SQUADWATCH - Summer 2026

[Sutekh]

So now all the cr@p that was 25/26 is pretty much over, the current squad at the beginning of the close season is (in alphabetical and the 4 generic positions (GK, DF, MF, FW) order):

Red = player out of contract on 30th June

Name - Contract Expiry

GOALKEEPERS (GK)

Tom NORCOTT - 2026
Joel PEREIRA - 2028
Matthew ROWLEY - 2026
Jack STEVENS - 2027
Josh WELLAND - 2027

DEFENDERS (DF)

Kelvin ABREFA - 2026
Ashqar AHMED - 2027
Boyd BEACROFT- 2026
John CLARKE - 2026
Jeriel DORSETT - 2026
Philip DUAH - 2026
Sam HARRISON - 2026
Abraham KANU - 2026
Paudie O’CONNOR - 2029
Emmanuel OSHO - 2026
Haydon ROBERTS- 2028
Tivonge RUSHESHA - 2026
John RYAN - 2026
Michael STICKLAND - 2026 (+1 year option)
Benn WARD - 2029
Derrick WILLIAMS - 2027
Andy YIADOM - 2026

MIDFIELDERS (MF)

Joseph BAROUGH - 2026
Carter-Blue BOWDERY - 2026
Mamadi CAMARA - 2026
Ben ELLIOTT - 2026
Liam FRASER - 2027
Jacob HAMMOND-CHAMBERS-BORGNIS - 2026
Luke HOWARD - 2026
Andy RINOMHOTA - 2026
Charlie SAVAGE - 2027
Shay SPENCER - 2026
Randell WILLIAMS - 2027
Lewis WING - 2028

FORWARDS (FW)

Kelvin EHIBHATIOMHAN - 2027
Daniel KYEREWAA - 2027
Paddy LANE - 2028
Jack MARRIOTT - 2028
Jeremiah OKINE-PETERS - 2026
Matt RITCHIE - 2028
Tyler SACKEY - 2026
Basil TUMA - 2026

The club will be announcing those that will be released/offered new deals in due course. We probably all know most of the names if we were drawing up a list ourselves but will be interesting to see the club’s decision over the biggest ?’s of Abrefa & Elliott.

Looking further at the state of things the club’s board also need to confirm the state of play over the management, though I think Leam will remain in post. However, if the axe did fall, the club could do a lot worse than sound out Alex Revell, currently impressing with Stevenage.

Finally the following were on loan over 2026, would you want to see any return permanently or for another loan spell…

1. Finley BURNS
2. Mark O’MAHONY
3. Ryan NYAMBE
4. Kadan YOUNG
5. Kamari DOYLE
6. Matty JACOB
7. Will KEANE

[AthleticoSpizz]

Would be happy to see the post xmas and pre-injury Doyle back in our hoops next season.

[Linden Jones' Tash]

Would be happy to see the post xmas and pre-injury Doyle back in our hoops next season.

Are you Dr. WHO?

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Difficult to comment on some of the youngsters OOC as not seen them but its a shame that both Ryan & Clarke haven't been able to come though injury problems. Spencer has looked useful and would consider a new deal and still think Abrefa has potential..

Of the loanees only Doyle is worth considering if he's available.

Elliott - maybe one year? Depends what the physios think.

Rino & Dorsett - yes

[From Despair To Where?]

Don't know enough about the youngsters but of the OOC players, Abrefa and Rinomhota are the only ones I definitely offer a contract.

I think with a full pre season behind him, Rinomhota would be a real asset in L1. Abrefa, because we've not really got anything at RB and he'd be more than adequate cover.

Maybe Dorsett as well because I do think there's a decent footballer in there trying to get out. However, forr someone with 120+ appearances, he's still very green and I'm not convinced he'll get any better

Doyle's the only loanee I'd look to bring back.

[Fezza]

First XI for next season should be...

Pereira

Abrefa D. Williams Ward Roberts

R. Williams Rino (get him please) New Signing 1 (mobile DM) New Signing 2 (Pacey winger - Lisbie?)

Wing (in #10)

Marriott

Of the rest, keep: Kelvin E, Kyerewaa, O'Connor, Ritchie (does he fancy a coaching role?) utterly unfussed by the rest, although perhaps Kanu, given his season for Savage Snr.

[Hound]

Do wonder why Rino wasn’t given a game earlier as he really looked the part. Do hope he can earn himself a contract

Im really not bothered by keeping anyone particularly tbh. Wouldn’t shed a tear over anyone going

Ward, POC, Roberts, JP, Wing got a while on their contracts and worth keeping. Kelvin we’ve invested a fair bit in and wouldn’t want him to leave at this point really. DK I generally like and has potential but not as an automatic starter

Marriott isn’t fit, reliable or mobile enough to be #1 striker through the season. Useful to have knocking about though, but we should aim for a bigger, fitter and stronger starting #9. Dorsett keep as a squad player.

Savage should go for the sake of his career. He has gone backwards this year.

I’d like to see some u21 come through but no one knocking down the door.

[Linden Jones' Tash]

Assuming we are going to have to do some player trading to offset the losses implies maxing the players under contract....

Selling Savage this summer makes sense, but that's not going to be much given the % sell on clause...

JP and LW could generate reasonable fees...

Maybe Kelvin or Danny K...

Hard to see where a few million will come from however...

[under the tin]

Dellor mentioned several times in commentary on Saturday that Wing's body language on the pitch was implying an unhappy chappy.
At this stage of his career, he knows that the window starts to close a bit every season for his chances at a shot of plying his trade higher up the pyramid. Would not be at all surprised to see him go elsewhere in the summer. (P/O winners Plymouth?)
Also agree with previous poster about Charlie Savage, who looks like he's gone a bit stale here. A shame, it happens.

