EFL: Hashtag United product makes professional debut among stories you may have missed
- Published
Former Hashtag United player Scott Pollock, 17, came off the bench to make his senior debut for Northampton Town
Promotion and relegation contenders are now firmly emerging as the EFL moves towards the two-thirds stage of the season.
But there were also a few sub-plots as well, with a 17-year-old best known via Youtube making his professional debut, some fans deciding to hit the road to watch the "home" side and one player reaching an impressive career milestone.
Here's some of the stories you may have missed from the EFL - and not a 'spygate' tale in sight.
From YouTube FC to League Two debut
Scott Pollock might not be an immediately familiar name to football fans, but more people than you might think already know about the 17-year-old's footballing pedigree.
Millions will have watched Pollock emerge as an academy product at Hashtag United - the online-based football club set up by YouTuber Spencer Owen.
Hashtag United have more than 430,000 subscribers to their YouTube channel, external compared to the 5,466 at Pollock's current club Northampton Town.
Northampton-born midfielder Pollock signed a two-year youth scholarship with the Cobblers in September and on Saturday found himself making his senior debut against Cambridge United.
He came off the bench as an injury-enforced substitute for Shaun McWilliams where a crowd of 4,849 were watching.
That's considerably fewer than the 30,000 fans Pollock played before at the national stadium in October 2017 when he caught the eye in a Wembley Cup game against Tekkers Town.
Lining up against him that day were Steven Gerrard, David James and Emile Heskey.
Life in League Two might be a slightly different affair for Pollock, but his former club were thrilled to see him make his EFL debut.
Bolton fans show "Ken Do" attitude
What do you do on a Saturday afternoon when your side aren't in action until Monday evening?
Go and check out a lower or non-league match close to home or make a 326-mile round trip to see join the home fans at another club?
A group of Bolton Wanderers fans did the latter when they travelled to Forest Green Rovers' New Lawn ground to see them take on Bury in League Two.
Bolton fans joined the Forest Green fans on the terraces at the New Lawn
The reason - a joint protest between Bolton and Forest Green supporters following the recent saga involving their respective chairmen and striker Christian Doidge.
Doidge initially joined Bolton on loan in August from Forest Green with a view to making his switch a permanent one in January.
But a registration embargo imposed on Bolton meant the deal collapsed earlier this month and Doidge eventually returned to his parent club.
Doidge's Bolton treatment 'shocking' - Vince
Claim and counter-claim has been exchanged between Forest Green chairman Dale Vince and Bolton's Ken Anderson about the Trotters' alleged financial means to honour Doidge's permanent move and payment of his wages while on loan.
Supporters themselves have got involved by deciding to sell t-shirts with the slogan "No Ken Do" as a symbol of their united frustration at the saga.
Profits from the t-shirt sales are going to the Bolton Wanderers Supporters' Trust while Vince himself offered Bolton fans a free pint if they attended the match against Bury.
A number of Bolton and Forest Green fans were wearing the t-shirts, but it didn't bring the hosts any joy on the pitch as promotion chasers Bury won 2-1.
Doidge himself started for Forest Green, but couldn't find a goal to delight both sets of "home" supporters.
Contrasting starts for new managers
Two bosses took charge of their teams for the first time on Saturday, but there was only to be "a new manager bounce" for one of them.
Martin O'Neill's return to Nottingham Forest this week was much-heralded as the Reds look to mount a charge for the Championship play-offs.
Steven Pressley's arrival at League Two Carlisle United grabbed fewer column inches, but is still a key appointment with the club looking to realise their own promotion ambitions.
Martin O'Neill and Steven Pressley cut contrasting figures at full-time
While there was sell out near-29,000 crowd to greet O'Neill's return to the City Ground, it wasn't to be a happy reunion for the former Forest midfielder. Bristol City got the better of them 1-0, leaving Forest seven points adrift of the play-offs after four defeats in their past six games.
Pressley, meanwhile, made the ideal start in front of just 4,458 at Brunton Park as Carlisle beat Cheltenham 2-0 with two goals early in the second half, a result which will have delighted his number one fan - his mum.
He told BBC Cumbria: "My son plays football on Saturdays so my wife's priority is not her husband, it's her son.
"My mother was here. She's been coming since I was a young player, and gets very nervous about everything. She's often wished I was in a different profession but she'll be very pleased today."
The win kept Carlisle three points off the automatic promotion places, but moved them up a couple of places to fourth.
Dream debut for Vera
In the January transfer window, fans are desperate to see new signings make an immediate impact.
Well, Oldham's Urko Vera did just that against Macclesfield Town as he was on the scoresheet in the opening 60 seconds.
Vera, 31, is not your average League Two signing, having joined the Latics on Friday with a playing CV boasting La Liga experience with Athletic Bilbao and more recently, Romanian clubs CFR Cluj and Astra Giurgiu.
Urko Vera scored five times for Eibar as they won the Spanish Segunda Division in 2014
Vera converted the early penalty which gave Oldham a lead they sadly couldn't hold on to as Sol Campbell's Macclesfield claimed a vital 2-1 win in their bid to climb out of the relegation zone.
Oldham will hope Vera, who has moved to Boundary Park on a deal until the end of the season, can prove a vital component as they lie five points off the play-offs and travel to Doncaster Rovers next week in the FA Cup fourth round.
600 not out for Lewington
And finally this week, a tip of the hat to one of the EFL's longest-serving players as he reaches another landmark in his career.
MK Dons defender Dean Lewington made his 600th appearance when he lined-up against Crewe on Saturday.
Dean Lewington made his senior debut in April 2003 when MK Dons were still known as Wimbledon
Lewington, 34, became the 20th player since 1888 to reach the milestone for one club, who were still called Wimbledon when he signed as a trainee in 2002.
He wasn't to be a lucky charm though for Paul Tisdale's side though whose automatic promotion hopes were dented by a 1-0 home defeat.
Maybe Dean will have more joy when he runs out for appearance number 700?