2026-27 Recruitment Plan for Accrington Stanley

Player Decisions

Retain

Donald Love, Freddie Sass, Farrend Rawson, Shaun Whalley, Alex Henderson, Isaac Sinclair, Devon Matthews, Charlie Caton, Charlie Brown, Josh Woods, Josh Smith, Tyler Walton, Conor Grant, Liam Coyle, Kelsey Mooney, Anjola Popoola, James Rogerson, Conor O’Brien, Seamus Conneely

Release

Michael Kelly, Dan Martin, Charlie Hall, Finley Tunstall

Loan Out

Charlie Caton, Anjola Popoola, Charlie Brown

Loan End

Paddy Madden, Ollie Wright, Luke Butterfield, David Abimbola, Isaac Heath

Retained Squad

New Signings

Luke Hutchinson (Bolton Wanderers – loan)

Arguably the most important position in which Accrington Stanley are going to have to focus efforts during the summer is in signing a new #1. Ollie Wright had the jersey this term and was particularly impressive, albeit the chances of him returning are very slim. If they want to sign a replacement, one player I would look at is Luke Hutchinson. 

Luke Hutchinson is currently on the books of Bolton Wanderers, and spent the 2025-26 campaign with Altrincham in the National League. In many ways, I think that signing Luke Hutchinson is a very similar situation to what Ollie Wright was last summer; off the back of a good spell in the fifth tier, and looking for that EFL opportunity to go and prove himself. As such, I feel that Accrington Stanley could be a really good loan destination for Hutchinson to go and play his football. 

In terms of the profile that you would look for in a goalkeeper, I think that he ticks a lot of the boxes. He is a physically strong, well-built, imposing figure that uses his frame really effectively in dominating his penalty area and in coming for crosses. He is a confident shot-stopper, strong in claiming the ball, and is the type of goalkeeper that is quick to come off his line. He is combative in the penalty area, and while he may not be the most proficient ball-player in playing out he is a good kisser. 

Accrington Stanley have shown this year that they have got good relationships with Bolton Wanderers given the loan for David Amimbola, and so I think that they could re-use those connections in working a potential deal for Hutchinson.

Joe Grayson (Gateshead – free)

Accrington Stanley have got to try and find value in the market, and may well have to look ‘outside of the box’ when it comes to adding to their side. One player that is out of contract and who I have picked before to make the move into League Two as a cost effective option and who I would encourage Stanley to look at is Gateshead centre-back Joe Grayson. 

As a profile, Grayson is best as a centre-back. Recruiting players to play on the left-hand side of that backline can be hugely difficult on the market, and so Grayson provides that fit as a natural left-footer. To play in a three, you’ve got to have the composure to defend wide spaces, be comfortable playing out and fairly agile across the ground. Grayson is a really accomplished footballer, technically strong and has a good reading of the game. 

The former Blackburn Rovers man is good on the ball, can step into midfield, and in that left-sided centre-back role with the license to carry the ball and get good delivery in from deep I think he provides Stanley with something a little bit different to what they have currently got in the building. If Stanley are to progress, I think that they should be looking to add some defenders that are better in-possession, and Grayson is. He has played in the Football League and has had a good youth grounding and so perhaps it is not a surprise that he is that elegant defensive operator. 

One of the major advantages that I think Accrington Stanley could get in signing a player like Grayson is his versatility. He can play as a centre-back, as a full-back and can even be used at the base of midfield. Stanley will not have one of the bigger squads in the league and so have got to sign players who can provide them value for money, and so I think Grayson provides the requisite ticks in the box that they are looking for. He has a good pedigree having come through Blackburn Rovers’ academy, is 27 years of age, has played in the Football League and so I feel he would be a useful option to sign. 

Gateshead will undoubtedly want to keep Grayson given that he has been a reliable option for them in their backline, but I feel that he is capable of stepping up into League Two. It is not often they are able to sign players in their primitive years in that 27-30 age bracket, and so dropping into non-league may well allow them to do just that.

Ben Kindon (Sunderland – free)

The second defender that I would look at if I were Accrington Stanley is Sunderland youngster Ben Kindon. The 19-year-old is currently on the books with The Black Cats, and given that he is out of contract this summer and perhaps unlikely to be re-signed by Sunderland in the top flight, Kindon may well see now as being the ideal opportunity for him to move on, find a new challenge and to go and play first-team football. 

