2026-27 Recruitment Plan for Weston-super-Mare

Player Decisions

Retain

Louis Britton, Ollie Chamberlain, Luke Coulson, Will Dawes, James Dodd, Max Harris, Calum Hewlett, Emlyn Lewis, Josh Salmon, Michael Smith, Calum Wood, Sam Avery, Jake Hicks, Jacob Jagger Cane, Jakob Glover, Dan Martin, George Robesten, Jason Pope

Release

Brandon Bak, Oli Jenkins, Luke Spokes

Sell

Dom Bernard

Loan Out

Calum Wood, Jake Hicks, Ollie Chamberlain, Josh Salmon

Loan End

Tommy Backwell, Scott Bennett, Ollie Dewsbury, Leo Pecover

Sign

Ollie Hulbert

Retained Squad

New Signings

David Sesay (Maidstone United – free)

The Seagulls have already got a good right-back for the level in the form of Michael Smith, yet if I am in Scott Rogers’ shoes then I would be looking to add a younger option to provide Smith with competition. One player that has been let go at the end of the campaign by their club and who is available on a free transfer is David Sesay. 

Given his physical profile, I am a little bit surprised to see that 27-year-old Sesay is yet to sign with a new club for the new season after being let go at the end of the 2025-26 campaign by Maidstone United. 

One of the advantages that I think you get with Sesay is that he is more than capable of being used in a number of roles. He is naturally a right-back, yet has got the work-rate and athleticism as a runner to play as a wing-back and handle the intensity of transition football and covering large spaces. Given his speed, I feel he can provide value when used higher up the pitch in more of a winger role whereby he is given the license to attack space and really stretch teams with the quality of his running power. 

As a profile, Sesay is a physically competent, powerful, high-intensity full-back that has got incredible energy. In terms of how Weston-super-Mare would function as a collective, I think that Sesay would allow the likes of Will Dawes to play closer to the opposition goal and take up higher starting positions. Given Smith’s lack of speed and mobility, there is a lot of responsibility on Dawes to get back and do his defensive work to provide cover. However, Sesay is more than capable of defending in 1-on-1 situations, and so Dawes can take greater risk in contributing to the attacking play. 

While I think Sesay would be a good option to provide competition to Michael Smith, I feel that you could quite comfortably partner the pair on that right-hand side. Tactically, I feel that Smith is one of the best full-backs in the division and has got a good reading of the game, yet at times clubs are able to set up in such a way that they are able to isolate Michael Smith against quick attacking players. Having a player of Sesay’s pace and power would be incredibly useful in providing them cover on that side of the pitch. Their backline defensively lacked speed last season, and so adding a profile like Sesay would be welcomed. 

Smith is now 37 years of age, and will be 38 by the end of the campaign. Sesay is 10 years his junior, and so he definitely provides a younger option that is better-equipped to the intensity of the National League South. While he is a right-back, he can play on the left-hand side and so in what will likely be a fairly small squad that The Seagulls tend to run with then I feel he provides value for money. If they can get him, I think that he would represent a clever piece of business for Scott Rogers and co.

Jalen Jones (Dover Athletic – free)

Centre-backs Sam Avery and Emlyn Lewis formed a strong partnership last season for The Seagulls, and the pair have been retained going into 2026-27. Outside of these two, I think they could perhaps do with adding another centre-back. One player that has been let go on a free and so is available for The Seagulls to sign and that has experience of the level is former Dover Athletic centre-back Jalen Jones.

Any centre-back that The Seagulls select has to be able to be fairly combative and an aerial aggressor in how they play. Given the way in which Scott Rogers sets up his side, there is little responsibility on the centre-backs to get involved in the build-up phase in terms of playing out, and instead the onus is on the centre-backs being the type that are happy – and proficient – at sitting in their own box, doing the basics well and potentially being a little bit more robust in their playing style. 

Avery and Lewis are likely to be the starting pair given the relationship they have got and how strong The Seagulls were defensively, and so if Jones were to sign then it would initially be in a supporting role. While they do have Callum Wood on the books, I think that Jones is a better option to support the pair given that he has good pedigree and experience having played at the level, is a good physical profile and represents more of an imposing figure than Wood. 

