2026-27 Recruitment Plan for AFC Fylde

Player Decisions

Retain

Zac Jones, Pat Boyes, Lincoln McFayden, Max Taylor, Jonathan Ustabasi, Chris Merrie, George Wilson, Luca Thomas, Danny Mayor, Alex Healey-Byrne, Corey Whelan, Will Lancaster, Tom Whelan

Release

Charlie Jolley, Taelor O’Kane, Ryan Colclough, Kieran Coates, Luke Hunter, Liam Brockbank

Sell

Dany Ormerod

Loan End

Felipe Rodriguez-Gentile, Connor McAleny, Adam Lewis

Retained Squad

New Signings

Jay Benn (Hartlepool United – free)

Youngster Alex Healey-Byrne has been of the standout signings for The Coasters in 2025-26. Going into next season, I feel that it would be useful to provide him with a good level of competition. One option that I would look at is Jay Benn.

Benn comes off the back of a slightly individual campaign for him with Hartlepool United, yet he is a player that I maintain is good enough for the level. He impressed me when he was with Solihull Moors and FC Halifax Town, and so there is a body of work there – not least experience – that I think would complement a younger option like Healey-Byrne.

In terms of his profile, Benn is an attacking full-back with a good engine to get up and down. Given the way that Craig Mahon wants his teams to play in terms of playing out and playing an attacking brand, Benn’s technical competency, athleticism and ball-carrying qualities make him a good stylistic fit for that.

One of the benefits that you get with Benn is that he is capable of playing as a full-back or as a centre-back, and so that versatility offers Craig Mahon the flexibility and scope to adapt the system depending on availability and the opposition.

With Hartlepool United likely to shuffle their playing squad during the summer, I think that Benn could well be one that is a casualty of The Monkey Hangers’ overhaul. I maintain that the former Bradford City man is more than capable in the National League, and so I think that he could represent a smart piece of business.

Akil Wright (Ross County – loan)

If The Coasters are to be competitive at the top end of the National League during 2026-27 – as I expect they will be aiming to be – I think that they will go out and add one or two marquee signings. One player that I feel would fit that mould and someone that I am a huge fan of is former Stockport County man Akil Wright.

AFC Fylde have been a real joy to watch this term with their technical quality and in-possession traits. Craig Mahon has quickly established a reputation for being a slick, front-footed, expressive footballing side that pride themselves on technicians, passing at speed and importantly goals. 

However, if they are to elevate their overall performances to the next level and – perhaps more importantly – learn anything from the last time that they were in the National League is that they need to add some physicality against the ball. Wright is a physically imposing and powerful customer that is tenacious in the tackle, and I think that he provides the exact type of skill sets that The Coasters would be looking for. 

One of the advantages that they get in signing a player like Akil Wright is the versatility that he offers. He can play as a centre-back and at the base of the midfield, and so offers Mahon options as to how he is used and the adaptability in which they set up. Certainly against the more physical sides in the league, I feel he would offer real value playing in midfield where he can impact the game. 

Wright also provides The Coasters with good experience for the level having played for York City, Barrow and Wrexham at the level. He is also a player that will be no stranger to The Coasters given that he spent a loan spell with the club back in 2015.

Jack Robinson (unattached – free)

One option that The Coasters could look at, and one that has perhaps fallen off the radar a bit given that they have not played since their release from their last club in February 2025, is North East defender Luke Robinson. 

Robinson was last on the books of Hartlepool United, and he is someone that boasts some experience of the league with spells at The Monkey Hangers and Yeovil Town. He has also played games in the Football League with Carlisle United. 

One of the major advantages that you get with Robinson and as to why I think that he could be quite a useful option to consider is because of his versatility. He can play anywhere on the left-hand side of defence – be it as a centre-back or as a full-back – and has even been used as a right-back on occasion. Having a utility option like that around the group is always beneficial, and especially when not running with one of the bigger squad. 

In terms of his profile, Robinson is a committed, hard-working, athletic full-back that is aggressive in the tackle. When he broke through with Hartlepool United and played at Yeovil Town, he really impressed me with his ball-progression from deep and his energy to get ‘up and down’ the left flank. He provides the same stylistic qualities as a player like Lewis, albeit perhaps without the speed or as penetrative with his runs.

