2026-27 Recruitment Plan for Gateshead

Player Decisions

Retain

David Ferguson, Brad Nicholson, Keaton Ward, Sam Bowen, Adam Desbois, Billy Chadwick, Louis Storey, Levi Amantchi, Ashley Boatswain, Josh Home, Tyrelle Newton, Will McGowan, Fenton John, Pete Jameson, Josh Anifowose, Kenton Richardson

Release

Callum Johnson, Dom Telford, George Shelvey, Harry Chapman, Conor Pani, Oli Thompson

Lose

Joe Grayson

Loan End

Mark Beck, Ben Radcliffe, Ethan Moore, Rio Patterson-Powell, Shea Connor, Zak Gilsenan

Retained Squad

New Signings

Jokubas Mazionis (Ipswich Town – free)

While Rob Elliot has already shown signs of wanting to progress back towards the swashbuckling and stylish passing game that earned him – and Gateshead – rave reviews, I still maintain there is value in them signing and out-and-out box defender. A player who enjoys defending. Perhaps not the most accomplished with the ball, yet can do the perceived ‘basics’. 

Mazionis is no stranger to the National League. An enjoyable – yet brief – loan at Woking. After that, he spent time at Cheltenham Town in League Two, albeit across both spells played only a handful of appearances. 

As a profile, I like a lot about Mazionis for playing that sweeper role as the central most centre-back. A towering presence. Reads the game well. Developed personality and leadership in his role as captain of The Tractorboys youth side. Good in the air. Fairly aggressive in the tackle. Risk adverse in playing out. Very much a no-nonsense type. 

The Heed have already done business with The Tractorboys in their acquisition of Ash Boatswain, and while Mazionis is out of contract this summer and wouldn’t require direct club involvement this is a move that I think they could arrange by way of the existing relationships between the clubs. 

Despite his most first-team loan coming in League Two, I think the luxury of regular minutes is a commodity perhaps best sought in a multi-year deal dropping into the National League. A better level in which to pitch him given relative inexperience in first-team environments. A chance to prove himself at a club with a strong record of player progression.

Only 19 years of age, it would be something of a project for The Heed. Fresh out of a good academy. Capped at youth level by Lithuania. A nice profile for a defender given his size, aerial abilities and physicality. Playing in the centre of a back three, I think that he would thrive.

Jevon Mills (FC Halifax Town – free)

The second defender that I would look at signing if I were in Rob Elliot’s shoes is a player that will need little in the way of an introduction to Heed fans given that he played for the club before; young centre-back Jevon Mills. 

Mills is currently on the books of fellow National League side FC Halifax Town, and he has had a good first season with The Shaymen after signing on a permanent deal from Hull City. He is 22 years of age, and signed at The Shay last summer off the back of his release by The Tigers and four individual loan spells out in non-league. 

In terms of the type of player Mills is, the defender is a good size, comfortable in playing out from the back, can defend wide spaces, suitably mobile and is aggressive in stepping to engage and win the ball back. He isn’t the quickest, but is good positionally and has a fairly strong reading of the game. 

I feel that this is the type of signing that The Heed should be making. Young, early 20’s, out of academy football, hungry to succeed, looking to get their career back up and running, and someone with a real passion to want to do well, learn, improve and willingness to be coached. Elliot has demonstrated that he is a good coach, and so building a group that is young, ambitious and keen to learn is key. 

Given that The Heed opt to use a 3-man backline, I think that they need to have – at the very least – five very good centre-back options, and I would be inclined to go with six, and so while Mills may want to be a guaranteed starter somewhere he is going to get regular minutes I would sadvise him that being part of a project and with good competition may actually do him the world of good. 

The Shaymen do not have one of the bigger budgets in the league, and so with new ownership afoot with The Heed and a high level of ambition to return to the glory of seasons previous in competing for the top seven, I think that they might be able to attract Mills across to The International Stadium ahead of 2026-27. 

Greg Olley (York City – free)

Sometimes, you can overthink signings as far as a potential fit and whether they’d perform. Often, the easiest solution can be just as effective. Familiarity sells. And, in the case of Greg Olley, I think that while on the one hand his return may be somewhat poetic or predictable it equally makes a whole lot of sense. This is one I expect to happen. 

In an ideal world, Olley would still be a Heed player. His exit somewhat conditional given context at the time, and the landscape of uncertainty at The Heed in general over and above desires for the players’ will to leave. Gateshead is Olley’s club. Played a huge part in his career. He has played his best football there. 

