Cameron Humphries: Playing against Arsenal brought back memories of City’s youth
Having the chance to play against Arsenal brought back some memories for Cameron Humphries, who grew up in Manchester City.
Even Port Vale, who are struggling near the bottom of League One, put up a decent fight against the Gunners when they faced them in the third round of the Carabao Cup in October.
“It was just frustrating because the first goal was so lucky for them,” Humphries said. “To be honest, I don’t think they bothered us as much as I thought they would. We were 2-0 against a top team. You can see what they do against European teams. I’m really proud of our performance.”
Humphries also made two cameo appearances for Manchester City in the 2015/16 FA Cup.
“It was surreal,” he recalls. “It feels like years ago now. I’m 27, but I feel like an old man because I started young. Those are memories I’m proud of.
“I was reminded of that a few weeks ago when we played against Arsenal. A packed stadium, great atmosphere. It was really exciting and a bit nostalgic for me.”
Rob Street believes he can find ruthlessness again
Rob Street has been a regular near the top of Lincoln City’s squad, but he has yet to fully develop the goal-scoring touch he showed for Doncaster Rovers last season.
While on loan in League Two, he scored 12 goals in 22 games, helping Donny to the League Two title. Things were a little different this season. The performance was good, but the goal was not yet decided. However, he scored a goal against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup.
“I think there were a few different reasons,” Street said. “Confidence is very important in soccer. When you’re running and playing well, you feel almost invincible every time you step on the pitch. You know you can get chances and score goals.”
“Doncaster had a strong, cohesive group similar to the team here. If we can stick together and keep performing we could end up in a situation like we had at Doncaster last season, but I don’t see why that can’t happen.”
“The best thing about being a player is believing in yourself, and I’ve tried to carry that into this season. I’m always learning. Different roles and different teams, trying to make an impact as much as I can. At the end of the day, we all want to play and perform, and that’s the most important thing.”
Tom Barkhuizen: Preston was where I played my best football
Now 32 years old and currently playing for Barrow, Tom Barkhuizen can now reflect on his achievements in football a little more.
“Preston was where I played my best football and had the most fun,” he says of the club he played for from 2017 to 2022. “I realized this probably only after I left. When you’re in your 20s, you’re always trying to improve and sometimes you forget to have fun.
“Looking back, those were the best five or six years of my career. Great team, great manager, great atmosphere. When I retire, I’ll look back on those years with pride.”
Barkhuizen is now a regular at Barrow and is certainly enjoying himself again after struggling in his final season at Derby.
“Last year was tough because I didn’t play much,” he admits. “I felt like I could have contributed more with my experience at that level, but that’s football. It’s not always up to you and sometimes you have to make it on your own. We got promoted the year before and played quite a few games, so it’s a mixed bag.”
“I wanted to come to a place where I could make a difference, whether it was on the pitch or as an older player in the changing room, and I feel I’ve done that here. I’ve started every game since the beginning of the season, and I’m trying to be a leader off the pitch and help the team progress.”
Jack Lankester: Traveling with the team during injury helped stay in the news
Jack Lankester got injured at the wrong time. Having just moved to Crewe Alexandra, he played well but ended up being injured for most of 2025.
Even during his absence, he was determined to remain as involved as possible with his teammates.
“I went on the road a lot with the team from the end of last year to the beginning of this year before I even got back to playing,” he says. “I talked to the manager about it because it keeps the game exciting. If I had stayed home and watched TV I would have felt even worse, but being there and helping as much as I could made me feel better. Hopefully those days are behind me.”
“On game day, I tried to bring as much energy and positivity as I could. Even though I wasn’t, I acted like I was still part of the team. Even if I wasn’t part of the team, I was a candidate for selection. It helped me to see things from a different perspective, and I just wanted to support the team as much as possible.”
The move to Crewe was also the 25-year-old’s first time away from home. It gave him the opportunity to develop not only on the pitch, but also off it.
“I think moving has helped me grow a little bit,” Lankester added. “Living and adjusting on your own is all a new experience.
“Other young guys like Max Sanders are in the same position and we help each other out. We’re both Southerners living in the North, but we’re having fun.”
Jamie Walker’s coaching journey and Hearts’ hopes
Jamie Walker remains an impressive presence on the pitch for Grimsby Town, but at 32, he’s also started to move beyond his playing career by launching his own coaching project at Bradford.
“I enjoy coaching,” Walker said. “As I got older I started thinking about what happens after football and I thought it would be a good opportunity to stay in the area after gaining promotion with Bradford and pass on my knowledge to the kids.”
“It’s still early days. I’ve only been attending for a few months and I’m really enjoying it. I recently completed my B license and I love mentoring and supporting the younger generation.”
“I have a son. When he got older and started playing grassroots football, I started helping him out. It was really fun and he got more interested. Now he’s really into it and he loves it.”
Walker’s son is also a huge Hearts fan. That’s where the Scottish player’s career began, and where his heart – excuse the joke – still lies. Although he remains cautious, he hopes such a strong start will enable him to make a Scottish Premiership title push.
“My son is definitely a Hearts fan,” Walker said. “He has no other choice for my family! He has ties to Grimsby and Bradford, but deep down he still loves Hearts. When we have time, we often go and watch them.”
“I grew up going to games every week and was lucky enough to play over 200 games for this club. I’ve seen them start well and then regress, but this season they’ve made a great start. They’ve signed good players and have a strong manager, so I hope this is the year they achieve something special.”
Saturday’s EFL match
All matches will be streamed live on Sky Sports+ and the Sky Sports app, with free highlights available on the Sky Sports app immediately after full-time. Kick-off at 3pm unless otherwise noted.
league 1
Burton vs Blackpool Leyton Orient vs Exeter Lincoln vs Doncaster Luton vs Rotherham Port Vale vs Wycombe
league 2
Accrington vs Bristol Rovers Bromley vs Barrow Cambridge vs Barnet Fleetwood vs Swindon Grimsby vs Chesterfield MK Dons vs Salford Notts County vs Harrogate Oldham vs Crewshrewsbury vs Newport Tranmere vs Cheltenham Walsall vs Colchester Gillingham vs Crawley (5.30pm)