There will of course be the question mark over his fitness, however I think that if he is to come in and provide an option for AFC Fylde as more of a squad player they can perhaps take more of a chance on the former Middlesbrough man. If the terms of the deal are right and it’s a 1-year-deal with the condition of proving himself, I think that it could be a goer.

Adam Lewis (Chesterfield – free)

Craig Mahon has made a clever use of the loan market during the 2025-26 and that complemented the group in providing short-term cover. One player that he may well wish to re-sign off the back of having a productive loan spell with The Coasters is Adam Lewis. 

Paul Cook has assembled a powerful, technical side and the more diminutive and quick-footed Lewis has seemingly found himself surplus to requirements this season. With Tom Pearce likely to be retained off the back of a productive short-term deal, I think Lewis will remain very much out of the reckoning for Cook’s men next year. As such, I expect him to leave. 

While he perhaps didn’t suit Cook’s plans, the youngster has proven to be a perfect fit for the way that Craig Mahon wants to play with his energy, drive and attacking endeavour from full-back. He is a real livewire down the left-hand side in always getting up in support of the play, providing an option on the overlap and in getting good delivery into the box. 

The way that Mahon sets up his team encourages the team to take risks in an attacking sense, and so Lewis – who is more of a wing-back than a full-back – has proven a real success for The Coasters. He is technically really impressive, has a lovely engine and is particularly effective in transition. 

He has proven to be a good addition in the loan market, and so given that he is back to enjoying his football again then I wouldn’t be surprised to see him make a return to join up with Craig Mahon’s side ahead of 2026-27. If they can work a deal, I feel they would be getting one of the best full-backs in the league.

Luca Barrington (Boston United – free)

One thing that I feel The Coasters need to do as part of their summer business is safeguard against future losses; notably players like Danny Ormerod and Luca Thomas. Ideally, sign their replacements to give a) competition in the short-term and b) ready to step in if Thomas et al depart. 

As a potential replacement for Luca Thomas, I feel that they should look at another wide attacking player that goes by the name of Luca in the form of Luca Barrington. He finished the 2025-26 campaign with Boston United in the National League, albeit was perhaps surprisingly let go by The Pilgrims at the end of the campaign. 

As a bit of a project for Craig Mahon to work with, I think that the youngster represents a really nice option. The Coasters have demonstrated this term that they are one of the best developers of young talent in the non-league pyramid and that in itself has been very much central to their success. As such, I would be confident that AFC Fylde would be a good environment for the youngster to go and learn his craft. 

Barrington has had a good technical grounding during his days with Manchester City in the youth, and so has been well-coached. While I feel that is perhaps a tad lightweight, I think The Coasters have shown this year how effectively they are able to platform technicians in their side who are perhaps not the most physically developed and so I could see Barrington doing likewise.

He is a good dribbler, balletic ball-carrier, quick and dynamic across the ground, and has got real threat when operating on the last line and with space to run into. Playing in a similar role to Luca Thomas, I think that he would be a major success.

Tom Barkhuizen (Barrow – loan)

The creative remit in wide areas has largely been for Jonathan Ustabasi and Luca Thomas this term for The Coasters. Going into the summer, I feel there is scope for them to add another wide option to lessen some of that burden on the pair. While still under contract with Barrow, one player I would look at is experienced Tom Barkhuizen on a loan deal.

One of the main reasons as to why I feel that signing another winger is important is as a long-term planning measure to mitigate the potential loss of Luca Thoams. If Thomas continues to shine, there is a strong likelihood the youngster will be snapped by an EFL club; be it this summer, or in January. As such, having the depth of wide options represents sensible planning.

One of the other benefits of signing Barkhuizen is his versatility. He is capable of playing as a winger on either side. He has been used as a wing-back at earlier points in his career and as a full-back. He predominantly plays off the right-hand side, yet is left-footed and tends to cut inside.

As a player, Barkhuizen is a dribbly winger with good technique and close control. Perhaps not the flying ‘up and down’ winger that he once was, he is still a very talented player technically that possesses a good left-foot. His experience and composure under pressure may well be useful.

Despite injury concerns in previous campaigns, the former Derby County man has played 35 times in all competitions for The Bluebirds this season and so I wouldn’t be overly worried on that front. If he is playing more of squad role, it would allow Mahon to manage his minutes and use him more effectively over the course of a 46+ game season.