His move to York City has seemingly not worked out as planned. Minutes limited. Almost unthinkable for a player of his technical craft. He was at his best in an earlier version of Heed that looked to dominate the ball, and such opportunity has perhaps seldom presented itself with The Minstermen. Certainly not as centralised in importance in build-up with City as he was with Heed.

To enable The Heed to fully transition back to the full-throttle football that got them relative success, re-instilling a key cog of their engine room will go a long way as to providing short-term solutions. 

A prolific passer. Hugely press resistant. Creative. A delicate weight of pass. Capable of playing at speed. Key in dictating the tempo of the game, with clever recycling of the ball and always offering himself as an angle. 

An exit looks highly likely this summer from The Minstermen, and it seems almost too good a fit for him to make a permanent return to Gateshead to pick up where he left off. He would slot in seamlessly to a Heed side that undergone little in the way of notable overhaul or change, with some key architects remaining. Crucially Elliot in the hotseat. The club kicking in the right direction again. Now seems the ideal time for Chapter 2.0.

Daniel Vost (Huddersfield Town – loan)

Another option that I would try to add in the centre of midfield in order to offer further options to The Heed to complement what they have already got at their disposal is Huddersfield Town youngster Daniel Vost. 

Vost has been in and around the first-team picture with The Terriers, but such is their ambition of competing at the top end of the division and getting promoted he has found his actual game time this term extremely limited. I don’t see a revision in that position in 2026-27. As such, if he wants regular first-team football, I feel a loan is recommended. 

In terms of his profile, Vost is a good technical footballer that has a lovely passing range and so represents a strong stylistic fit in a Heed midfield that prides itself on ball retention and patient, purposeful, attacking football built through the thirds. If you’re going to be in the Heed engine room, you have got to be adept off eitther foot, have good vision, be press-resistant and can play at speed; Vost provides the ticks in those boxes. 

Vost enjoyed a loan spell with lower league Warrington Town in January 2025, and so stepping up into the National League represents a logical next step for him to test himself higher and against a more physical, technically-competent and tactically-savvy division. 

Max Howells (Middlesbrough – loan)

Given that The Heed have got some good EFL and Premier League sides sat on their doorstep, I think that Rob Elliot should look to take advantage of that via the loan market. One option that I feel they should look at is youngster Max Howells.

Howells enjoyed a successful loan spell with Darlington in the National League North during 2025-26. Only 21 years of age. In the academy at Middlesbrough. Born in Stockton, and with his only other first-team experience having come at Whitby Town.

As a parent club, Middlesborough will want to keep giving him harder and harder opportunities to test him. Prior to joining Darlington, Howells spent time with Stockton Town and Whitby Town, and so signing for The Heed and getting to experience National League football can only be benefcial to his development. 

In terms of his profile, the youngster is an attacking midfielder. An effervescent, dynamic runner that is most effective between the lines. The skill and close control to receive under pressure. Deft touches. Always looking to play forward, and do so at speed. 

I think that there is definitely some work to do in terms of refining that final action, as at times I think that the play is a little rushed and that extra bit of composure could make a huge difference. He has got the energy and the aggression in his press to force chances, and he just needs to that final ball and delicate pass in a split moment to really elevate his game. 

He is a little bit Terrier-like in his playing style in making runs from deep and the way in which he is able to arrive at speed late into the box. Quick, two touch, skilful ball-manipulation in tight areas. I feel he’d thrive playing as a #10 in this Heed side with the freedom to run in beyond the play. 

A loan in the National League will provide him with the test that he needs at this stage, and so if The Heed can work a deal I feel it would be astute business. 46 games in the fifth tier, playing week-in, week-out for a side pushing for the top seven. I like the sound of that. 

Ethan Moore (Sunderland – free)

Perhaps the least surprising suggestion in this selection, Heed boss Rob Elliot has already been open in his admiration for young loanee Ethan Moore, and his intentions to re-sign him permanently come May. 

Out-of-contract with parent club Sunderland, I think it is highly likely that we will see Moore – off the back of having a highly productive loan spell – make a permanent return to join Elliot’s side ahead of 2026-27. 

Moore is a winger by trade. Pace. Direct. Physicality. A powerful runner. A confident ball-carrier. An imposing customer with a clever turn of direction. Strong 1-on-1 qualities. Dangerous on the half-turn in attacking spaces. Effective facing the goal, and arriving from slightly deeper positions. 

With the 3-5-2 system that The Heed employed, Moore offers versatility in providing an option equally as effective playing alongside a more physical reference with license to make runs in beyond the play and stretch teams, or as a #10 picking up clever pockets to receive on the angle and drive to goal.

