2026-27 Recruitment Plan for Ebbsfleet United

Player Decisions

Retain

Kwesi Appiah, Fin Barnes, Ben Chapman, Gene Kennedy, Toby Edser, Matt Hall, Jake Hessenthaler, Ronny Nelson, Josh Passley, Charlie Seaman, Dom Samuel, Mustapha Olagunju

Release

Gio Bellagambi, Franklin Domi, Elijah Anthony, Aaron Cosgrave, Ben Coker, Josh Coley, Max Ehmer, Ryan Sandford

Lose

Lennon Peake, Jamie Fielding, Tom Dallison

Loan Out

Maxx Manktelow, George Moncur

Loan End

Marcus Wyllie

Retained Squad

New Signings

Nathan Ashmore (Boreham Wood – free)

The first signing that I have gone for on this list is one that Ebbsfleet United fans won’t need any introduction to; former United goalkeeper Nathan Ashmore. Six years on from his spell with The Fleet, I wonder whether he could be a potential option for a return this summer. 

One of the things that United have lacked in the goalkeeping department is the experience that they had in previous seasons of Mark Cousins. That aggressive, front-foot goalkeeper that is going to come and dominate their penalty area. Take charge of the situation. That reliability. Ashmore is now 36 years of age and has over 400 games in non-league to his name; he definitely provides that experience ‘tick’ against his name. 

In terms of his profile, Ashmore is your archetypal, commanding, powerful goalkeeper. A good size, and he uses his physicality in coming to dominate his area. 

If Lee Bircham were still manager of Bedford Town, I would have put down that he could be a summer target for The Eagles after a successful loan spell. That may still be on the cards, but with Bircham announcing his exit I feel potentially that is less likely. As such, I think that may have opened the door for him to go elsewhere. 

He has shown during his spell with The Eagles that he is still very much a good goalkeeper for the level. Single-handedly having won Bedford Town a number of points, and potentially the difference in them staying up. 

With Ebbsfleet United already having a young goalkeeper in 22-year-old Matt Hall on the books, I think that adding an experienced goalkeeper to provide hm with a) competition and b) mentorship would be really beneficial to his development. If they can get him – even if it is only on a 1-year-deal – then I feel it could be the fine margin of improvement that could push them towards the title next year. 

Will Tizzard (Sutton United – free)

The young centre-back has seemingly been surplus to requirements this season at Sutton United – spending much of it out on loan – and so it wouldn’t surprise me to see United let him depart Gander Green Lane on a free in the close season. If so, I feel he could make for a useful acquisition to this United backline. 

He finished the campaign at Torquay United, albeit has been largely playing at full-back by way of the partnership of Sam Dreyer and Jordan Dyer. His loan has gone fairly well albeit he has by no means ripped up any proverbial trees, yet I think that we haven’t really seen the best of the defender. 

In my opinion, he is most effective playing in a three. He is the type of defender that wants to step into midfield and carry the ball from deeper positions, and so structurally I feel that he is at his best when you’ve got the cover of having two centre-backs behind him. Will Tizzard would have that luxury in a side that use a back three.

Having progressed out of the Southampton academy, it is perhaps not surprising that Tizzard has developed a composure in playing out and passing through the lines. He is especially composed with the ball given his size, and that is not often a profile you see. As such, he represents a nice middle-ground between being a box-defender capable of defending aerially, and then the type that can play out with a little more craft in build-up.

Additionally, I think that a signing of Tizzard’s profile would help United in their build-up. When I have watched United in 2025-26, too much of their play has been slow and methodical from the back with use of pre-rehearsed patterns and not enough by way of endeavour to carry. In the same way that Notts County under Luke Williams used to have Aden Baldwin and Connell Rawlinson stepping into midfield, I think that Tizzard could play a similarly. 

As a result, Ebbsfleet United are able to keep their wing-backs higher, and start their attacking play higher up the pitch. I feel that can only be advantageous in their final third output.

Charlie Waller (MK Dons – free)

The one profile that I think Ebbsfleet United definitely need to sign is a natural left-footed centre-back comfortable playing wide of the three. Ronny Nelson and Mustapha Olagunju have shared minutes there, yet neither have looked overly comfortable in my honest opinion. Signing a more orthodox left-footed operator would be incredibly useful.

