three senior appearances for Leeds and had loan spells with Port Vale and Peterborough United. The 27-year-old is a versatile left sided full back or midfielder. He made 19 appearances for Stevenage after joining in 2019 before a short spell with Chesterfield in 2020 prior to his arrival at King’s Lynn in January 2021.
Tai Fleming
The 20-year-old ‘no-nonsense defender’ joined his hometown club two years ago after coming through the Norwich City Academy. At the age of 16, he switched to Yeovil Town on a two-year scholarship and captained the youth team. After joining King’s Lynn, he spent time on loan at Lowestoft Town, making 40 appearances and scoring three goals.
Aaron Jones
The 28-year-old can operate in defence and midfield. Jones spent ten years in the Ipswich Town Academy, with the last two as an apprentice. After being released by Ipswich, he moved to the United States to play college soccer at Georgia State University and Premier Development League football at Carolina Dynamo. He remained in the US until November 2017, with spells at Clemson University, Philadelphia Union and Bethlehem Steel. On returning to England, he signed for Harlow before joining King’s Lynn in August 2018.
Tyler Knowles
The 19-year-old came through King’s Lynn’s Academy and captained the National League U19 Alliance team prior to making his first team debut last December. He signed his senior contract in January and had a loan spell with Downham Town last season.
Kyle Callan-McFadden
Ireland-born Callan-McFadden joined King’s Lynn in November 2020 after moving to Norfolk for family reasons and extended his stay last summer. He joined Norwich City’s Academy at the age of 16 after previously playing for Irish side Swilly Rovers. He was capped by Republic of Ireland at U16, U17 and U21 level and helped the Canaries win the FA Youth Cup. The 27-year-old made his senior debut for Norwich in 2014 but was released at the end of the season. After a stint in the US with Orlando City B, Callan-McFadden returned home to sign for Sligo Rovers in the League of Ireland, making more than 100 appearances.
Olly Scott
The 22-year-old joined King’s Lynn from Consett last December on a non-contract basis and signed a new deal in the summer to remain at The Walks until 2024. The son of former Sunderland defender Martin Scott, he came through the academies of the Black Cats and South Shields. Prior to his time with Consett, he had two seasons with Blyth Spartans, making 40 appearances.
MIDFIELDERS
Josh Barrett
The 24-year-old joined the club in October 2021 and has since signed a deal to remain at The Walks until 2024. Barrett played for Irish youth side St Kevin’s Boys prior to joining the Reading Academy in 2015. He remained with the Royals until January 2020, having loan spells with Coventry City and Aldershot Town during his stay as well as representing the Republic of Ireland at U17, U18 and U21 level. He departed Reading having made 13 senior appearances and joined Bristol Rovers, for whom he played 19 times prior to his release last year.
Michael Clunan
The 28-year-old has been with hometown club King’s Lynn since 2015. He joined Norwich City as an eight-year-old and remained until he was 19 as a development squad player. Since leaving Carrow Road, Clunan has spent time with Boston United, Histon, Lowestoft and Dereham Town before beginning his long association with King’s Lynn.
Cameron Hargreaves
The 23-year-old joined King’s Lynn on loan from Bristol Rovers last season and made the switch permanent in February. He joined the Gas from Exeter City’s Academy in April 2017. Hargreaves had loan spells with Hungerford Town and Chippenham Town during his spell with Bristol Rovers, for whom he made 19 senior appearances.
Spencer Keller
The 21-year-old impressed in pre-season trials in the summer sufficiently to be offered a contract. He lifted the English Schools FA Playstation Small Schools Trophy in May 2017 as an U15 and became an Academy scholar at Norwich City before joining West Ham’s Academy in 2019.
Ben Siggers
The 19-year-old was previously on the books of Stevenage and spent the end of last season on work experience with Barton Rovers. Left-sided, he can operate in defence and midfield.
Zain Walker
The 20-year-old first joined King’s Lynn on a youth loan from Bristol Rovers last season and made it permanent in January. He started his career with Fulham before switching to the Gas’ Academy at the age of 16. He made 11 senior appearances for Bristol Rovers prior to his move to The Walk.
Theo Widdrington
The son of King’s Lynn manager Tommy, he joined the club from Havant and Waterlooville in December. He previously spent 13 years with Portsmouth, turning professional in 2017 before joining Bristol Rovers. Loan spells with Bognor Regis, Welling United and Hemel Hempstead Town followed before his release by the Gas. The 23-year-old signed for Havant and Waterlooville in 2020.
FORWARDS
Ken Charles
The 22-year-old has made his way through non-league clubs since his release from Colchester United in May 2019. Having played youth football for Erith Town and Maidstone United, he joined Colchester on a development contract for the U23 group. Following his release he joined Enfield Town and scored 13 goals in 40 appearances. Spells with Potters Bar Town and Braintree Town followed before a seven goals in 15 appearances stint with Chestnut prior to joining King’s Lynn.
Gold Omotayo
The 6ft4in striker began his footballing life in his native Switzerland as a goalkeeper for FC Zurich but switched to outfield in his early teams. He played regional football with FC Schlieren and FC Wettswil-Bonstetten before arriving in England with Whitehawk in July 2017. Netting 11 goals in 16 games earned him a trial with Bury and he signed a one-year deal. He scored on his debut for the club but would only make 17 appearances in total before a move to Yeovil Town. He has since had spells with FC Halifax Town and Gloucester City prior to a move to Wrexham.
Jordan Ponticelli
Like Omotayo, the 24-year-old previously turned out for Wrexham prior to joining King’s Lynn in the summer. He began his career at U18 level with Coventry City and made 24 senior appearances along with loan spells at Macclesfield Town and Tranmere Rovers. He joined Wrexham, initially on loan, in January 2020 and made 60 appearances for the Welsh side, scoring eight goals.
Ben Stephens
The forward joined King’s Lynn in July. Stephens began his youth career at Leicester City and had spells with Oadby Town, Kettering Town and Stratford Town. A season which brought 25 goals in 46 appearances attracted the attention of Coventry City, Birmingham City and Ipswich Town, who all took him on trial. He joined Macclesfield Town in June 2018. He latterly featured for Barwell, becoming the Southern League Premier Central Division’s leading scorer for last season with 24 goals in 33 appearances.