As a profile, I actually feel that Jones absolutely represents the best option for The Seagulls on the market. While he is capable of being a ‘no nonsense’ type in clearing his lines, I feel that he is fairly comfortable in possession and so has the ability to play out if he requires. As a result, I think that Jones is a fairly well-rounded centre-back option. At times, I have felt that The Seagulls have gone a little bit too far on the side of being industrious rather than having the composure to pick a pass in bypassing a press, and so signing a player like Jones allows them to do this. 

I think that Jones provides good balance for Avery and Lewis given that he is 27 years of age and so slightly younger than the pair. Despite his frame, Jones is fairly mobile and has got a good recovery pace in being able to track runners. I could quite foresee against the better sides that have perhaps got more speed and dynamism at the top end of the pitch that you could bring in a player like Jones to a) manage the minutes of Avery and b) ensure they’ve got the extra mobility and athleticism in defending large spaces. 

The Guyana international has not yet fixed himself up a club for the 2026-27 campaign, and so if I were Rogers then I would make a move for the defender. He covers a number of bases and represents more of a ‘tried and trusted’ option that is further along in their development at the level than Wood. I feel he would be an upgrade.

Angel Waruih (Eastleigh – free)

Ever since The Seagulls lost Dylan Kadji to Wealdstone, I feel that they have missed a midfielder of the athletic, physically-imposing, powerful profile that can provide them with the combative edge against the ball. One player that I would look at as a potential signing is Angel Waruih.

Waruih was let go by Eastleigh at the end of the 2025-26 campaign, and as of yet has not signed a new deal with any club and so remains a free agent. There hasn’t even been a sniff of a move yet this summer, and so I think that he may well be a little bit of an ‘under the radar’ pick if they can get him.

As a replacement for the Dylan Kadji profile, I think that Angel Waruih provides a number of the requisite ticks in the box that you would typically look for. He is a good size. Incredible athlete that is a high-energy runner and got a good engine to get about the pitch. Alongside what The Seagulls have got currently on their books, I feel a powerhouse in Waruih would make their midfield unit a more rounded operation. The aggression against the ball, the tenacious tackling, the energy to cover ground, and the speed and agility to track runners. 

One thing that I particularly like with Waruih that I liked with Dylan Kadji and one of the reasons as to why I feel he has since gone and played higher is the fact that he is able to contribute to both phases of the play. The better midfielders – I feel – are those that have the attributes to impose themselves on the opposition and perhaps do the ‘hard yards’, yet equally are capable of then putting their foot on it when they have got the ball back and can play forward. I think Waruih represents a good middle ground for what you’d want from a midfielder in being able to contribute to both phases of play as a good technician that looks to progress the ball from deeper lying positions. 

While Waruih may well want to try and stay in the National League for his next club, I think that there is a lot of value in him perhaps taking one step backwards to take two forward, and crucially finding an opportunity where he is going to play regular minutes and get a good run of games under his belt. The youngster is now 22 years of age, and I feel that just needs to be playing regardless of the level. Going into a Seagulls side that has shown to be a good environment for young players to improve and progress their own careers represents a sensible pick as a potential suitor. 

The Seagulls adjusted last season into being more of a pragmatic side from the technical side that won promotion into the National League South, and so in terms of allowing them to be competitive against the physicality of the league I definitely feel there is value in signing a player of Waruih’s profile. He has had a good technical grounding in the youth team at Brentford and comes off the back of experience in the National League with Eastleigh. If Scott Rogers is able to get a deal done, I think it would make a lot of sense for both parties and be a bit of a coup.

Luke Russe (Bath City – fee)

One player that I think could be on the move this summer and would be near the top of my list as a prospective signing for The Seagulls if I am in Scott Rogers’ shoes is Bath City’s Luke Russe. 

While Russe was relegated last season from the sixth tier, I maintain that the diminutive midfielder is a good player and with the right midfield around him he can be a really classy operator. I think that one of the reasons as to why Russe found it tough at times for The Romans was due to the fact City were dysfunctional in their setup and lacked the physicality and defensive structure around him, whereas I feel that Russe would be afforded that luxury with The Seagulls. 

