Glover followed his father, Dean Glover, to rise through the ranks at Port Vale to sign as a professional in 2007. He was a semi-regular player in 2007–08 and 2008–09, also playing on loan for Salisbury City, Rochdale, and Stafford Rangers. Released in the summer of 2010, he then spent a season with Worcester City before joining Nuneaton Town. Having helped Nuneaton to win promotion out of the Conference North, he returned to Worcester in July 2012. He was loaned to F.C. Halifax Town in March 2013. He had two months at Bradford Park Avenue from January 2014 before joining Hednesford Town. He joined Stockport County in December 2014 and moved on to AFC Telford United in July 2015. He rejoined Hednesford Town in January 2016 and later played on loan at Alsager Town. He signed with Nantwich Town in June 2018 before returning for a third spell at Hednesford Town in May 2019, where he also spent a brief time as caretaker manager. He signed with Rushall Olympic in October 2020 and moved on to Hanley Town in June 2022. He returned to Hednesford Town as player-manager in December 2022 and signed for Chasetown as a player in November 2023.
Career
Port Vale
The son of former Port Vale player Dean Glover, as his father was best friends with teammate Martin Foyle, Foyle allowed both the Glovers to play in his testimonial match in 2001, with the young Glover being just eleven years old. The match also included Foyle's young son Lee, and celebrity fans Robbie Williams and Jonathan Wilkes.[3] A product of the Vale youth team, Glover signed professionally for Port Vale after impressing for the youth side and being voted 2007 Youth Player of the Year by the Port Vale management.[4]
He has a centre-forward's first touch and receives the ball like one, too, with his back to his opponent... Glover passes well, particularly when under pressure from opponents and, when he made the odd mistake, it was nice to see him apologise... I would like him to be more aggressive in his runs when demanding the ball from team-mates in possession and concentrate better – he switched off occasionally.
After his father became manager on 6 October 2008, Glover received mixed receptions whilst coming onto the pitch. This was put down to his father's performance as manager rather than any reflection on the player himself.[9] Numerous figures at the club lent their support to Glover, including captain Marc Richards.[10] After scoring his first goal of the season and second of his career in a 2–1 victory over Rochdale on 28 December, Glover vowed that "the boo-boys will only make me stronger."[11] However, for the goal celebration he removed his shirt to reveal a vest that read "Happy birthday, Dad", his father's 45th birthday being the next day. He was booked for the incident and was dismissed from the field five minutes later for a second bookable offence.[12] With the club languishing in the bottom half of League Two and some fans still angry with both Glovers, Dean condemned fans who booed his son.[13] Glover Sr. would lose his job the next month. He later admitted he had considered quitting the game at this point.[14] Glover was disappointed with his performances in the 2008–09 season and insisted that being the manager's son handed him no favours:
"Whether my dad was at the club or not I knew, and the team knew, that I was only ever going to be in the team if I was playing well. I was never going to be picked just because my dad was there."
—Glover responds to accusations that he benefited from his father being club manager.[15]
He stated his aim to win a new contract at the end of the 2009–10 season.[16] However, he was transfer listed by new manager Micky Adams in August 2009, along with five other youngsters, having failed to impress in the pre-season.[17][18] He swiftly joined Conference National side Salisbury City on a one-month loan deal, along with fellow "Valiant" Luke Prosser.[19] He made his debut for the "Whites" as a substitute in a 1–0 defeat to Mansfield Town at the Raymond McEnhill Stadium, former Vale teammate Kyle Perry was the goalscorer.[20] He played seven games, mostly as a substitute, before returning to Vale Park.[21] By mid-November, his impressive performances in the reserves showed a new 'appetite for the game',[22] and earned him a place on the first-team bench.[23] Before the month was out he was loaned out Rochdale, also of League Two.[24] He returned to the Vale in early January, having played just two games as a late substitute, totalling just 25 minutes on the field. His opportunities at Spotland were limited by an in-form strike force and match postponements due to poor weather. Rochdale did not extend the loan spell, reportedly due to financial difficulties.[25] However, Glover said that the loan spell helped to boost his confidence.[26] He still received abuse from some at Vale Park though, almost a year after his father's departure.[27] In March 2010 he was informed that he would not be offered a new contract at the Vale at the end of the season, along with fellow youth graduates Luke Prosser and Ross Davidson.[28] He and Davidson immediately joined local Conference North side Stafford Rangers on loan.[29]
