Here are those players that have worn the number 21 shirt in competitive games since squad numbers were brought into the Football League in the 1999/2000 season.
James Collins (Jul 99 – Jun 01)
The first player on the list is Collins came through the Academy, making his debut in August 1997 in the first of his 29 appearances for leaving for Northwich Victoria in the summer of 2001. He would play just one season for the Vics before retiring from playing with him joining the Alex’s coaching staff, holding a variety of roles at the club before joining current club Wolverhampton Wanderers in January, where he is Under-23’s head coach.
David Brammer (Jul 01 – Jun 02)
We looked at Brammer’s career in the number 8 column, he wore this number in his first season with the club.
Paul Edwards (Jul 02 – Dec 04)
Striker Edwards was another that came through the Academy, making his debut in November 2002 in the first of 13 appearances for the club, spending time on loan at Stafford Rangers and Southport, before being released in late 2004.
Gary Roberts (Jul 05 – Jun 06)
We looked at Roberts’ career in the number 4 column, he wore this number in his third season as a first-team player.
Darran Kempson (Jul 06 – Jun 07)
Centre-back Kempson was next to wear the shirt following his arrival from Morecambe in the summer of 2006, making 10 appearances in his only season for the club before joining Shrewsbury Town the following summer. He would also play for Accrington Stanley in two spells, Wrexham, Forest Green Rovers, Grimsby Town and Alfreton Town before retiring in the summer of 2014.
Owain fon Williams (Jul 07 – Jun 08)
Goalkeeper fon Williams was another Academy graduate who didn’t make a first-team appearance for the club before he left for Stockport County in the summer of 2008. He would also play for Bury, Rochdale, Tranmere Rovers, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Indy Eleven in the States before joining current club Hamilton Academical last summer, spending the second half of the season at Dunfermline Athletic.
Stuart Tomlinson (Jul 08 – Jun 09)
We looked at Tomlinson’s career in the number 13 column, he wore this number in his final season with the club.
Chris Clements (Jul 09 – Jun 10)
Midfielder Clements came through the Academy without making a first-team appearance for the club (spending time on loan at Nantwich Town, Leigh Genesis, Stafford Rangers, IBV of Iceland and Hednesford Town) before he was released in the summer of 2010. He would join Hednesford permanently and also play for Mansfield Town, Grimsby Town, Barrow and Forest Green Rovers before joining current club Cheltenham Town in the summer of 2018.
Antoni Sarcevic (Jul 10 – Jul 11)
We looked at Sarcevic’s career in the number 14 column, he wore the number in his first season with the club.
Andy White (Jul 11 – Jun 12)
We looked at White’s career in the number 20 column yesterday, he wore the number in his first season with the first-team squad.
Ben Garratt (Jul 12 – Jun 14)
We looked at Garratt’s career in the number 1 column, he wore this number in his second and third seasons with the first-team squad.
Lee Molyneux (Jul 14 – Jun 15)
Molyneux joined the club in the summer of 2013 from Accrington Stanley, making 13 appearances across a 2-season spell that also including loan spells at Rochdale and two at Accrington Stanley. He would also play for Tranmere Rovers, Morecambe, Guiseley, Chorley and Barrow before joining current club Bala Town last summer.
Ryan Wintle (Jul 15 – Jun 17)
We also looked at Wintle’s career in the number 4 column, he wore this number in his first two seasons with the club.
Oliver Finney (Jul 17 – Jun 19)
We also looked at Finney’s career in the number 14 column, he wore the number in his second and third seasons with the first-team squad.
Luke Offord (Jul 19 – present)
Offord is an Academy graduate who broke into the first team in January this year following loan spells at Witton Albion and Nantwich Town. A centre-back who can also play as a full-back and holding midfielder, it’ll be interesting to see where Offord establishes himself in the Alex first-team long-term, especially as we move into League 1 for next season.