The Seagulls have got a player coming back from injury in the form of James Dodd, and I think that he is one of the best midfielders in the division in terms of his use of the ball. However, I sometimes think that Dodd is playing too deep. Given that he is able to dictate the tempo of the game so effectively, there is a tendency to play him in front of his own back four and get him dropping into to start the play; a little bit like how Craig Tanner has taken up a similar role at AFC Totton. Personally, I’d be looking to get Dodd closer to the opposition goal and so I would still try and recruit a more natural #6 that can sit in and dictate the play. 

Russe has shown extensively in the National League South that he is a good passer of the ball, press-resistant and has good vision to vary his passes depending on how the game develops in front of him. He isn’t the biggest, but he is extremely effective in providing protection to his own backline given the strength of his positioning, reading of the play and the agility of his movement in screening across.

One thing that I particularly like about Russe’s playing style is the simplicity in which he operates. Quick, one and two touches, the willingness to take the ball under pressure and someone that has the intelligence to develop a good picture around him of where the pass needs to be. As mentioned, there is little in the way of responsibility for Avery and Lewis to start dictating the play and given their lack of mobility I don’t feel that you want to start inviting them to do that. Instead, having a technician as strong as Russe at the base of midfield that can initiate the possession. 

He is still listed as being under contract at Bath City, and so he may well require a fee if they are to get him. However, if The Seagulls are able to navigate the possibility of working a deal, I would be pushing for his signature.

Billy Phillips (Bristol City – free)

The Seagulls already have three good wide options in the form of Luke Coulson, Will Dawes and George Robesten. If I was Scott Rogers, I would be looking to add a fourth winger to the group. One player that I would look at as a potential signing during the summer is youngster Billy Phillips. The 19-year-old was let go by The Robins at the end of the 2025-26 campaign, and so is available on a fee transfer. 

Phillips spent the majority of last season out on loan in the National League South with Chippenham Town. I think that spell will have done him the world of good in terms of going and playing regular first-team football at his age, and I am confident that he would sign for Weston-super-Mare as a much better player off the back of that. 

Personally, I feel that there is a better player in Phillips than we perhaps saw during his time at Chippenham Town. With The Bluebirds, Phillips largely operated off the left-hand side as a winger in a rather top-heavy attacking system, however I feel that this doesn’t get the best out of his qualities. He hasn’t the aggression or power in his running to be a wide player – in my opinion – and so if you play him more centrally between the lines as more of a #10 than I feel he will flourish. 

As a #10, he is able to pick up clever pockets of space in between the lines whereby he is able to get on the turn, face the play and be more central to get shots off. His best attributes are the speed of his close control, the ability to manipulate the ball out of his path well and produce a delicate weight of pass. He is a diminutive customer, and he makes clever use of that in the central areas in being able to drop a shoulder and drive into space. 

Furthermore, Phillips is extremely agile and has a nice turn of speed, and when you are able to play him just off the front he is able to create separation in turnovers from his markers. He is a direct runner, and I feel that he provides value running off a central #9 in getting beyond the play. His timing running onto the play is good. He gets himself into intelligent positions in the half-space where he can get on the turn, particularly effective off the left-hand side where he is more naturally able to face the goal off his right foot. 

Crucially, I feel Phillips would provide them with a different type of option at the top end of the pitch. He is a very narrow wide player operating more so as a #10. Compared to the technical craft of Coulson or straight-line running and crossing ability of Dawes, Phillips is the type that will take more touches and commit players. 

While he showed glimpses of quality during his time at Chippenham Town last year, I think that a squad role for a Step Two side is still a realistic level at which to pitch him given his relative inexperience and the development that he has got to do in his game. However, as a project that they can develop and improve on a multi-year deal I think that he is worth a look. He is a good age, out of a strong academy, has been well-coached and the sort of player I’d take a chance on.

Kwame Thomas (Aldershot Town – free)

The Seagulls have taken the option of Louis Britton’s contract going into 2026-27. While that is no guarantee that he will start the season as a Weston-super-Mare player, I think there is an acceptance from Seagulls fans that at some point – be it this summer, or during the upcoming campaign – he will get the opportunity to make a move higher up the pyramid. 

