Emley AFC’s pre-season is underway and Tuesday night’s home game against League Two side Rotherham United will bring back memories for older fans – and boss Richard Tracey.

In the 1998-99 season Emley held Rotherham to a 1-1 draw in the FA Cup first round at Barnsley’s Oakwell ground.

And that game has a special significance for the Pewits manager who made his debut as a professional player for Rotherham.

Tracey was on loan from Sheffield United at the time and Emley were skippered that day by Steve Nicholson, who is now his assistant at the Fantastic Media Welfare Ground.

Emley went down 3-0 in the first of their eight pre-season games at Garforth Town on Saturday and the Millers come to the Fantastic Media Welfare Ground on Tuesday (July 14).

Tracey said he expected a good work out for his players, and thought a few memories would come flooding back.

“Rotherham gave me my first taste of professional senior football,” he said. “I had signed as a professional at Sheffield United but they had a squad of 60 players.

“Rotherham gave me that first opportunity as a senior footballer and I will always be grateful for that.

“Ronnie Moore was the manager but there was a coach called Billy Russell and he was the last person to try to teach me new things.

“After that wherever I went they expected me to be able to do a particular job but the last team to actually invest in me as a player and try to upskill me was Rotherham.”

The Pewits are counting down to a return to the Northern Premier League Premier Division for the first time in 25 years after a dramatic play-off final victory in May.

Tracey has made seven new signings so far and will take a look at a couple of young players in pre-season.

Italian striker Diego De Girolamo has topped the scoring charts in this division before and offers Emley something different up front and there’s also a new keeper, Ben Bottomley.

“We’ve added to the squad and we’ve brought in a lot of versatile players who can play multiple positions which gives us the depth we need,” said Tracey.

Jack Cowgill, Hayden Lindley and Laurence Sorhaindo are among those players staying on along with play-off hero Joe Clegg, who fired home the decisive penalty in the shoot-out.

The Rotherham game kicks off at 7pm and tickets at £6 adults and £4 concessions can be bought online and pay on the gate is available too. Gates open at 5.30pm.

Tickets can be purchased HERE.

Images by: Huddersfield Hub photographer SEAN DOYLE