In particular, I think Moore complements the group really nicely in diversifying their attack. Prior, a lot of the ‘traditional’ Heed Way was very was positional. Reliant on technical quality. Less risk. Structured build-up. Yet, Moore likes to take risk, commit players, and play a little bit off-the-cuff.

Out of a good academy, Moore represents the ideal project for Elliot to work with and potentially one in which he help progress their own career to higher levels through the luxury of regular minutes in a first-team environment. This signing is a no-brainer.

Adam Campbell (Hartlepool United – free)

Some players are a good fit for certain clubs, and in the case of Adam Campbell I think that he has very much played his best stuff at Gateshead. He has been seemingly surplus to requirements with Hartlepool United, and so therefore I wonder whether the 31-year-old could return to the North East. 

The Heed don’t play with wingers, but I feel Campbell can play off the front in a two, as a #10 or as a wide forward. I definitely feel that his versatility could be a crucial asset for this Heed side. 

Personally, I feel that he is best playing as a wide #10 in the half-spaces whereby he is able to arrive onto the play and drive at the opposition. He is quick, got agile movement, and effective when given the time to attack space at speed. His low centre of gravity eables him to be unpredictable in his movement. 

His spell with Hartlepool United has been far from impressive, and he has been a bit-part figure for The Monkey Hangers. United look to play fairly direct into a central #9, whereas I don’t feel that gets the best out of his qualities. Instead, I feel that being part of a Heed side that have an emphasis on getting the ball down and playing through the opposition, and they can more effectively maouevre opportunities to get Campbell into the game and receiving the ball where he wants to (in front of him). 

The Heed are proficient crossers of the ball in that final third, and so having a player that is capable of hitting the byline with their speed and get cut-backs into the area. Playing on the last line, he looks to make runs in behind and stretch the team and in turn open up space for #10’s arriving late into the box. 

Not least, Campbell has played in this Gateshead side on two different occasions – most recently in 2023 – and has played under Rob Elliot at Crawley Town. For me, it is a no-brainer for the experienced attacker to make a return to the North East. 

Marcus Dinanga (Bromley – free)

The Heed have got Ash Boatswain and Levi Amantchi at their disposal. Neither prolific. Billy Chadwick more effective playing slightly deeper, albeit his involvement limited due to injuries. There is value for The Heed to go out and add another #9 to their ranks, ideally a penalty-box finisher that can perhaps forego workload outside the box for efficiency within it. 

Marcus Dinanga is no stranger to The Heed, having played under Elliot prior to him getting the Crawley job. Familiarity has been a them throughout this piece as far as re-signing those that have excelled within the Heed environment previously. Prior first-hand knowledge of the way Elliot wants to play will certainly be invaluable in more successfully implementing the ‘Heed Way’.

Last time in Gateshead colours, Dinanga polished his game into being more of a poacher. Less reliance on working outside the box in running the channels. Conserving energy between the posts. 

The only question mark over his suitability is his injury record over the past 18 months, and whether he is capable of hitting post-Bromley heights off the back of a significant lay-off. I’d be confident he can. 

Unlikely to be kept on by Bromley, I feel that he will be not be short of offers. Even despite that injury. A good finisher for the level. On a free transfer, I think that he would be worth the gamble.

Cruz Ibeh (Middlesbrough – loan)

The second player that I would look to sign on on loan from Middlesborough during the summer if i were The Heed is young forward Cruz Ibeh. 

While Gateshead are a good attacking side, I think that they are a little static in the final third two physical references in Boatswain and Amantchi, and instead they get runners off of them. However, if they are to diversify their attacking play, I feel that they should try and find a #9 or attacking profile that is capbale of adding speed, high-energy, clever movement and a willingness to run off the shoulder. 

Ibeh is a highly-rated young player out of Middlesbrough’s academy. He only signed his first professional deal in November 2025. I feel that the next step for his development is to go and play regularly in first-team football. He isn’t the biggest, and so I believe that a loan would do him the world of good for the sake of his physical development. 

As a secondary striker, I think Ibeh is perfect. Very dynamic, a strong presser, incredible energy, always on the move and ‘buzzing around’ for the loose ball, and clever movement off the back of the defender. His acceleration and athleticism off the mark makes him the ideal candidate to get on the end of knock downs from Boatswain or Amantchi. There is something very Kabongo Tshimanga-esque about the younsgter. 

It would be very much about learning on the job for the youngster, but I think it would be good for both parties. It gives The Heed something a little different in the final third. An alternative profile. The youngster would also return to his parent club a better player for it.