A summer rebuild for Truro City under John Askey

Two weeks ago, Truro City sprang a surprise recently when they announced that experienced manager John Askey would replace departed Paul Wotton as their new boss going into the 2024-25 campaign.

It has given The Tinners’ supporters renewed optimism going into the summer, with many seeing it as the latest ambitious move for the club under their fresh ownership. Given Askey’s track record, the appointment does – of course – bring with it added pressure for The Tinners to perform having stabilised in the sixth tier following promotion.

They have added former loan defender Sam Sanders as their only new signing so far this summer, and with a number of key departures already – notably in the form of James Hamon and Ed Palmer – and so there will be added scrutiny on John Askey to recruit smartly.

With that in mind, I take a look at some additions that I think The Tinners should make.

Luke Daniels (Forest Green Rovers – free)

After the departure of James Hamon to Torquay United, one key area in which The Tinners need to focus their efforts this summer is bringing in a goalkeeper. John Askey tends to favour experience in goal and low-risk, high-margin and error-free types over and above a goalkeeper that is particularly proficient with the ball at the feet. As such, one option that I think would be worth exploring is Luke Daniels.

Daniels was let go by Forest Green Rovers at the end of the season, and so is on the look out for a new club. At the age of 36, he will unlikely get the chance of a deal in the Football League and so I think that he may well have to drop down for his next move. With that the case, I feel that would open the door for him to come in and be the new number one for The Tinners, and his experience is something that I feel John Askey would like.

And, given that he is 36 years of age, I think that Daniels would not be adverse to dropping down to the sixth tier – only a division below what he would have been in with Forest Green Rovers had he stayed – in a perhaps less stress free league and one where he could more than manage as a reliable pair of hands. He has just short of 300 professional games under his belt, and so while he has not been a number one for much of his career, a move like this would be one that would be a coup for The Tinners. Behind younger and less experienced defenders, he’d be invaluable.

Declan Rose (Poole Town – free)

One player that has been let go this summer that I was surprised has become available and who – if I was John Askey – I would be going for is defender Declan Rose. Released by Poole Town at the end of the campaign, Rose is one of the standout young players that I have seen in the South of England in recent years and so given that City’s emphasis in the recruitment market should be in signing the best local talent, I think this would fit the bill.

Rose is formerly of Yeovil Town, and has spent the last couple of years playing for Poole Town in the Southern league. During such time, he has been one of, if not the best young defenders in the league. He is your typical attacking full-back that is good on the ball, progressive down the right-hand side, and acts almost as a winger when in possession of the ball. A lovely crosser from deep and another that would be ideal for an Askey system with a requirement to get balls in the box, Rose’s final third involvements would be useful.

He is yet to sign for anyone sign leaving Poole Town, but I have no doubt that he will lots of offers. Truro City have to be selective in the deals that they make in the summer, with location potentially a barrier, and so they should look to sign from in the South. Rose is a fairly local option – playing in Dorset – and he is a player that I think can more than handle the step up having been one of the top end performers in the Southern league; this would be a good addition and at the very least one with a view towards the long-term.

Duncan Idehen (Bristol City – free)

For a club like Truro City, one avenue that they often have to look to exploit in the market is the released list of Southern-based, higher-level clubs. One player that was released by Championship side Bristol City and who did play in the National League South last term and who could be a useful pickup for The Tinners on a free transfer is defender Duncan Idehen.

Idehen spent time with Yeovil Town last year, and also had a brief spell with Bath City, and so he is well-accustomed to the National League South. While he was more than capable for the level, I think that is likely that his next move will be to a team in the sixth tier and so Truro City would be a good fit in that regard. It is also likely that he will look to remain the South of England having spent much of his fledgling career in that part of the country, and so with Yeovil Town unlikely to make a return for him and Bath City already well-stocked in the defensive ranks, I think that Idehen to Truro City may be a recommendation that has a lot of legs.

The former Robins defender is a good size, imposing and strong in the air. He gives City an athleticism and physicality that is always useful when playing in a back three. Idehen was deployed as a centre-back and a full-back last term, and so he offers versatility, too.