If I were Scott Rogers, I would be looking to bring in a player that can can provide competition to Louis Britton in being a physical, penalty-box #9 to lead the line, and someone that can either play alongside Britton or in his absence. One player that I think would be a clever pickup for The Seagulls on a free transfer given that he has been released by Aldershot Town at the end of the 2025-26 campaign is Kwame Thomas. The 30-year-old was very much a backup figure for Town last season, yet I feel he would be a good addition for The Seagulls.

The Seagulls have adapted their playing style to being a little bit more deliberate and direct in their approach, and playing more so into a target man than they were reliant on patient passing through the lines under Scott Bartlett. Especially last season, I saw a deliberate transition towards more of a pragmatic approach, and so having a striker at the top end of the pitch that is capable of leading the line and offering a physical presence is key. 

As a profile, you know what you are going to get with Kwame Thomas. He is a physically imposing stature, with a good frame, effective at playing back to goal and holding the ball up, and he is particularly strong at getting up to meet crosses. Britton was a good reference last term in terms of providing a physical reference, yet I think Thomas offers more of a proficient operator as far as getting his head on things and in this regard gives threat at both ends of the pitch both in attacking set-pieces and in defending his own box. 

While The Seagulls will want to put a team together for this summer, I think that there has to be an element of long-term planning in how they do their recruitment. If Louis Britton starts the campaign the way in which he played last season, there is a good chance that he will get a move high up the pyramid in January. As such, I feel that bringing in a player of Kwame Thomas’ profile would allow for stylistic continuity in Britton’s absence and ensure that they don’t have to adapt their approach.

Kwame Thomas is a terrific character, and at 30 years of age would offer Scott Rogers some useful experience to the group to help them ensure they could perhaps go a step further. The National League South is going to be a tough league next season, and so I think that there is a lot of value in adding players that have ‘been there and done it’, played higher, been around successful environments and that has got that little bit more intelligence and nous in how they play.

Billy O’Neill (Bristol City – loan)

The final player that I have picked out on this list as a potential target for The Seagulls is youngster Billy O’Neill. The Seagulls retain Louis Britton (for now) and have signed Ollie Hulbert, but even if they go and sign another #9 (as I have suggested) I would be looking to sign a 4th forward, I’d always favour having four strikers for the two starting roles. If so, I would be looking at City forward O’Neill as a potential candidate. 

The Seagulls have got good connection with Bristol City and have signed a number of their young players previously, and so it would not be a surprise to see them take advantage of those relationships in signing a young Robin. In particular, Rogers has had success in signing a young Bristol City forward in the form of Luke Skinner – who did extremely well during his time with The Seagulls – and so City may well see Weston-super-Mare as a good environment for a young player Billy O’Neill to go and learn and play his football. 

O’Neill only signed for Bristol City in April 2026 – signing from Bray Wanderers out in Ireland – and is a player for whom there have been really good reports. He comes off the back of a season in which he got more than 20 goal contributions in the space of 30 games, and that represents a healthy return for a player still learning his trade as O’Neill is and especially so given he is still only 18 years of age. 

One of the key reasons as to why I would be pushing for O’Neill’s signing if I were Rogers is because he is capable of offering them options in a number of roles. He can play through the middle as a #9, but he is also capable of playing off either flank as a winger and so in that first instance he gives them the ability to play him in any of the forward positions. The Seagulls tended to use a fairly small squad during 2025-26, and so signing those composite options that can play in a number of different positions is incredibly useful.  

As a player, I feel O’Neill would dovetail really well with what The Seagulls currently have on their books. He is a smaller and nippier forward than your average ‘lead the line’ #9, and so has got the agility and speed to play more so off the shoulder alongside a player such as Louis Britton. He is technically strong, quick feet, is a good dribbler, and has got a lovely ability to get a shot off under pressure. I think he has the intricacy such that you could easily play him effectively as a #10 where he can pick up clever pockets, and I feel he would provide that little bit more open-play creativity than they have had at times this term. 

Given that he has only just signed for The Robins, City may well have intentions of putting him in the youth team to begin with and may well opt against sending him out on loan. However, in the event that they are open to him going and playing first-team football then I would be putting myself at the front of the queue for his signature if I am Scott Rogers. He is extremely highly-rated, played a good amount of first-team football already, covers a number of bases and I think he could be a clever loan capture.