Regarding the rest of the squad, I'm like others on here in that the sticking plaster last ditch signings made last summer haven't made for good use of limited payroll resources, given what they've actually contributed on the pitch.
I think the club's higher management recognises this, as was shown by our activity in January (barring Will Keane, who's Bodin Mk.2).
I'm expecting a big summer clear out, considered and strategic permanent signings of players who will have resell value, coupled with judicious use of the loan market.

IMHO. our number one priority is a player up top to give us a target for the relief ball when we're under the cosh. It doesn't matter if they're not prolific goalscorers, just being able to hold the bloody ball up, and bring others into play further up the pitch. (Kelvin coming in from the left, Marriot, Rhino).

[Hound]

100% agree on that final paragraph

[Brogue]

everyone can go. start a fresh.

[Sutekh]

Yes, need to stop being so soft in games too, need to be more “able” like this little lot.

[Stranded]

Dellor mentioned several times in commentary on Saturday that Wing's body language on the pitch was implying an unhappy chappy.
At this stage of his career, he knows that the window starts to close a bit every season for his chances at a shot of plying his trade higher up the pyramid. Would not be at all surprised to see him go elsewhere in the summer. (P/O winners Plymouth?)
Also agree with previous poster about Charlie Savage, who looks like he's gone a bit stale here. A shame, it happens.

Regarding the rest of the squad, I'm like others on here in that the sticking plaster last ditch signings made last summer haven't made for good use of limited payroll resources, given what they've actually contributed on the pitch.
I think the club's higher management recognises this, as was shown by our activity in January (barring Will Keane, who's Bodin Mk.2).
I'm expecting a big summer clear out, considered and strategic permanent signings of players who will have resell value, coupled with judicious use of the loan market.

IMHO. our number one priority is a player up top to give us a target for the relief ball when we're under the cosh. It doesn't matter if they're not prolific goalscorers, just being able to hold the bloody ball up, and bring others into play further up the pitch. (Kelvin coming in from the left, Marriot, Rhino).

Lewis Wing will not, at this stage of his career be any thing more than a squad option for a Championship club - he struggled at that level before and unlikely to shine at the level now. He may decide that a move to a club in L1 that is more stable and offers a chance to be truly pushing for promotion is a better option though i.e. someone like Luton.

[Uke]

Yes, need to stop being so soft in games too, need to be more “able” like this little lot.

Bunch of softies compared to our Tel...



TRIVIA FACT: He was friends with Millwall supporter Bob Crow and worked for the RMT

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Yes, need to stop being so soft in games too, need to be more “able” like this little lot.

That squad is I believe is 1988-89 which was 45 minutes away from relegation to the fourth tier.

[Sutekh]

Yes, need to stop being so soft in games too, need to be more “able” like this little lot.

That squad is I believe is 1988-89 which was 45 minutes away from relegation to the fourth tier.

Excitement maintained right to the end of the season, has Leam delivered that?

[blythspartan]

I quite like Will Evans who I believe is out of contract at Mansfield in the summer. I don’t think he’s prolific, but he could do a job up top.

I don’t care if Wing goes tbh. I’d rather have more dynamic midfielders who have more pace and energy. I really like Moylan at Lincoln but no doubt he’ll be staying firmly put.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Yes, need to stop being so soft in games too, need to be more “able” like this little lot.

That squad is I believe is 1988-89 which was 45 minutes away from relegation to the fourth tier.

Excitement maintained right to the end of the season, has Leam delivered that?

Top response although I'd argue the football by then with Branfoot was just as turgid as today.

[morganb]

Like others have said, not really too fussed who stays and who goes. Expect those with long contracts to remain unless they really want to leave. Expect the majority of out of contract players to leave. Can't see many clubs sniffing around our best players this year.

Do we need to get rid of players in order to have a decent budget for transfer fees and wages or will the summer window be mainly Couhig funded?

Where do we look for new recruits? I guess it is a mixture of out of contract players, the best players from the teams that go down and the worst players from the teams that go up, aged players, loans from the prem.

Can we get anyone else in from overseas as we still have Fraser and Danny K on the books?

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Dellor mentioned several times in commentary on Saturday that Wing's body language on the pitch was implying an unhappy chappy.
At this stage of his career, he knows that the window starts to close a bit every season for his chances at a shot of plying his trade higher up the pyramid. Would not be at all surprised to see him go elsewhere in the summer. (P/O winners Plymouth?)
Also agree with previous poster about Charlie Savage, who looks like he's gone a bit stale here. A shame, it happens.

Regarding the rest of the squad, I'm like others on here in that the sticking plaster last ditch signings made last summer haven't made for good use of limited payroll resources, given what they've actually contributed on the pitch.
I think the club's higher management recognises this, as was shown by our activity in January (barring Will Keane, who's Bodin Mk.2).
I'm expecting a big summer clear out, considered and strategic permanent signings of players who will have resell value, coupled with judicious use of the loan market.

IMHO. our number one priority is a player up top to give us a target for the relief ball when we're under the cosh. It doesn't matter if they're not prolific goalscorers, just being able to hold the bloody ball up, and bring others into play further up the pitch. (Kelvin coming in from the left, Marriot, Rhino).

Lewis Wing will not, at this stage of his career be any thing more than a squad option for a Championship club - he struggled at that level before and unlikely to shine at the level now. He may decide that a move to a club in L1 that is more stable and offers a chance to be truly pushing for promotion is a better option though i.e. someone like Luton.

I can see Wing leaving in the summer, agree his body language has been wrong on occasions this season and not just under Leam. It may depend on what ambition is shown in the early summer.