2026-27 Recruitment Plan for Hereford

Player Decisions

Retain

Theo Richardson, Lewis Hudson, Aaron Skinner, Keziah Martin, Preston Bitemo, Ollie Lewis, Joseph James

Release

Lawson D’Ath, Matt Preston, Gus Mafuta, Keenan Quansah, Harley Hamilton, Eddie Oppong, Mitch Roberts, Andy Williams

Loan End

Freddy Wilcox, George Munday, Cormac Daly, Mikey Lane, Harry Tustin, Madou Cisse

Lose

Harrison Sohna

Sign

Danny Waldron, Kam Kandola, Luke Spokes, Joe Willis, Fin Holmes, Cawley Cox

Retained Squad

New Signings

Harvey Broad (Coventry City – loan)

The first signing in this piece that I have suggested The Bulls should go for during the summer is youngster Harvey Broad. Aaron Downes’ side is light on the ground in terms of defensive numbers, and so I think that the former Dagenham and Redbridge loanee could well represent a useful option for Hereford in providing them good competition. 

Broad is still contracted to The Sky Blues going into 2026-27, and I am expecting that the youngster will again go out on loan. By way of City getting promoted to the top flight, Broad’s opportunities in the first-team will be nye on impossible for the defender next season, and so I think that in order to get minutes he will have to go out on loan. After spending time with Step Two outfit Dagenham and Redbridge last season, I think that The Sky Blues may well want to try and send him out to a National League team to test himself at a higher level. However, I think that the defender could well be attainable for The Bulls. 

Broad is a player that I first saw when he was playing in non-league, and one that I have always kept an eye on. A confident ball-playing defender with a great energy and athleticism to get about the pitch and drive the ball forward from deep, Broad is the type of defender that is very much suited to the modern game in wanting to progress the ball through midfield. Downes was a top defender himself, and so I think that playing under him could well be a good environment in which Broad can learn his craft. 

One of the reasons as to why I like Broad as an option for The Bulls is due to the fact that he can play in a number of different roles on the left-hand side of the defence. He can play as a full-back or as a centre-back, and is comfortable playing in a three or four man system, and so he provides Aaron Downes with both versatility in how to make use of him and flexibility in how they choose to set-up defensively. Especially when The Bulls are already light on the ground in terms of defensive options, having a player that is a composite defender provides value for money for The Bulls. 

Indeed, The Bulls played a three and four man backline last season under Aaron Downes and so having the options to adapt accordingly to the opposition is useful. I think that Broad is comfortable playing on the left-hand side of the defence as a wide centre-back in a three, but is equally effective as an attacking full-back with the engine and technical quality to play forward and get up in support of the play in the mould of a ‘modern day full-back’. 

While Dagenham and Redbridge fell short of the standards expected last term, Broad is a player that still always stood out when I watched The Daggers and someone that I retain a lot of faith in as a good defender for the level. He has a decent amount of first-team experience despite his age and is a well-rounded profile given his physicality, athleticism and technical quality in playing out. If The Bulls can get him on loan, I think that Broad would be a clever use of the loan market for Aaron Downes.

Ryan Bartley (Maidenhead United – free)

The second defender that I would be looking to add to the group if I were Aaron Downes is another that ticks the ‘versatile box’ and was let go by the club in which he ended the season and that is former Derby County youngster Ryan Bartley. He was released by National League South side Maidenhead United following the conclusion of the campaign, and with the defender still yet to agree a deal anywhere I think that he could be a useful option to consider signing in providing the group with good competition in the backline. 

While he may have been let go by The Magpies, I feel that Bartley is a good player for the level and represents a useful pickup for a prospective club this summer. He can play as a right-back or as a centre-back and so he definitely provides options for what will likely be a small squad. I think that his best position is playing as a right-back and so he gives good competition for Aaron Skinner, while he is well-suited to playing right of a back three. Regardless of the system in which Downes opts to set-up, Bartley is suitably adaptable such that he can play in a number of positions. 

As a profile, I think that Bartley has got a nice mix of skillsets that you want in a wide defender. He is suitably mobile and has a nice turn of speed. He isn’t the most progressive with the ball, yet I feel that he is a ‘safe’ defender that is incredibly diligent against the ball, combative, tough in the tackle and suitably good on the ball. 

Personally, I feel that Bartley would be a nice pickup for teams in the National League and so to get him at Hereford would be a good piece of business if Aaron Downes were able to get it done. That said, I think that the flexibility of Hereford’s approach would enable Bartley to get a high volume of minutes across various roles and would likely give him an opportunity to receive a more regular run in the side than he perhaps had at times with Maidenhead United. I think that The Magpies could have got more out of Bartley than he produced at York Road, and so working under a good defender in his own right in Bartley could be a sensible environment for his next move. 

Ultimately, I think that the young defender has got a lot of ability and he just needs the right setting in which to go and play his football. He can play anywhere across the back four, is a strong out-and-out defender first and foremost and represents a lovely all-round profile, and is of a good age with a hunger to learn. I feel that he is the type of project that The Bulls should – and likely will – take a chance on signing, and so if I am in Aaron Downes’ shoes then I would be going all out to secure his signature.

Daniel Isichei (Birmingham City – free)

One area in which I would be looking to recruit if I were Aaron Downes is in the wide attacking areas. One player that I think they should consider as a prospective signing and one that played in the National League briefly during 2025-26 is former Birmingham City youngster Daniel Isichei. The young forward was let go by The Blues at the end of the campaign, and I feel that he could be an intriguing project to work with going into 2026-27. 

Looking at the Bulls squad that they have currently, I feel that they lack speed and natural width in the wide attacking areas. Isichei is a bit of a “road runner” in his play style, as someone that plays with a high intensity, always on the move and always looking to run at players. 