Looking at the existing options that Stanley have got at their disposal, one area in which I think there is room for improvement is identifying a centre-back of the profile that can progress the ball out from the back. I feel Devon Matthews and Farrend Rawson have done particularly well during 2025-26, yet the pair are of the profile that is typically more effective when operating as a box defender with little emphasis on ball progression. Kindon, however, is a player that has been sighted for his quality in possession, and so he provides Stanley with an option that is better suited to play out under pressure. 

As a profile, Kindon is a physically imposing, aerially strong, aggressive defender with a lovely composure in being able to play out. Despite his size, Kindon is suitably mobile and I think that he is capable of defending wide spaces and fairly quick. I think that he is best playing in the centre of the backline, albeit I feel he is more than comfortable playing on the right-hand side. 

Kindon is in a good academy at Sunderland, and is one that I have been particularly impressed with when I have watched some of The Black Cats. I think that Stanley has got to take a chance on a few younger players and Kindon is a good profile to sign on a long-term deal, give them a pathway to flourish and develop, and someone that can grow into being a top centre-back for the level. He is only 19 years of age and so I feel he could be worth a look.

Jake Batty (Swindon Town – free)

While he hasn’t ripped up any trees in 2025-26, one player that may well have pricked Accrington Stanley’s attention after being let go by his side at the end of the season is Swindon Town’s Jake Batty. He was only on a short-term deal with The Robins and was released by Ian Holloway, and I think that after his previous spell with Stanley in which he impressed they might well be interested in re-signing the youngster. 

I am a big advocate for not judging a player’s underperformance simply in a single spell, and that players can do better in different environments. Batty may well have struggled to hit the heights he was billed to do with The Robins, albeit I would caveat that with the fact that The Robins were hugely dysfunctional from a tactical sense given they played square pegs in round holes in a largely fluid system. Not least, Batty has got recent experience of having done well in an Accrington Stanley shirt having enjoyed a hugely productive loan spell with them during the 2024-25 campaign. 

When I watched Batty for Accrington Stanley, I was particularly impressed with the quality of his ball-carrying as an outlet in transition. He has got good energy, a willing runner and a player that looks to progress the ball. One of the benefits that you get with Batty is that he can – and has previously – played anywhere down the left, be it as a full-back, wing-back or as a winger and so provides Stanley with a versatile option in their squad.

There is definitely room for development in Batty’s game, albeit I think that is only natural for someone of his age who is still – relatively speaking – new to the first-team game. He can be more aggressive in his defending, have better quality in his final ball and in his decision-making, and at times his delivery is too rushed. However, I think that these things can definitely be ironed out. I’d be looking to get him higher in his starting position, and allowing him to be crossing from closer to goal. This is where I feel you get the best out of him. 

Batty is originally from the North West, and so the option to re-sign with Accrington Stanley and move back closer to home is likely an attractive proposition for the youngster in terms of the next step in his career. He is at the stage in his career whereby he just needs to go and play and be in an environment that gets the best out of him and I think that Accrington Stanley may well be that.

Tivonge Rushesha (Reading – free)

The next player on this list that I have picked out for Accrington Stanley to sign is a player that has had an underwhelming 2025-26, yet someone who I feel is worth taking a bit of gamble on in the form of Reading’s Tivonge Rushesha. 

Stanley can’t always sign players off the back of brilliant seasons as they aren’t one of the bigger hitters financially in League Two, and so they have to be fairly creative in identifying players who they can get more out of. I think that Rushesha is a very capable player, had a good youth grounding through one of the best academies in the UK in the form of Swansea City, played higher than League two, and yet is still only 23 years of age. I believe there is a sufficient body of work there to suggest that if used correctly there could be a player there that can offer value for Stanley. 

As with all of the business that Stanley does, I feel there has to be a composite focus on ensuring that they are able to a) come in and fill a role and b) provide options in other positions. I feel that Rushesha is best playing as a full-back, yet he can also be used in midfield. 