If there is one player that I think United should look at most in this list, it is Charlie Waller. The youngster spent time out on loan in the National League with Wealdstone and Rochdale in 2025-26, and is currently on the books of MK Dons. 

With MK Dons winning promotion to League One, I think that Waller might end up being one of the casualties of that in seeing first-team opportunities with Paul Warne’s side stopped in their tracks. Indeed, as they look to trim their squad and strengthen ahead of playing in League One next season, I think that Waller might be one that is allowed to depart. 

He could quite easily get a National League move – I feel – however if Ebbsfleet United want to go out and make the calibre of signing to really propel them to be able to compete for the title next season then I think they might need one or two marquee players of this ilk. In terms of being the right fit, I don’t think that United could find a player that ticks more boxes on the market that is attainable within reason this summer. 

He has experience of playing in two teams on the left of the back three with The Stones and Dale. A ball-playing centre-back that has the mobility and speed to defend wide spaces. One of the major advantages of Wallker is that he can play as a midfielder, and so United would be getting a player who is natural with the ball at his feet whereas I think Olagunju and Nelson perhaps look a bit unpolished or uncomfortable in playing out. 

In particular, I think that the speed of Waller’s ball manipulation is really useful in maintaining the pace of United playing out from the back. With Olagunju and Nelson, there is a tendency for other teams to be able to funnel play into the left centre-back and slow the play down to win it back. Waller – however – has good close control, and quick to get the ball out of his feet in playing forward. 

If United can get him on a free transfer, I think that it would represent a stellar piece of business.

Olly Scott (Aldershot Town – free)

With Ben Coker moving on, one area in which Josh Wright is going to have to strength is at left wing-back. One option that I would consider if I am in his position is Olly Scott. 

The 25-year-old was a surprise inclusion as one of those let go by new Shots boss Scott Davies following his recent appointment, with Scott having really impressed me in the last 12-18 months and one of the standout players for The Shots. 

You could argue that his best position is on the left of the back three – and I can see the merits to that – but I personally am of the opinion that he is better off being deployed closer to the opposition goal and playing higher. You get the best out of players if you platform them effectively to get the most out of their attributes, and I feel that playing Scott as a wing-back does that. 

Scott’s standout qualities are his energy in covering ground, speed and the delivery from wide. You wanting him running onto the play and providing an option on the overlap. He is technically strong, a wand of a left foot and he has got an incredible energy in transition. Playing him as a left centre-back in a three limits his involvement at the other end of the pitch and I find that the side can get targeted in transition with Scott’s lack of height. 

If Ebbsfleet United remain wedded to the 3-4-1-2 formation that they have utilised in 2025-26, I feel that adding a ‘flying’ wing-back is definitely something that could benefit them. Their left-hand side has been all too predictable with a very heavy bias on using the right-hand side through Seaman, and so adding an athlete with good ball progression from the left – like Scott – can help to diversify their attack. 

One thing that United do get with Scott is that he has really good football intelligence. Clever use of the ball. Strong positionally such that he can defend in spite of his size. Knowing when to step in and play forward. If United can get him making smarter runs at the right time, I think that they have got a top player. 

Scott is hugely coachable and a good character, and while I think there will be a lot of interest in him I feel he would definitely be worth a look and a bit of a coup if they could land him.

Harvey Walker (Slough Town – free)

The second left-sided option that I would look at if I were Ebbsfleet United is Slough Town’s Harvey Walker. The 24-year-old has been a bit of a revelation for The Rebels in 2025-26, and I think signing for United would provide him with a reasonable ‘next challenge’ to keep progressing his career.

He is a player that Slough Town will no doubt want to keep hold of during the summer and going into 2026-27, albeit I think the reality is that if a club like Ebbsfleet United – full-time with better financial backing and aiming for promotion – may be the attractive proposition that would prize him away from Arbour Park.

In terms of the type of player he is, I think Walker has demonstrated this year that he is the perfect blend of attributes for playing in that left wing-back role. Quick, powerful, direct, aggressive in his running and a good athlete. His ball-carrying has been a feature of his game, with the ability to carry from deep, take players on and drive the ball into space.