Mustapha Olagunju (Huddersfield Town – free)

One area that I think Truro City should look at strengthening their side during the close season is in the centre of defence. One player that was let go at the end of the season that could well give The Tinners what they are missing – a little bit of mobility and pace at the back – and who John Askey will know from having been manager of him before at a previous club is former Huddersfield Town youngster Mustapha Olagunju.

Academy prospect Olagunju was released at the end of the campaign by The Terriers, and so he is on the look out for a new club this summer. The defender has played under Askey before during their time together at Port Vale in 2021, and has since had a couple of loan deals out in first-team football with Ebbsfleet United and last season with Crawley Town in League Two; albeit, only making a single appearance at the later. I think that is most likely that he will have to look for a deal outside of the EFL and in non-league for his next move, and so signing for The Tinners could well be an option for him.

Signing for Truro City would give him a more likely possibility of regular minutes than he would get at say National League level, and doing so under a manager in Askey that he has played six times makes sense. The defender is a physical and pacy defender that is aggressive, can cover wide areas, is capable of passing the ball out from the back snd so if City are to stick with the use of a 3-5-2 formation that they used this term under Wotton then having a player of Olagunju’s profile would be ideal.

Scott Burgess (York City – free)

With John Askey deciding to “up sticks” from his Northern roots and move down South, it wouldn’t surprise me if there are one or two players that are persuaded to join Askey in the South West. One player – therefore – that could well move to Truro City is midfielder Scot Burgess.

Managers often have players that follow them round wherever they go, and Scott Burgess is one of those that has seemingly followed John Askey; initially during his time Macclesfield Town, then following him to Port Vale and most recently at York City. Burgess was let go at the end of the 2023-24 campaign and so with the midfielder having not gone anywhere so far during the close season, it would not come as a surprise to me if Burgess is someone that Askey has already got in contact with over a potential move to The Tinners.

One thing that I felt The Tinners’ midfield lacked last term was attacking output. They had a lot of players that were industrious and that worked hard, but they lacked that player that could unlock a door, get on the ball and get on the turn and also pick a pass in the final third, whereas Scott Burgess is a player that has always struck me as being a tricky and technical type that is able to carry the ball from deep, make late runs into the box and get shots off. He has experience of playing at a higher level, and is at the right age to be able to relocate, and I think he’d be a good signing.

Will Jenkins-Davies (Plymouth Argyle – loan)

One player that I think may well be available for Truro City if they want to sign him, and who comes off the back of a strong individual season in the National League South, is Plymouth Argyle’s Will Jenkins-Davies. Offered terms of a new deal with The Pilgrims at the end of the 2023-24 campaign, I think that he will likely sign for Argyle again. Regardless of whether he does or not, I think that they should make the move to sign him.

Jenkins-Davies spent the 2023-24 campaign with near neighbours Torquay United, and he impressed in United colours as a lively, energetic, pressing type in the middle of the park that is capable of getting about the pitch can press the opposition, is dynamic and hard-working, and while he may not be the biggest he certainly makes up for it with his work-rate and mobility. He isn’t afraid to get stuck into the challenges as well, and the physical side of his game will improve in time, and I think that the raw tools of a more than capable midfielder are there to work with.

I did expect that he may well return to Torquay United this summer on a free transfer and that he would decide to call time on his spell with Plymouth Argyle in favour of a deal elsewhere at first-team level – to really kickstart his career – albeit it seems that Torquay United are looking to bring in alternative options this summer (with a couple of new midfield additions already) and so he may well have to look elsewhere if he is to get first-team football. And, where better to do that but at the same level which he showed to be useful at and closer to home.

I certainly feel that Jenkins-Davies would be the profile that John Askey likes. He often opts for hard-working players that are perhaps more so on the industrious side than being the most gifted technically; his work-rate and application are most certainly Jenkins-Davies’ strengths. He is a little livewire who picks up some lovely pockets of space in between opposition midfield and defence, can get on the turn and can pick a pass. I think that regardless of whether he extends his stay at Home Park, this is the sort of player The Tinners should be aiming to sign this summer.