Non-League
In July 2010, Glover had a trial at Conference North club Worcester City.[30] He impressed enough to win a contract from manager Carl Heeley.[31][32] He enjoyed a highly productive 2010–11 campaign, scoring 20 goals in all competitions, including 14 in the league, also becoming the first player to score a hat-trick for the club in four years.[33][34] Despite rumours of a move to Conference National side Tamworth, Glover insisted he was happy to stay with the "Blues".[35] He eventually left Worcester in June 2011, having scored 20 goals for the club, and signed for league rivals Nuneaton Town.[36][37] He scored 21 goals as "Boro" reached the play-off final in 2011–12, and secured promotion with a 1–0 victory over Gainsborough Trinity at The Northolme.[38] He left Liberty Way in May 2012 and returned to former club Worcester City two months later.[39][40] He joined league rivals F.C. Halifax Town on loan in March 2013, managed by Neil Aspin, citing Halifax's play-off chase as more beneficial to his development than staying with mid-table Worcester in the 2012–13 end-of-season run-in.[41] He played ten games for the "Shaymen"; the club secured a play-off place and went on to win promotion, though Glover did not feature in the play-offs.
Glover switched to league rivals Bradford Park Avenue in January 2014, having become frustrated by a lack of first-team goals at Worcester.[42] He was released from the Horsfall Stadium due to budget constraints, and signed with Hednesford Town in March 2014.[43] The "Pitmen" finished the 2013–14 season in the play-off zone. He scored in the Conference North play-off semi-final against Altrincham at Keys Park, but Hednesford were beaten 3–1 on aggregate.[38] He scored nine goals in 21 games in the first half of the 2014–15 campaign, including a brace against Harrogate Town and a hat-trick against Hyde.[2] He switched to Conference North rivals Stockport County in December 2014.[44] However, he only managed to score four goals in 20 appearances for the "Hatters" in the second half of the 2014–15 campaign.[38]
Glover was transfer-listed at Edgeley Park by incoming manager Neil Young and was allowed to join AFC Telford United in July 2015.[38][45] He scored just once in 11 National League North appearances for Bernard McNally's "Bucks". Telford sacked him in January 2016 after he was discovered to have played three games for the Butcher's Arms public house and was, therefore, in breach of his Telford contract.[38] He then rejoined Hednesford Town in the National League North.[46] He scored one goal in 16 appearances as Hednesford were relegated at the end of the 2015–16 campaign. He signed a new contract in May 2016.[38] He played two games on loan at North West Counties League Division One side Alsager Town in September 2016, scoring a hat-trick on his debut.[38] He continued his good form back at Keys Park and finished as the club's top-scorer with 13 goals in 25 starts and 10 substitute appearances as Hednesford finished 15th in the Northern Premier League Premier Division in the 2016–17 season.[38][47] He scored his 50th goal for the club on 27 March 2018, in a 5–0 victory over Basford United in the quarter-finals of the Northern Premier League Challenge Cup.[48] Henesford finished 17th in the 2017–18 season, and Glover was named as both Managers Player of the Season and Sportsman of the Season for his 29 goals in all competitions.[49]
On 18 June 2018, he and teammate James Lawrie both signed with Nantwich Town, also of the Northern Premier League Premier Division.[50] He lifted the Cheshire Senior Cup with the club after playing in the 5–2 final victory over Cammell Laird 1907.[51] He also helped the "Dabbers" to reach the play-offs, where they were beaten by Warrington Town in the semi-finals.[52] He rejoined Hednesford Town for a third time on 31 May 2019, joining the club as a player-coach.[53] In February 2020 he was appointed joint caretaker manager,[54] a role he held until late March.[55] He scored 20 goals in 40 games before the 2019–20 season was formally abandoned on 26 March, with all results from the season being expunged, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England.[56][57]
On 30 October 2020, Glover signed with Rushall Olympic, also of the Southern League Premier Division Central, who were managed by former Hednesford boss Liam McDonald.[58][59] However, the 2020–21 season was curtailed early due to the ongoing pandemic on 24 February 2021.[60] The "Pics" qualified for the play-offs at the end of the 2021–22 season, but were beaten 3–0 by Coalville Town in the semi-finals.[61] He scored 24 goals from 50 appearances in the 2021–22 season.[57] Rushall qualified for the play-offs with a fourth-place finish but were beaten 3–0 by Coalville Town in the semi-finals.[62]
