National League Updates: November 2024

This compilation covers recent developments within the National League, encompassing managerial changes, player acquisitions, and contract renewals. Further news from October is also available. Yeovil Town has secured defender Ed James on a loan agreement from Exeter City, effective until January. The 19-year-old defender has participated in seven matches for Exeter, with three of those appearances occurring in the EFL Trophy during the current season. Winger Justin Donowa has transferred from Altrincham to Brackley Town, a National League North team. The 28-year-old played in 21 games for Altrincham during the 2023-24 season but has not featured this season. Boston United has acquired defender Sam Reed on a loan deal from Sheffield Wednesday, lasting until January. The 21-year-old previously made a single first-team appearance for Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup last season and has been included in Boston’s roster for their upcoming National League fixture against Oldham on Tuesday. York City, currently leading the league, has mutually agreed to terminate the contract of Callum Marriott, a former England Under-19 international. The 30-year-old winger joined the Minstermen in summer 2023 but announced via social media that his departure was to support his partner’s fight against breast cancer. Wealdstone has brought in 19-year-old goalkeeper Toby Steward on loan from Championship club Portsmouth. The duration of Steward’s loan period has not been disclosed. Tamworth has secured Walsall midfielder Ronan Maher, 19, and Sunderland defender Ben Crompton, 20, both on one-month loan agreements. Sutton United has acquired Bes Topallaj on loan from Bromley, a recently promoted League Two team, until the conclusion of January. The full-back has played in three league matches for Bromley this season. Eastleigh has signed 19-year-old central midfielder Alex Stepien-Iwumene on a short-term loan from Derby County. Stepien-Iwumene previously played in Southampton’s academy, where he was part of the PL2-winning team in the 2022-23 season. York City has prolonged the loan agreement for forward Luca Thomas from Leeds United, extending it until early January. The 20-year-old has played five times for the Minstermen, registering one goal. Ebbsfleet United forward Greg Cundle has moved to Maidstone United, a National League South team, on a 28-day loan. The 27-year-old has not scored in nine appearances for Ebbsfleet this season, with the Kent-based club currently at the bottom of the National League standings. Ebbsfleet United has prolonged Aaron Cosgrave’s loan period for an additional 28 days. The 25-year-old striker has scored two goals in five matches since his arrival from FC Halifax Town a month prior. Braintree Town announced that first-team coach Michael Brothers has departed the club to “pursue other opportunities.” Brothers had been a member of manager Angelo Harrop’s coaching staff since summer 2023. Goalkeeper Sam Waller made his immediate debut for Rochdale against Wealdstone, having joined the club on an initial one-month loan from Burnley. The 22-year-old has transferred to the Crown Oil Arena alongside Matt Penney, a former player for Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich. Penney, 26, capable of playing in defense or midfield, has signed with Dale on a non-contract agreement. Rochdale also confirmed the departures of goalkeeper David Robson, who played nine matches since his summer arrival, and defender Dan Sassi, who has returned to his parent club Blackpool following the conclusion of his loan. Gateshead has named Ian Skinner as its new first-team coach. Skinner will join manager Carl Magnay and coach Liam Bridcutt at the National League club and will also assume primary responsibility for player development. Sutton United forward Jayden Harris is set to miss the remainder of the season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon. Harris, who has netted three goals in the National League this season, was stretchered off during Sutton’s 2-1 defeat at Rochdale last weekend. Hartlepool has secured the permanent signings of experienced former Newcastle and Brighton winger Kazenga Lua Lua and left-back Matt Bondswell. Lua Lua, who achieved Championship promotion with both Brighton and Luton, also played in the second tier for QPR and Sunderland before competing in Turkey and Greece. The 33-year-old had been training with Pools recently, having played for Charlton late last season. Bondswell, 22, was released by Newcastle in the summer after a 2023-24 loan spell at Newport, where he made 32 League Two appearances. Altrincham has prolonged the loan of Salford City midfielder Liam Humbles for an additional month. The 20-year-old has featured in eight matches for the Robins since his arrival in September. Wealdstone has bolstered its squad with the additions of defender Josh Grant and goalkeeper Nathan Harness. Grant, 26, was a free agent following his release by Bristol Rovers in the summer; the former Chelsea youth player has also had stints at Plymouth Argyle and Yeovil Town. Harness, 24, has agreed to an initial one-month loan from Milton Keynes Dons. He has made four appearances for Milton Keynes since joining in 2023 and concluded last season on loan at Gateshead. Solihull Moors midfielder Jon Benton has transferred