Here are those players that have worn the number 26 shirt in competitive games since squad numbers were brought into the Football League in the 1999/2000 season.
John Grant (Jul 99 – Jun 02)
Striker Grant was the first to wear the number, who made 11 appearances for the club in his 4 seasons as a first-team squad member before joining Hereford in the summer of 2002 (he also had loan spells at Rushden & Diamonds and Northwich Victoria). He would also play for Telford United, Shrewsbury Town, Halifax Town, Aldershot Town, Oxford United, Barrow, Macclesfield Town and Droylsden before retiring in the summer of 2013.
Michael Higdon (Jul 02 – Jun 04)
We looked at Higdon’s career in the number 10 column, he wore this number in his first two seasons with the first-team squad.
Gary Roberts (Jul 04 – Jun 05)
We looked at Roberts’ career in the number 4 column, he wore this number in his second season with the first-team squad.
Alex Morris (Jul 05 – Jun 06)
We looked at Morris’ career in the number 23 column, he wore this number in his first season with the first-team squad.
Gareth Evans (Jul 06 – Jun 07)
Winger turned full-back Evans came through the Academy without making a first-team appearance in his only season as a professional (despite loans at Leigh RMI and Alsager Town). He would also play for Macclesfield Town, Bradford City, Rotherham United and Fleetwood Town before joining current club Portsmouth in the summer of 2015.
Junior Brown (Jul 07 – Jun 08)
Another winger turned full-back would take the shirt with Brown making just one appearance for the club before being released in the summer of 2008. He would also play for FC Halifax Town, Northwich Victoria, Fleetwood Town, Tranmere Rovers, Oxford United, Mansfield Town, Shrewsbury Town, Coventry City and Scunthorpe United. He is currently a free agent following his release from The Sky Blues earlier in the summer.
Chris Clements (Jul 08 – Jun 09)
We looked at Clements’ career in the number 21 column, he wore this number in his second season with the first-team squad.
Harry Davis (Jul 09 – Jun 10)
We looked at Davis’ career in the number 3 column, he wore this number in his first season with the first-team squad.
Ben Garratt (Jul 10 – Jun 11)
We looked at Garratt’s career in the number 1 column, he wore this number in his first season with the first-team squad.
Michael Koral (Jul 11 – Jun 12)
Forward Koral would be next to wear the number after coming through the Academy but wouldn’t make a first-team appearance before he was released in the summer of 2012. He would join Congleton Town and also play for Witton Albion, Droylsden and Winsford United before signing for current club Nantwich Town earlier this month.
Chuks Aneke (Jul 12 – Jun 14)
Attacking midfielder Aneke joined the club on loan from Arsenal in the summer of 2012 before coming back for a second season the following summer, making 82 appearances across the two spells. He would also play for Zulte Waregem in Belgium and MK Dons before joining current club Charlton Athletic last summer.
Callum Pritchard-Ellis (Jul 14 – Jan 15)
Forward Prichard-Ellis would receive the number following an injury during his second year as a scholar but wouldn’t make a first-team appearance for the club (although he would spend a month on loan at Alsager Town) in his 6 months as a professional. He has been without a club since his spell at the Alex.
Kieran Harrison (Jul 15 – Jun 16)
Goalkeeper Harrison would be given the number during his second year as a scholar as cover for the first-team keepers, without making a first-team appearance. Since then, he would become a coach and currently plays for Kidsgrove Athletic, who he joined in January last year.
Will Jaaskelainen (Jul 17 – Jun 18)
We also looked at Jaaskelainen’s career in the number 1 column, he wore this number in his first season with the club.
Joe Lynch (Jul 18 – Jun 19)
Midfielder Lynch would be promoted into the first-team squad for the 18/19 season but wouldn’t make a first-team appearance before signing for Morecambe last summer on a non-contract deal. He would make just one appearance in the EFL Trophy for them before he left the club in January.
Connor Heath (Jul 19 – Jun 20)
Midfielder Heath would come through the Academy but didn’t make a first-team appearance in his only season as a professional. I think that he’s a little unlucky not to get another year with the club as he showed promise as a future first-team player but that wasn’t helped by the current global situation as well as a loan move to Colwyn Bay being cancelled in January by FIFA as he was looking at gaining some more senior experience.
