Replacing Maidenhead United’s Key Players

Earlier in the week, a Maidenhead United fan set me the tricky challenge of recommending transfer targets for The Magpies in the event that they lose their three key players in the summer; Reece Smith, Casey Pettit and Jayden Mitchell-Lawson.

They also stated that they feel Maidenhead United need to add a new striker during the summer, given that they have missed a recognised, prolific centre-forward this term. Unfortunately, that type of player is not readily growing on trees – so to speak.

However, that did not stop me and I have indeed gone through and identified players who I think could be the ideal replacement for Smith, Pettit and Mitchell-Lawson, as well as recommend a striker for The Magpies.

Reece Smith Replacement

Harvey Sayer (Lowestoft Town – transfer)

How do you go about replacing Reece Smith? The answer: with difficulty. Smith has shown himself to be one of the brightest talents in the National League that is a mazy and mercurial dribbler with all the swagger and style of a Jack Grealish type.

He is a key reason why The Magpies have been able to keep their heads above water this term – and in the last few terms for that matter – and was capped by England C in March. Still only young but with an ever-increasing maturity, Smith is destined for big things. Indeed, I tipped him for an EFL move in January.

The task, therefore, in finding a player who can come in and hit it off in 2024-25 as a direct replacement for Smith in the event of him being plucked by an EFL side is difficult; I’d go as far as to say it’s nearly impossible. Especially given the financial clout – or lack thereof – that The Magpies have at their disposal. But, I like a challenge.

The player I have gone for is Harvey Sayer. Currently on the books of Lowestoft Town, Sayer ticks a number of the boxes that Devonshire often looks for when younger players in that he has come through a good academy – Norwich City and Colchester United – and has gone out and developed in men’s football. Indeed, he has had a strong season with the Trawler Boys.

He is a left-sided player who perhaps won’t look to drift inside onto his right as much as Reece Smith, but in terms of the trickery to beat players, create chances and play with a general level of swagger and confidence befitting of a player many years his senior, Sayer certainly fits that bill.

He has scored 28 goals at the time of counting for Lowestoft Town and so he has certainly shown that the output is there. A wand of a left foot, fabulous delivery, a lovely appreciation for the weight of pass into the final third and quick, dancing feet. He may only be 21 years of age, but I think in terms of the quality and all-round aura they want to replace in Smith, Sayer is – I feel – the closest they are going to get.

Casey Pettit Replacement

Jonathon Page (Aldershot Town – free)

Replacing Casey Pettit is a tough challenge, given that the former Luton Town man has been so good this term and primarily due to the fact he is a rather unique profile; a good frame, suitably mobile, a great athlete and aggressive without the ball. With that in mind, I think The Shots should look at Jonathon Page.

Page is currently on the books of Aldershot Town, and he has signed a deal with The Shots until the end of this season. He has been used sparingly in Aldershot Town colours, and with The Shots already having a strong midfield contingent to call upon, Page himself may look to depart in the summer and go to a club where he will be afforded more regular minutes.

The youngster came through the academy at Premier League outfit Fulham, and so has a strong technical grounding. His most recent experience in first-team football came with Farnborough, where Page showed himself to be a composed and technical midfielder; it is no surprise that he was on the radar of a number of clubs higher up the divisions in the summer; Aldershot Town and Rochdale just two.

Page is a similar profile in terms of how he would fit into this Magpies side, as a deeper-lying midfielder that screens the back four well and gets United going again in possession. Shown to be a competent passer of the ball with proficiency off either foot, Page is perhaps not the natural athlete of Pettit but certainly brings the intelligence, composure and work-rate.

Jayden Mitchell-Lawson Replacement

Andrew Oluwabori (FC Halifax Town – free)

If The Magpies need to replace Jayden Mitchell-Lawson, one player who I think would be a good fit stylistically – and one I wouldn’t be surprised if Ala Devonshire has looked at before – is Shaymen attacker Andrew Oluwabori.

In the first part of the season, Oluwabori played more of a bit-part role with minutes restricted largely from the bench. With injuries to key players Cooke and Cappello, Oluwabori has become more of a prominent figure for Millington’s men as the seas has gone on. With the wide player out of contract at the end of the season, he may well look to move on.

If he does, I think that he would be the perfect option for The Magpies. There is no doubt that he has the traits you would like for as a replacement for Mitchell-Lawson; quick, direct, a good dribbler and can be quite dynamic in his movement. He has shown during his time at The Shay considerable learning and he has become more rounded than he was at Yeovil Town.

Oluwabori is still quite raw, but that is in part down to the fact he hasn’t – in reality – played a great deal of first-team football. If there is a manager that has shown he can get the best out of players with potential and improve them into more complete and finished articles, Devonshire is that man. The raw ability is there, and with a regular playing berth I think he would thrive as an option to replace Jayden Mitchell-Lawson.

New Striker

Kwesi Appiah (Boreham Wood – free)

This term, Maidenhead United have put their trust in some younger striking options in the form of Shawn McCoulsky and Chanka Zimba. However, I feel that they could well benefit from adding a more experienced profile of centre forward to come in and be the recognised option to lead the line and as such I think they should consider adding Kwesi Appiah.

Appiah is currently on the books of fellow National League side Boreham Wood, who of course could well still go down from the division this term. Appiah is out of contract at the end of the season and will more than likely want to depart in the event that Boreham Wood go down; the fact he has been restricted to merely 15 appearances and that he is behind Tyrone Marsh and Lee Nldovu in the pecking order may see him want to also depart.

The former Crawley Town man is a player that I have always been a fan of, and so I admit that this suggestion may have more to do with personal preference as oppose to overwhelming quality, but I stand by my view that he is a good player. Well-built, a good physical specimen, robust, athletic, good in the air and hard-working; all of the traits that you would expect of a striker that is going to lead the line in the National League.

He is 33 years of age at the time of asking, and will be 34 years of age by the time that next season gets underway, but I think that as a player to lead the attack he is still capable at this level. He has never been overly prolific, but wherever he has been has always shown an ability to score, and in an Alan Devonshire side I think he would thrive.