permanently to National League South club Boreham Wood. The 23-year-old spent the initial half of the season on loan with Maidstone United, a divisional rival of Boreham Wood, where he scored one goal in 10 league matches. Tamworth forward Miracle Okafor has joined Brackley Town, a National League North team, on a loan deal. Okafor, 23, has played in 13 matches, with only one start, since his summer transfer to Tamworth from Guiseley. York City has named former striker Clayton Donaldson as its head of development. The 40-year-old, who played for the Minstermen during two separate periods, resigned from his position as manager of National League North club Farsley Celtic earlier this season. Gateshead has acquired goalkeeper Owen Mason on a short-term loan from League One club Mansfield Town. The 20-year-old, who has not yet made a senior appearance for the Stags, will remain with the club until 15 January 2025. York City has signed wing-back Jeff King following his release from League Two club Swindon Town. The 28-year-old joins after initially transferring to Swindon in the summer, having previously achieved promotion from the National League with Chesterfield last season. He made 11 appearances before departing the Robins earlier in November. Southend United’s appeal against the red card issued to Zach Jeacock during their 1-0 National League loss to Yeovil on Saturday has been successful. The Lincoln goalkeeper, on loan, was sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity, but the league’s regulatory commission has supported Southend’s appeal, making Jeacock available for their match at Altrincham this weekend. Gateshead has secured Birmingham City midfielder Josh Williams on loan for the remainder of the season. The 21-year-old has played in 10 senior matches for Blues and spent four months on loan at Cheltenham Town last season, making nine appearances for the Robins. Aldershot Town has extended centre-back Dan Ellison’s loan period from Bristol Rovers until January. The 19-year-old has featured in six matches for the Shots across all competitions since his arrival in September. Boston United has acquired York City forward Billy Chadwick on a one-month loan agreement. The 24-year-old has scored one goal in 12 National League appearances this season and previously had a loan stint with Boston in 2023. Dorking Wanderers has signed midfielder Morgan Williams on loan from AFC Wimbledon until January, intended to provide injury cover. The 19-year-old has made three appearances for the League Two team this season, all in the EFL Trophy, and last season he had a loan period with Woking. Wealdstone defender Mason Barrett is anticipated to be sidelined for “a year” of football, as stated by manager Matt Taylor. The 25-year-old sustained an injury during the first half of the team’s draw against Ebbsfleet United on 26 October. “It’s a real blow as Mason has been a really big player for us,” Taylor commented in a club statement. Tamworth has signed Braintree Town midfielder Callum Powell on a one-month loan. The 28-year-old has played in 16 matches for Braintree this season, including their FA Cup first-round fixture against Brackley Town. York City has secured Peterborough winger David Ajiboye on loan until January. The 26-year-old previously played under Minstermen manager Adam Hinshelwood at the Brighton academy and with non-league club Worthing. He is potentially set to debut for the National League leaders in their match against Hartlepool on Saturday. Rochdale has extended its loan agreement with Sheffield United defender Jili Buyabu until the end of January. Buyabu, 21, has participated in six games for Dale since initially joining on a one-month loan. Yeovil Town has acquired midfielder Pedro Borges on loan from Exeter City until January. Borges, 19, was previously associated with Yeovil before being signed by Exeter in 2021. He has made 17 appearances for the Grecians, including four this season. Oldham Athletic has re-signed forward Josh Stones from Wigan Athletic on a short-term loan agreement, valid until 2 January 2025. Stones, 20, is returning to Boundary Park for a second period, having scored three goals in four matches for the National League team last December. Solihull Moors winger Kian Ryley has moved to National League North club Brackley Town on a one-month loan. The 19-year-old has made five league appearances as a substitute for Solihull this season. Alan Judge, a former Republic of Ireland midfielder, has rejoined Woking. The 35-year-old free agent previously played for Woking last season before an injury sidelined him. He has been training with the team for the majority of the current campaign and has now officially rejoined the playing squad. Solihull Moors has signed midfielder Ackeme Francis-Burrell on a short-term contract after his release from Burnley. Francis-Burrell, 19, began his career at Wolverhampton Wanderers before transferring to Stockport County and is eligible to debut for the Moors in their FA Cup first-round match against Maidstone United on Saturday. Woking has acquired striker Jack Stretton from Stockport County on a one-month loan. The 23-year-old scored two goals in Stockport’s EFL Trophy victory against Accrington Stanley, which was his sole appearance for the club this campaign after missing the entirety of last season due to an ACL injury.