Michael Blackwood

Blackwood began his career as a trainee at Aston Villa in 1998 and had a loan spell at Chester City during the 1999–00 season before joining Wrexham on a free transfer in June 2000, where he made over 45 appearances in two seasons. He dropped into non-league football, playing for Worcester City, Stevenage Borough, Halesowen Town, during the 2002–03 season. He joined Telford United in August 2003 after impressing in pre-season friendlies, and made 35 league appearances for Telford in the 2003–04 season.

Lincoln City

Having trialled for the club in August 2002, appearing for the reserves in a 2–1 home defeat to York City's reserves on 28 August 2002, Blackwood returned to Football League in July 2004, joining League Two side Lincoln City on a one-year contract after impressing in a trial spell. He started the season in the first team, making his debut in the 1–0 League Two victory at Shrewsbury Town on 7 August 2004, but a ruptured abdominal muscle sustained in late August saw him out of action for four months. He struggled to make an impression at the club in the second half of the season, turning down the opportunity to join Tamworth on loan in February, and departed Sincil Bank by mutual consent on 26 May 2005.

Return to the non-leagues

He was released by Lincoln at the end of the 2004–05 season and joined Conference National side Kidderminster Harriers, where he made over 100 appearances, before joining Oxford United in January 2008 on loan for the…