MICHAEL  JACK

 Height 5'10"

Weight: 10st 2lbs

Midfielder

Michael was born on the 2nd of October 1982, in Carlisle and is another  prospect to come through the youth squad.  He signed on the 1st of August  2001 after a successful preseason.  His first league appearance came at home to York on the 18th of September when he came off the bench to replace Hews in the 87th minute.  A run of substitute appearances followed, Michael coming on in the second half to give a speedy attacking option when opposition teams were tiring.  His first start came at home against Scunthorpe on the 1st of December,  a game where  the whole team played well  and the attractive passing football and  3-0 win  gave the fans plenty to cheer about. Michael's low point of the season came  away to Rushden and Diamonds on the 22nd of December, when he received a straight red card for violent conduct after only 15 minutes of play.  It is always easy to blame the referee when one of your own players is sent off but this  decision did seem a glaring error. Michael and Rushden's Andy Sambrook both  challenged for a high ball and there was a clash of heads, the referee decided that Michael had done something wrong, a very harsh decision. After serving his suspension Michael went straight  back into the team and played some part in every game, either starting or coming off the bench,  in every league game except the final game of the season. He was unlucky not to score with a number of near misses but his biggest contribution to the team came in taking  well struck corners and feeding balls to the strikers, notably his inch perfect ball to Halliday, setting him up to score the first at Kidderminster away on the 9th of February. 

The 2002/03 season was one of limited opportunities. Mike started the first game of the season but with few chances in the first team and no reserve league we saw little of the young midfielder.

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