Top 10 Signings in the National League North so far this summer

There have been a number of impressive deals so far this summer in the National League North.

With that in mind, I take a look at some of the best deals and pick out the top 10 signings that have taken place.

Greg Taylor (King’s Lynn Town)

The first player on this list is experienced defender Greg Taylor. This signing may not have won any award for being a surprise – with a return to The Linnets almost a foregone conclusion even before the end of the season – but that doesn’t in any way diminish the signing; I think that it is a really useful pickup on a free transfer.

The success of all sides is about finding the right balance, and signing Taylor is one that provides The Linnets with strong foundations about which to build the backline. He has a wealth of experience of playing in the Football League, and a large majority of those appearances came alongside current Linnets centre-back Josh Coulson. The pair have played together extensively at Cambridge United and it came as very little surprise that The Linnets’ fortunes took an upturn after Taylor’s arrival.

As such, if The Linnets are to be in the mix for promotion this season, having the partnership in the centre of the backline will be invaluable. He is a leader that has a good reading of the game, is a decent organiser, a no-nonsense defender and he provides the natural balance as a left-footed, left-side centre-back that will be ideal alongside Josh Coulson.

Joe Leesley (Darlington)

One area in which Darlington fell short last season was in recruitment. In wake of Josh Gowling’s exit, Steve Watson was able to make a couple of smart additions to their ranks in order to bring about an upturn in their fortunes, and recruitment is certainly an area in which Watson excels. And, he has started the summer as he means to go on with the impressive acquisition of experienced midfielder Joe Leesley.

For a Darlington side that have ambitions of challenging at the top end of the National League North, Leesley is in-keeping with that having been promoted out of the National League North with Kidderminster Harriers as recently as the 2022-23 campaign and has also played at a higher level with Harrogate Town. He would certainly be classed as a top-end performer for the division with the level of experience that he has, and that will be invaluable to this Darlington squad in having someone who has been there, done it and got the T-Shirt.

Another reason why I am a fan of the signing is that Leesley is a versatile player that. can play in a number of positions, be it at full-back, as a winger or more in the centre of the park. Leesley’s adaptability is a useful quality to have, and will be beneficial in running a slightly smaller squad. He would have had a number of offers in wake of his departure from Scunthorpe United, and so it is credit to Darlington that they were able to pick him up on a free.

Aaron Chapman (Hereford)

The Bulls announced the exit of Curtis Pond at the end of the 2023-24 season, and so one of the key areas in which Paul Caddis had to focus his efforts in the market this summer was in bringing in a new goalkeeper. The Bulls have since gone and brought in one of the top performing goalkeepers in the division in the form of former Boston United shot-stopper Aaron Chapman.

Chapman was released by lower league outfit Worksop Town at the end of the campaign having spent time with promotion-winning Boston United last season, and he is a player who wouldn’t have been short of offers for his services. He is a goalkeeper that has played for the majority of his career at a higher level – with North of 100 appearances in the Football League – and so in terms of providing Hereford with a goalkeeper that should be one of the best in his position in the league.

The Rotherham-based goalkeeper is an imposing figure at 6ft 8in, and he is a player who dominates his penalty area. He commands his box well, strong when it comes to collecting crosses, and is a good shot-stopper. You could make the argument that signing a goalkeeper of Aaron Chapman’s ilk is an upgrade on the player that have let go in Curtis Pond, and so Paul Caddis will feel that he has been able to pull a belter out of the bag to strengthen them to the tune of a top seven push.

Eliot Putman (Peterborough Sports)

The next player on this list is one that I identified as a possible target for a few sides in the National League North, but who has then ended up signing for The Turbines; former Coalville Town defender Eliot Putman. Released by Coalville Town at the end of the season after their drop down the divisions due to worries over finances, Putman represents an astute capture for Peterborough Sports.

Coalville Town have been one of the best performing sides outside of the three National League divisions in recent terms, only just missing out on promotion last year, and so given the problems that Coalville Town have been through this summer it came as little surprise that there would be interest for his services. He has been a picture of consistency on the left of a centre-back pairing, with a nice left-foot, good reading of the game and has a decent range of passing.

Peterborough Sports should have a transfer model whereby they look to bring through the best players from the leagues – such is their lack of financial clout – and so I think this represents a really good deal for The Turbines. I feel that he should be playing at the top end of the National League North and with a view to the fifth tier, and so the fact that Peterborough Sports have been able to pick him up – and given the likely interest him – I think it is great business.

Finlay Sinclair-Smith (Radcliffe)

I think the best way to sum this signing up is “strengthening when on top”. The Boro were already a strong attacking outfit last season, but they have already taken steps to strengthen that even further. And, after it was announced that he would be leaving Marine, one of the hottest properties in non-league – Finlay Sinclair-Smith – was always going to be someone with a lot of attention. And, it is Radcliffe that have been lucky enough to land him.

Sinclair-Smith is another player on this list that has been one of the best players outside of the three National League divisions in recent years, and regardless of whether or not Marine were promoted then the chances are Sinclair-Smith would be making the move into the sixth tier at the very least. The fact that Marine were indeed promoted in the end makes this deal all the sweeter for Radcliffe; the fact that they have been able to prize away a key asset from a divisional rival.

Indeed, when it comes to wide players, Radcliffe have been able to pick up one of the very best in non-league in the diminutive dynamo. He was outstanding for Marine last year as they were promoted to the National League North. He ended up with a return of 27 goals in roughly 50 appearances; a strong return for a winger. Prior to Marine, he also impressed for FC United of Manchester. He is a player very much on the up and one who is direct, skilful and can both score and create goals; he is a marquee signing.