When I watched Ebbsfleet United this season, I felt that they perhaps lacked that power and physicality down the left-hand side at times and so adding a player of Walker’s physical profile would help to mitigate that. He provides United with a bit more direct-to-goal qualities in playing through a low block and relying less on methodical, patient passing through the thirds.

After a spell out through injury, Walker has really shone in 2025-26 and  has definitely used Arbour Park as the ideal opportunity in which to get his career moving in the right direction again. He is hugely coachable, receptive to learn and applies himself really well. For me, I would be all over this.

Connor Hall (Brackley Town – free)

United announced the exit of Aaron Cosgrave yesterday in their retained list on Wednesday, and so I expect them to bring in a new striker during the summer. One option that I would look at is Brackley Town’s Connor Hall.

Hall ended the campaign with The Saints, but recently announced his departure from Andy Whing’s side ahead of 2026-27. While he has played the majority of his career to date in the North, the striker is reportedly set to move South due to his personal circumstance and so may well be an option for sides in the National League South. 

The 28-year-old is originally from Slough, and pror to joining Sheffield United in 2015 he spent the early part of his football development as a youngster with Binfield and Ascot United. He has also spent time with Woking as well as enjoyed a loan with Farnborough, and so he deifnitely ha a bit of a connection to the South East. With his change of off-field landscape, that is likely to be more of a permanent arrangement next season. 

United would be getting a player that has shown repeatedly at Step Two that he is a good goal-scorer. A decent return for Chorley and Brackley Town across various spells. 

As a player, Hall is a hard-working, industrious, physical striker that likes to impose himself on the opposition. Pressing from the front wth his tireless running. Providing a platform to work off. I definitely feel that adding that more industrious profile at the top end of the pitch can be useful.

The striker is good in the air, and gets his body between the ball and man well to receive back-to-goal. He is eprhaps not the cleanest techically, but is a powerful player and alongside more out-and-out goal scorers in Dom Poleon and Kwesi Appiah I think that Hall would dovetail quite nicely. 

He is available on a free after being let go by Brackley Town, and this is one that potentially United can steal a march on given that he will be wanting to move to a club in the South. He is experienced, has been promoted out of Step Two before and has played in the National League. He covers a lot of bases, an I feel he would be a good option for Josh Wright. 

Kien Connolly (Colchester United – loan)

When I watched Ebbsfleet United in 2025-26, one thing that I feel they are missing is pace and athleticim in the top line. The ability to play on the shoulder. Properly stretch teams in transition. A player that is potentially not the most technically polished, but someone that can make runs in behind the opposition. 

One player that I would look at is Kien Connolly. The youngster finished the campaign on loan at fellow National League South side Dagenham and Redbridge – joining from Colchester United – and the forward impressed me during that spell.

Assessing what they need, I actually don’t think that The Fleet need to add a goal-scorer if they are to add in the forward area. They have got two experienced strikers that are good finishers, and so they have got the firepower. At times, they have been a little bit profligate in front of goal, but I am confident that they have got goals. I feel that they need energy, pace and power to go alongside that. 

In terms of a profile that I think they need at the top end of the pitch, I think Connolly has got a number of the requisite ‘ticks in the box’. He is incredibly quick. Always wanting to make runs in behind. Athletic. Dynamic movement off the front. 

This season, I have felt that quite a lot of Ebbsfleet United’s play has been deliberate and prerehearsed in the build-up. Patient passing through the thirds. Trying to break teams down through ball speed and efficiency in executing patterns. Having that attacking profile that is slightly more ‘off the cuff’ and unpredictable in their running would definitely complement their existing options well. 

Indeed, I feel that he would offer the ability to be a little bit more fluid in their rotations at the top end of the pitch. More risk. More variance in their play. United tend to try and play their way out of trouble, but I think that having a player of Connolly’s profile would allow them to – at times – simply put a ball down the line into the channel and get Connolly running onto it. He is a good size, powerful, a good athlete, and that mobility is far more diffcult to defend against than static #9’s.

His spell prior to joining Dagenham and Redbridge came with AFC Sudbury and he did well there – with a return of 7 goals in 12 – and so I feel that the next step for the youngster is to go and have a full season at Step Two to hone his craft. The Daggers may well be interested in re-signing the youngster, but I think that Josh Wright should make a move for his services on loan.