In terms of his profile, I feel that Isichei has got a number of the traits that I would be looking for in an attacking player. First and foremost, Isichei has got electric pace, incredibly direct and very dynamic. The Bulls lack that profile of player that can really commit teams running back towards their own goal, get on the turn and carry the ball directly to goal. In this regard, I think that Isichei is a good fit. While he perhaps didn’t have the end product to show for it at times with The Lambs, there were definitely flashes of a player that can be incredibly tricky if given the time and space to get on the ball on the turn. 

One of the reasons as to why I like Isichei is the fact that he is so raw. Often, people look at that as a negative, but I think that if you can harness that in the right way then it can actually work the other way. One thing that I typically look for from attacking players is unpredictability and the ability to play off the cuff and take risks, and while he is perhaps a little bit unpolished at times I feel that Isichei is exactly the type of profile I would love to work with. Quick feet. Agile movement. Variation of runs. Efficient attacking of space. I see shades of Abdul Abdulmalik in his carrying of the ball, his physical attributes and speed, and I love how unpredictable he is. 

His best position is off the left-hand side whereby he is able to drift inside and open the play up onto his stronger right, yet I could equally see him providing value playing through the middle off of a physical #9. He is most effective in those half-spaces where he can get on the turn, and he has got the agility to create separation in his runs. 

I think there is definitely a lot of work to do with Isichei in terms of development and refining end product and in improving the quality of his decision-making. However, I think that the raw skillsets are there and under a good coach there is definitely a player there. Downes cites the fact that he is a good coach that takes pride in developing young players, and so I feel that Isichei would be a decent test of that. It is up to a coach to get the best out of him and deploy him effectively, and if they can then I don’t see why he can’t be a good player for the level and kick on in 2026-27.

Kieran Morris (unattached – free)

Aaron Downes has already signed a player local to Hereford in the form of Cawley Cox, and so it wouldn’t surprise me to see them utilise that avenue again in the business that they do. One player that has been let go at the end of the 2025-26 campaign by his side and I think would represent a smart piece of business for The Bulls ahead of the 2026-27 National League North season is former Oldham Athletic man Kieron Morris. 

Morris plays predominantly off the right-hand side as an out-and-out winger, albeit he has played more centrally at times. The Bulls signed an intricate, skilful and quick-footed magician in Fin Holmes earlier this summer, whereas Morris is more of your diminutive, physically robust, powerhouse that can carry the ball well, drive into space, ride challenges and be penetrative in his running. 

Indeed, Morris provides Hereford with that added physicality at the top end of the pitch that I think will be important in handling the intensity and combative nature of the National League North. At the age of 32, Morris has played a lot of football in the Football League and so represents an all-round package. He has got a strong off-the-ball work-rate, and as Aaron Downes looks to try and create a team capable of handling the ball and working hard off it then he definitely provides the ticks he is looking for. 

The profile of players that The Bulls have added during the summer has been largely on the youthful side, and so I definitely feel that they could benefit from trying to add one or two more experienced faces to complement the group. Morris is 32 years of age and is originally from Hereford, and has extensive experience playing in the Football League and in the National League. While he by no means ripped up trees last year with FC Halifax Town during his loan spells with The Shaymen, I maintain that he is a reliable attacking operator for the level. 

When I profile players, I would always look to take advantage of the geography in signing players that are local to the club and know the area and so the fact that Morris is originally from Hereford represents a good fit for both parties. While he was let go by Oldham Athletic at the end of the season, I think that Morris is now at the stage of his career whereby he may have to drop down the leagues in which to find regular game time and so I feel Hereford is a reasonable level at which to pitch his next move.

Amari Morgan-Smith (unattached – free)

The final player on this list that I think Hereford should sign during the summer – and one that I can definitely see in a Bulls shirt next year – is experienced striker Amari Morgan-Smith. The forward was let go by promoted National League North side Kidderminster Harriers at the end of the 2025-26 campaign, and so he is available on a free transfer. 

Morgan-Smith is a player that will need little in the way of an introduction to Hereford manager Aaron Downes and assistant Harry Pell. Morgan-Smith was part of the Cheltenham Town side that won the National League title under Gary Johnson, of which Downes and Pell were both prominent parts. You often find that managers will re-sign players that they have worked with before, and so in the case of Morgan-Smith I think that reuniting with two people that he knows well, has played with and with whom he has got a good relationship already could well be a good fit for both parties. 

In terms of his profile, Amari Morgan-Smith is the type of player that every team needs. He is a target man, with an imposing physical stature, strong aerially, good back-to-goal and capable of getting on the end of deliveries into the area. He is a threat from both boxes, and particularly useful when defending their own goal. While he perhaps lacks that yard of pace now given that he is 37 years of age, Morgan-Smith is still a hugely intelligent player that makes clever use of his body, occupies defenders and is particularly effective as a facilitator in providing a platform for others. 

Functionally, I feel that signing a player of Morgan-Smith’s profile would be hugely effective for Hereford in terms of how well their forward line is able to operate as a unit. Danny Waldron is the type of forward that I would want to focus on simply goal-scoring rather than getting involved in having to do the physical side of the game in leading the line as the main #9, while Cox is the nippy, technical, nimble type that wants to play in behind. I think that both Waldron and Cox would feature best playing off a target man, and so therefore I think Amari Morgan-Smith could be a good option to consider. 

Even if the forward doesn’t play every game for The Bulls, I feel that he would still provide real value for this Hereford group given his experience, intelligence in leading the line, his profile as a physically robust #9 that facilitates others, and his nous of being part of successful sides at the level. I don’t think that Downes and Pell would have to convince Morgan-Smith that it would be hard to make the move to sign for The Bulls going into the new season, and so I wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest to see this move come to fruition.