Barkhuizen has spent  the majority of his career playing his football in the North West, with spells at Blackpool and Preston North End, and so it almost seems destined at some point that Barkhuizen will go on to play for The Coasters. Despite him being under contract for another year, The Bluebirds may well be open to the possibility of negotiating an early exit to allow him to depart in order to negotiate the required scope to overhaul their squad after what is likely going to be a relegation.

Cameron Gardner (Grimsby Town – loan)

One player that I think The Coasters could look at as a bit of a dual-purpose signing given that he can play centrally or wide is Grimsby Town’s Cameron Gardner. The youngter hasn’t featured a great deal during 2026-27 due to injury, but with The Mariner themselves harbouring ambitions of puhing into League One and getting promoted this season, Gardner may be one that is deemed surplus to requirements next year by David Artell.

Th 20-year-deal is contracted to The Mariners until 2028, and so any deal that AFC Fylde get for the youngster would likely have to be a loan move. I think that in terms of going and getting minutes under his belt after his lay-off and continuing his development at a good level, the prospect of a loan into the National League represents the right level at which to pitch him. 

Given how The Coasters want to play under Mahon, a signing of Cameron Gardner’s profile is – I feel – a good stylistic fit. Relentless work ethic, always on the move, presing from the front, aggressive and ull of energy in his running, and playing at speed. 

I feel that he is most effective when he is able to pull wide during the initial build-up and isolate defenders, and utilise his space and agility in driving the ball towards goal. He has got a lovely ability to shift the ball out his feet pat the defender and attacking space. 

The youngster has had a bit of exposure in the first-team with The Mariners, and when I have seen him in League Two he has always looked bright. Positive in his running. Looking to commit players. He needs to refine that final action and improve his decision-making, but there are definitely some attributes there to work with.

One of the benefits that you get with Gardner is that he is capable of playing anywhere across the front, and so he provides Mahon with the flexibility to change how he is deployed relevant on the need of the team. Having those durable options within the group are always incredibly useufl in ensuring that they can manage minutes effectively. 

Conor McAleny (Harrogate Town – free)

The second player on this list that finished the campaign on loan with The Coasters and who I think would make a sensible option to re-sign during the summer is experienced front man Conor McAleny. Currently on the books at Harrogate Town, I feel there is a lot of upside in a return for the former Salford City man. 

The experienced attacker has proven his worth to this Fylde side this term – especially in the second-half of the campaign, and the last few games – with his big goals, composure in front of goal and value off the bench in managing a game. 

He is capable of playing anywhere across the front four – be it centrally or wide – and so provides options ot Craig Mahon in how to use him. Personally,  think that he is most effective playing through the middle as close to the front as he can. His intelligence and clever movement in stretching team off the shoulder. The awareness and vision in linking the play. 

Regardless of the level at which Harrogate Town find themselves next season, I think that McAleny is likely to depart Wetherby Road. As such, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him end up back with The Coasters going into 2026-27.

Danny Ormerod (Preston North End – loan)

AFC Fylde to sign Danny Ormerod? Yes – you read that right. The talented youngster has been a revelation for The Coasters this season, and I think that he might be one for AFC Fylde to sign in the summer. Confused? Allow me to explain. 

If I am a Championship team, I would be buying Danny Ormerod as a long-term investment. Realistically, his worth is between 250k – £1 million for a player who is only 20 years of age and doing as well as  he has done. His injury may dictate a slightly reduced price, and if he continues to perform well in the National League his price will only ever go up. As such, this summer may represent a convenient point in which to get him. 

In terms of re-signing for The Coasters, I think that joining AFC Fylde again in the fifth tier makes sense. A level up on 2025-26. Perhaps a good level at which to pitch him for minutes after injury. It may well be the type of deal that is until January to get him up to speed after having a lengthy lay-off, but if he does need a loan to get back to fitness then The Coasters are sure to be at the front of the queue for his signature. 

As a potential destination for the youngster, I have pencilled in Preston North End as being a reasonable option. This is the type of smart, long-term deal that The Lilywhites don’t do enough of. A player for under £1 million, with such high long-term potential, and one that in 18 months to two years’ time I think can be at the very least a League One striker. As an asset for them beyond that, I feel that he offers good value. Almost like a chance to get him before he ‘blows up’ in price.

As far as what he offers, The Coasters’ fans need little in the way of analysis about the youngster’s qualities. A pressing, high-energy, rangy striker that leads the line well as a central #9 and with his pace and running off the shoulder. All different types of finishes. Intelligence. There is definitely physical development to do, but I think that he is the complete striker.