Isaac Vassell (Bath City – free)

I am all one for bringing back old players to clubs – I’m a bit of a romanticist when it comes to recruitment – and so one player that I would like to see The Tinners bring back to Cornwall is wide player Isaac Vassell. Released at the end of the season by fellow National League South side Bath City, Vassell used to play for Truro City before he got a big move to Luton Town and I think that he would make for a coup upon his return.

Vassell did not play a great deal for The Romans last season, with City having a settled side prior to his arrival, but I think that he could more than do a job in the sixth tier. The Tinners do miss quality in the wide areas, and if they can get Isaac Vassell fit and firing anywhere back to what he is capable of – even half of what he is capable of, for that matter – then they are going to have a quality player on their hands who can still be a real handful.

With his injury record, he has perhaps lost the explosive pace to his game that was such a trademark of what he does well, but he is still a competent dribbler that can take players one by being direct and is a decent ball-carrier from deep. He still has a power to his game that enables to get past players, and with a full pre-season to get back to full fitness then I think he can harness those qualities correctly. He isn’t the Isaac Vassell he once was, but even half of that is a good player for this level.

Jack Stobbs (Torquay United – free)

The Tinners need to add some extra quality in the wide areas, and so one player that I would be looking at is former Torquay United man Jack Stobbs. Released at the end of the campaign by The Gulls, Stobbs is showed glimpses of real quality during his time at Plainmoor and as a possible option for City to give them better end product from the wing, I think Stobbs may be one worth considering.

Stobbs is formerly of Oldham Athletic, and he relocated down to the South West in the 2022-23 campaign to try and re-ignite his career after a spell with The Latics in which he found game time hard to come by. And, while Torquay United have struggled during his time at the club, I think he has shown enough to form the opinion that in a side whereby there is an emphasis on operating as your more traditional winger – focusing on getting good delivery into the penalty area – then he certainly ticks that box.

While he perhaps didn’t get the weight of assists to show for it, statistically Jack Stobbs was one of the more accurate crossers consistently in the sixth tier last term and in a side with a better focal point in the middle – such as a Tyler Harvey – then I think he would thrive. John Askey likes to keep the approach play of his side quite simplistic, and so I think that with better options up top and smarter movement to that which he had at Torquay United, I think he would do well for John Askey’s side.

Oscar Massey (Falmouth Town – free)

The final player on this list is another that buys into the thinking of trying to find the best local talent, and that is striker Oscar Massey. Formerly on the books of Plymouth Argyle as a youngster, Massey has since gone away into non-league and improved his game, and comes off the back of a strong individual season with Falmouth Town. And, despite their promotion, I think that the opportunity of signing for The Tinners in the National League could well be too good a chance to turn down.

Massey is a player that ticks a lot of boxes for Truro City in terms of what they are looking for. He is born and bred in Truro, and spent time in the academy at Truro City. He has never actually played in the first-team for City, but he has always been local with spells at Plymouth Argyle in their academy system and has more recently spent time in non-league with the likes of Penzance and at Falmouth Town currently. He provides City with a young, up-and-coming talent that has links to the club and so buys into the ethos of the club; I think that he is the sort of player they should be signing.

The forward is still only 20 years of age, and yet has spent a lot of time in the game with time in the Football League with Swindon Town, and largely spent much of his career in the non-league circuit. Despite being only 20, he has got lots of games under his belt and wherever he has been he has shown himself to be a capable goal-scorer. He did well at Penzance and Barnstaple Town, and finished with 21 goals in 23 games for Falmouth Town last term. I think that in the right set-up and under a good coach, he is more than capable of playing at a higher level.

As such, I think that City should make a move for him. You see possible signings and sometimes you get ones that just jump out as being too good to turn down, and a capable goal-scorer that has room to improve is local and with links to the club certainly seems too good for The Tinners to pass up. He can play wide or centrally, is tricky, can play on the shoulder and has a lovely verve about his game to press from the front; I think that he should return home to Truro City.