Personally, when I profile a potential signing I will look at a players’ qualities and envisage how best to get them playing well. Rushesha’s redeeming qualities are his pace and mobility across the ground, his low centre of gravity in defending large spaces, carrying the ball, and in providing an outlet for the team. While he is perhaps sometimes vulnerable defending diagonal balls given his lack of height, I think that to get the best out of him you should use him as a wing-back. Allow him freedom to get up in support of the attack. Knock the ball into the channel for him to engage in foot races. I feel that there is a nice blend of skillsets there to make him a good fit for playing as a wing-back. 

The other thing that I think is hugely valuable – and something you can’t really quantify – is Rushesha’s hunger to do well. He has had a really stop start season for many reasons with The Royals, and so he is eager to just get back playing his football. All of the signings that Stanley do have that real hunger – potentially in stepping up, or in the solace of being another opportunity to play EFL football – and so signing a player like Rushesha that has a point to prove and a real desire to show what he is about is hugely beneficial. 

I fully expect that Rushesha will be on the move this summer, and so I think that his next move should be with Stanley.

Kaedyn Kamara (Preston North End – loan)

One profile that I think Accrington Stanley could do with adding during the summer is a powerful, destructive, tough-tackling #8 that can be combative against the ball. One player that I particularly like is Preston North End’s Kaedyn Kamara. 

Kamara is a player that I liken to a little bit of a ‘pit bull’ in how he plays. He has got incredible energy. Snaps into tackles. A brilliant athlete. He is tenacious in the tackle. A fearless player that is willing to get stuck in where it hurts and has a good ability to turn over the play. They have got some hard-working technicians in their midfield, but they have perhaps lacked that more industrious option and so I feel Kamara is a good fit. 

The last few seasons he has been out on loan and played sparingly in each of those spells, and so I think that he needs an opportunity where he is going to play regularly. He is at the age where I feel he needs a 40+ game season under his belt in which to properly develop and mature as a player, and so despite Stanley having some good midfield options I do think that they would provide him with the opportunity to get that game time that he wants. I definitely feel that if they’re going to kick on then there is an opportunity for a midfield addition that is going to change the dynamic and give them that little bit more aggression out-of-possession, and so I really like Kamara as an option. 

The youngster finished the campaign on loan at Ross County, and while he is highly-rated within Preston North End circles I do think that the most likely opportunity for him to go and play football in 2026-27 is going out on loan again. The 20-year-old is originally from Liverpool, and so the opportunity to sign for Accrington Stanley is one that I think ticks a lot of boxes logistically for both parties.

Frankie Maguire (Boston United – free)

Accrington Stanley have had real joy in signing out of non-league, and I expect that to be an avenue in which they continue to exploit this summer. In particular, when signing attacking players, signing from lower in the pyramid provides them a more cost-effective, affordable option. One player that I would look at signing if I were in Stanley’s shoes is Boston United midfielder Frankie Maguire. 

Maguire is a player that I have been raving about for the last few years, and one that I actually picked out as an option that Gillingham should have gone for last summer following his release by Sheffield United. The 22-year-old has been hugely impressive for Boston United in the National League in 2025-26, and while The Pilgrims will no doubt like to keep hold of him I think that there is an acceptance from United’s part that Maguire will be moving on in the summer for a better offer. 

As a profile, Maguire is capable of playing anywhere behind the striker. Equally adept off the flanks and coming inside, or playing centrally as a #10, Maguire has good technical quality, hugely progressive in wanting to take risks and play forward, and is a willing and efficient presser of the ball.  

In a Stanley side that employs a wing-back system, the midfielders have to be full of energy and running in covering large spaces, and so I think Maguire is a good fit. A wonderful energy against the ball. Dynamic. Fairly quick and mobile in covering ground. A good engine in being box-to-box. I feel his best position is operating slightly off the left-hand side in the half-spaces where he is able to play on the turn and working shooting opportunities in and around the box, as playing him more centrally where it is slightly more congested perhaps limits his strengths. He does, however, have quick feet, can play in tight spaces and is quick at getting his shot off towards goal. 

Having proven himself in non-league, I feel that Frankie Maguire is now capable of making that step up into the Football League. He comes out of good stock from a top academy at Sheffield United, has played a fair bit of football over the last 12-18 months at a good level, and has shown a real willingness to improve his game. If he is going to get that opportunity to step up into the EFL, I think Accrington Stanley represents a really good environment in which he can take that step.