Marcus Carver (Southport)

After the loss of Jordan Archer – a capable striker in his own right – following the conclusion of the season, Southport needed to make an effort to bring in extra bodies up front. One player who they have brought in that I think is always a safe bet for getting a decent return at this level and who I feel can go into the season very much thinking that he can be the “main man” as the catalyst for Southport is former Scunthorpe United man Marcus Carver.

Carver is a player that has played at a higher level before, having come through the youth ranks at Accrington Stanley, and is someone that will be no stranger to Southport fans. Carver spent two years with the club between 2020 and 2022, and did well during his time in a Southport such that he returned to the club on loan last season; he made 38 appearances and scored 12 times. To be scoring at a return rate of almost one in three is impressive, and so Southport were no doubt eager to keep him going into next season.

Indeed, having been informed by Scunthorpe United that he would not be kept on for next year, Carver signed papers to return to The Sandgrounders permanently. With that, I feel that Southport have a striker who – on his day, and kept fit – can be one of the best strikers at the level. He is well-accustomed to the National League North and has lots of experience under his belt, and I think that he will be key in leading the line.

Brad Roscoe (Radcliffe)

I have been thoroughly impressed by the work that Radcliffe have done so far this summer, and so it comes as very little surprise that they have another entry onto this list. One player that I have been signing the praises of for a little while and who I felt was more than capable of making the step up is defender Brad Roscoe.

There is a running theme on this list about finding players that are making the step up into the National League divisions this summer having consistently been one of the better players outside of non-league’s top two tiers, and Roscoe is another one of those that I think has been deserving of the chance to challenge himself at a higher level as one of Hyde United’s better players.

One area in which Radcliffe needed to make improvements this summer was at the back; simply put, they conceded far too many goals last year. Adding a player of Roscoe’s quality at the back will no doubt go some way as to making them a tougher nut to crack. Roscoe was the captain at Hyde United and so brings a natural leadership and vocality with the ability to lead by example, organise and ensure that they defend their box better than they did last year. An impressive defender, and one I think will handle the step up with ease.

Dion Sembie-Ferris (Peterborough Sports)

Ever since the end of the 2023-24 campaign, Peterborough Sports would have had one priority; is there a way that they could bring Dion Sembie-Ferris back to the club on a permanent basis? He would have had lots of offers – no doubt – as he is a hugely talented player, and despite the fact a return makes sense for him and his personal circumstance, that should do little to downplay what is a stroke of genius by The Turbines management.

Sometimes, a club only needs that one player who can change the dynamic and outlook going into the new season; The Tubrines will certainly be going into the 2024-25 campaign in a much more positive frame of mind now that they have been able to secure Sembie-Ferris’ return. I am certainly more optimistic of their prospects now that they have brought him back into the club.

In a 46-game season and regular minutes under his belt as the “star man”, he will be a safe bet for a double-double next season (10+ goals, 10+ assists). He is a dynamic and skilful player who can play wide or centrally, has decent movement and is always capable of producing something out of nothing. On his day, he can be one of the top performing players in the league and so this business was vital to their chances.

Mitch Hancox (Chester)

Sometimes, the best signings are those that appear almost out of the blue and unexpectedly. In this case, midfielder Mitch Hancox is one that many pencilled in for a move to Truro City to rekindle his partnership with former boss John Askey. As such, the fact that The Seals have been able to pick up him on a free transfer going into the new season is credit to the work that Calum McIntyre is doing to create a squad competitive for the league title.

Hancox represents a smart capture for Chester. I am always an advocate for signing versatile players, and Hancox is very much that. He is capable of being used as a full-back, a winger or more centrally in the middle of the park and so he gives McIntyre options when it comes to team selection. All the while, he is a top professional who has played the majority of his career at a higher level and so he will be a major part of installing high standards going forward.

The experienced campaigner was on the books of Altrincham until his release at the end of the campaign, and so it is a coup that Chester have been able to get him to drop down into the sixth tier. He will provide composure in possession and organisation out of it; the sort of signing you make when you are going for the title.

Max Hunt (Alfreton Town)

The final player on this list is someone who will perhaps go under the radar given he is not the flashiest of signings, but is a player who I think is hugely talented and will be one of the best in his position next season; centre-back Max Hunt. He signs from Buxton after a strong individual campaign, and as someone that I think is capable of playing at a higher level, I feel he is a smart capture by Billy Heath.

Alfreton Town lost out in the summer with the departure of defender Kennedy Digie and so they needed to add a new centre-back to their ranks, and in the form of Max Hunt they have someone who has experience of playing in the fifth tier and indeed in the Football League, and indeed I stand by my view that he is a player more than capable of indeed making that step up again if needed to. The Alfreton Town system is somewhat on the more defensive side, with defenders tasked to simply defend their box in a no-nonsense and robust fashion with little requirement to pass out from the back; in this regard, I think that a defender of Hunt’s profile would be a great fit for their needs.

The former Carlisle United man is a great size with an imposing frame standing at 6ft 6in; thus, he provides Alfreton Town with a threat in both boxes and crucially replaces the height and physicality they lost in wake of Digie’s departure. He is still only 25 years of age and so is coming into the prime years of his career, and the hope from Billy Heath will be that he can continue to show the high levels of performance he did in a Buxton shirt. He has impressed at his last few clubs and has a sufficient body of work to suggest that he is a good defender, and I think that he will thrive working under Heath. It may not be the flashiest of signings, but in terms of what Alfreton Town need, I feel that he is wholly functional and is one we will look back favourably come the end of 2024-25.