On 30 June 2022, Northern Premier League Division One West side Hanley Town announced the signing of Glover.[63] On 17 December 2022, Glover returned to Hednesford Town as player-manager.[64] Hednesford were relegated at the end of the 2022–23 season amid a financial crisis, with Glover contributing four goals from eighteen playing appearances.[65][57]
On 1 November 2023, he signed with Chasetown, with manager Mark Swann saying that he "will be a massive addition for the football club".[66] He scored against Stalybridge Celtic on his debut.[67] He scored 12 goals in 27 games in the 2023–24 campaign, including a goal in the Walsall Senior Cup final defeat to Rushall Olympic.[68]
↑ 2 appearances and 2 goals in the FA Trophy, 4 appearances and 1 goal in the Walsall Senior Cup, 1 appearance in the Staffordshire Senior Cup and 1 appearance in the play-offs.
↑ Appearance/s and goal/s in the Walsall Senior Cup.
Keith Stephen Lowe is an English former professional footballer who played as a centre back. He made over 634 league and cup appearances in a 19-year playing career.
Andrew Peter Turner is a football coach and former professional football player and manager. He is currently Head of Youth Development at Northern Premier League Division One West club Hednesford Town.
Lee Sinnott is an English professional football manager and former player who was most recently manager of Gainsborough Trinity.
Kris Taylor is an English football manager and former professional player who is a player-coach at Northern Premier League Division One West club Chasetown.
Dean Victor Glover is an English former football player and manager. A cultured and stylish defender, he had the ball control skills of a midfielder. He played 457 league games in a seventeen-year career in the English Football League.
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The 2007–08 season was Port Vale's 96th season of football in the English Football League, and fourth-successive season in League One. Vale finished second-from-bottom and were relegated, some twelve points from safety. Manager Martin Foyle left the club in September, and Lee Sinnott failed to improve results despite making several loan signings. Vale were also knocked out of the FA Cup in the Second Round by Southern Football League side Chasetown, a club five divisions below the Vale. Vale also had no luck in either the League Cup or the Football League Trophy, exiting both competitions at the first stage after a penalty shoot-out. Throughout the season, the club saw a large turnover of players as Sinnott attempted to build a squad of players of his own choosing to prepare for a promotion push the following season.
The 2008–09 season was Port Vale's 97th season of football in the English Football League, and first season in League Two, following their relegation from League One. After a poor start to the season, manager Lee Sinnott was sacked in September and was replaced by Dean Glover. Despite a brief improvement, Vale then slipped back down the table to finish in eighteenth place. The team were also poor in the cup competitions, exiting the FA Cup in the second round and both the League Cup and the Football League Trophy in the first round. Marc Richards was the club's top scorer with eleven goals, and goalkeeper Joe Anyon was Player of the Year despite breaking his leg towards the end of the season.
The 2009–10 season was Port Vale's 98th season of football in the English Football League, and second-successive season in League Two. Micky Adams received plaudits for his first full season in charge. He took a squad of players that had previously been near the bottom of the division and made them difficult to beat, taking them to a tenth-place finish, just outside the play-offs. In the League Cup, Vale defeated two Championship sides to reach the Third Round stage. They also exited the Football League Trophy in the Third Round and the FA Cup in the Second Round, whilst the reserve team finished as Staffordshire Senior Cup runners-up. Marc Richards hit 23 goals, whilst Player of the Year Anthony Griffith was also an essential part of the first XI.
Aaron John Williams is an English footballer who plays as a forward for Cymru Premier team Newtown. He previously played in the Football League for Walsall, Peterborough United and Newport County, and is also an England C-team international.
Daniel Graham Turner is an English semi-professional footballer who plays as a forward for National League North club Chester.
References
↑ "Danny Glover". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
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