Tai Sodje (Buxton – free)

The first striker that I would look at if I Accrington Stanley is Buxton forward Tai Sodje. With The Bucks having failed to win promotion from the National League North, I think the youngster could well be available for a higher move during the summer. If that is the case, I feel Accrington Stanley might represent a sensible ‘next step’ at which to pitch the 22-year-old.

The youngster is someone that has really impressed me this summer, and has been one of the leading lights for Buxton as part of John McGrath’s side in getting into the National League North play-offs. 

In terms of the type of profile that Sodje is, the youngster is a powerful, direct, high-energy #9 with a good engine, is physically strong, a strong runner in behind into space and somebody that would allow Accrington Stanley to stretch teams fairly well. I often find that teams who employ a wing-back system can have a tendency to be pegged back by sides, and so the forwards need to be suitably mobile in running the channels, being mobile enough to offer an option wide, and always on the move as an outlet. In this regard, I think Sodje is a good stylistic fit. 

Sodje particularly stood out for Buxton when they played Cheltenham Town in the FA Cup last season, and his performances in that – and the National League North, in which he hit 12 goals in 25 games – will have surely raised an eyebrow or too. He is formerly of the Manchester City academy, and is equally adept as a #9 or an attacking midfielder. That definitely represents quite an intriguing profile. 

Accrington Stanley have made a name for themselves in giving chances to players out of non-league to continue building their careers, and in Tai Sodje I think he is more than capable of stepping up to League Two. He has got the physical attributes to handle the intensity and physicality of the division, and is technically strong. 

With John McGrath recently getting the job at National League side FC Halifax Town, Sodje might well be a target for The Shaymen to sign this summer. However, regardless of whether he is, I would be making a move for the youngster. He is a good age, a lovely physical profile, played a decent amount of football, comes from a good technical background, and has got significant re-sale value. He ticks a number of the key boxes for Accrington Stanley in terms of the type of player they typically go for, and so I think he would make for a good signing.

Ethan Wheatley (Manchester United – loan)

The final player that I have picked out on this list for Accrington Stanley to have a look at is Manchester United youngster Ethan Wheatley. The forward finished the 2025-26 campaign with Bradford City in League One. I expect that Wheatley will be again sent out on loan during 2026-27 given that he is a way off making the first-team at Manchester United, and if that is the case then I think he could be worth a look for Stanley.

In terms of the type of player that he is, I think Ethan Wheatley is a fairly well-rounded profile for a #9. He has got the size and physicality to be a central striker in leading the line, but he has got the pace, athleticism and mobility playing off the front as more of a secondary striker playing in beyond the backline of the opposition. 

The youngster has had spells at Walsall, Northampton Town and Bradford City in the EFL, albeit across all of these spells he has played only sparingly. During that time, he has only scored three goals. If I am Manchester United, I think that the best thing for him to do is go somewhere where he is going to be one of the first names on the team sheet. Personally, I feel the right level at which to pitch him is League Two. He can occupy defenders more effectively with his physical attributes, and the game is that tad slower for him to get that bit more time in which to get a shot off. 

He has got the physical attributes to be a real handful for the level, and he just needs to coach that improved decision-making in his final action and in the cleanness of his ball-striking to get shots off at goal. While a hard-working, athletic forward, I feel there is scope for him to work slightly more intelligently in his movement. Given that he is a good size and aerially strong, I would look to keep the wing-backs high, keeping Wheatley central, and doing his work within the lines of the box. At times, I feel he drifts outside of that too much or drops deep in search of the ball. I think that if you can keep him high, operating on that backline, using his attributes to impose his game on defenders and providing an outlet. 

Indeed, this is something I feel Stanley has lacked in 2025-26. Paddy Madden is an intelligent striker, yet he is someone who tends to drop short, find pockets, get on the turn and is quite mobile off the front. If Stanley are going to go from being a mid-table side to one that can challenge for the top seven, I think signing a #9 that can provide that presence and athleticism through the middle would make a huge difference. 

Accrington Stanley have managed to stabilise themselves as a mid-table outfit, and I think that they need to try and sign one or two ‘X Factor’ players that can provide that little bit of extra quality. Wheatley may well be looking for a loan in League One next season, but I feel that the opportunity to join Accrington Stanley, play regularly, be a #1 pick, and get 40+ games under his belt will do his development the world of good.