National League news – February 2024

BBC Sport tracks the latest news stories from the National League, including managerial announcements, new signings and contract extensions.

Wealdstone have signed promising forward Trae Cook-Appiah from Southern League Premier South club Walton & Hersham.

The pacy 23-year-old hit double figures before Christmas for the Swans and has signed until the end of the 2024-25 season.

Kidderminster have signed 21-year-old striker Seb Thompson after a spell training with his local club.

Thompson was in the Aston Villa academy and has had spells with Liverpool, Derby, Leicester and most recently Burnley last season.

Rochdale have signed defender Dan Sassi on a one-month loan from League One side Blackpool.

The 20-year-old came through Stoke City’s academy and later joined Burnley in 2020, before joining the Seasiders earlier in February.

York City have signed midfielder Alex Hunt on loan from League Two side Grimsby Town until the end of the season.

The 23-year-old has made 18 appearances for Grimsby this term and joins fellow Mariner Danny Amos in joining the Minstermen on loan.

Sierra Leone international Kallum Cesay has joined Wealdstone on a permanent contract.

The 21-year-old came through Tottenham Hotspur’s academy and can play in defence and midfield.

Goalkeeper James Montgomery has returned to Gateshead on a one-month loan deal from National League North side Spennymoor Town.

It is Montgomery’s fourth spell with Gateshead.

Gateshead have extended the loan of Cambridge United defender Mamadou Jobe for the rest of the season.

The 20-year-old has made 12 appearances since joining Gateshead in November.

Colchester United have loaned midfielder Chay Cooper to Hartlepool United on a deal until the end of the season,

The 22-year-old has played 10 games for the League Two club this season, in addition to a loan stint at St Albans City in National League South.

Wealdstone have signed midfielder Jack Young on loan from Wycombe Wanderers until the end of the season.

The 23-year-old came through the academy at Newcastle United before moving to Wycombe on loan in January 2022 and making the move permanent in April that year.

Kidderminster Harriers have released defender Joe Leesley by mutual consent.

The 29-year-old had been at Aggborough since joining from Boston in November 2022 and made 32 appearances in total, scoring two goals.

Eastleigh have released South Korean midfielder Seung-woo Yang.

The former Southampton and Forest Green Rovers youngster signed professional terms last season but leaves the Spitfires after just three senior appearances.

Oxford City have extended the loan of Charlton left-back Jacob Roddy by another month.

The 20-year-old has made seven National League appearances for City thus far.

Barnet have signed Oxford United striker Gatlin O’Donkor on loan until the end of the season.

The 19-year-old became the youngest-ever U’s player at the age of 16 years and 55 days when he made his debut in December 2020.

AFC Fylde have extended Ethan Mitchell’s loan from League One side Wigan Athletic until the end of the season.

The 20-year-old defender initially signed on a one-month loan and has gone on to make three appearances for the club.

Altrincham centre-back Jake Cooper has signed a new contract to remain with the Robins.

The 23-year-old Rotherham United academy graduate has made 24 appearances for the club this season and almost 50 in total since joining on a permanent basis ahead of the 2022-23 campaign.

Southend United midfielder Mauro Vilhete has left the club after the cancellation of his contract.

The 30-year-old, who has an international cap for Sao Tome and Principe, made 13 appearances for the Shrimpers.

Solihull Moors have re-signed winger Tyrese Shade on loan for a second time, in a bid to maintain their National League play-off hopes.

Former Leicester City man Shade, 23, who made two appearances while on loan with the Moors in 2016, has signed for the rest of the season from League Two side Swindon Town, where he has made 63 league appearances, the majority off the bench, since signing in 2022.

Southend defender Brooklyn Kabongolo has left the club.

The 21-year-old former Ipswich academy player joined the Blues on a non-contract basis in September and made 13 appearances but was unable to agree a longer-term deal.

Wealdstone defender Brandon Mason has agreed a new 18-month contract.

The 26-year-old made his first professional appearance as a 19-year-old for Watford in the Premier League and also played for Coventry, St Mirren and Crawley before joining the Stones last summer.

York City have signed left-back Danny Amos on loan from League Two side Grimsby Town for the rest of the season.

The 24-year-old has made 66 appearances for the Mariners since joining in January 2022.

AFC Fylde have signed wing-back Bryce Hosannah, 24, on a short-term contract until the end of the season.

Hosannah was a free agent after being released by League Two side Wrexham.

Solihull Moors have re-signed forward Tahvon Campbell for an undisclosed fee from Rochdale.

The 27-year-old first played for the Moors in 2017-18 and returns on an 18-month contract.

AFC Fylde have signed free agent defender Adam Long on a deal to the end of the National League season,

The 23-year-old, who was previously at Wigan, left Doncaster Rovers by mutual consent, and has now linked up with Fylde.

Southend United centre-back Harry Taylor has signed a new contract to run to the end of the 2025-26 season.

The 26-year-old, who joined the Shrimpers from Barnet in 2022, has made 25 appearances this term.

Bromley have completed the permanent signing of defender Deji Elerewe from Charlton.

The 20-year-old made 18 league appearances over two loan spells at Hayes Lane, scoring four goals.

Meanwhile, the Ravens have released former Millwall striker George Alexander, 23.

Maidenhead have extended the contract of 28-year-old defender Kevin Lokko until the end of the 2024-25 season.

Southend United defender Ollie Kensdale has signed a new contract at Roots Hall until the end of the 2025-26 season.

Kensdale, 23, who is approaching 100 league appearances, is the ninth Shrimpers player to sign a new contract since the lifting of the soon-to-be-sold club’s embargo.

Woking have signed attacking midfielder Josh Smith on a permanent deal from Sheffield United.

The 19-year-old – who did not make a senior appearance for the Blades – has agreed a deal until the summer of 2025.

Hartlepool have signed Brennan Dickenson on loan from Oldham until the end of the season.

The left-winger, 30, has played more than 200 times in the Football League and had represented Southampton, Brighton, Gillingham, Colchester, MK Dons, Exeter and Carlisle before joining the Latics last summer.

Aldershot have signed Harrogate Town winger James Daly on loan for the remainder of the season.

The 24-year-old has scored one goal in 17 appearances since joining the League Two side from Woking last summer.

Altrincham have signed defender Sonny Aljofree, 19, on loan from Premier League side Manchester United for the rest of the season.

Aljofree has played 10 times in Premier League 2 for the Red Devils this season, and made two appearances in the EFL Trophy.

Eastleigh have announced a third signing with defender David Longe-King joining on loan from Dagenham & Redbridge.

Longe-King’s arrival adds to those of fellow defender Ben Greenwood and Ben Reeves.

Greenwood, 20, joins on loan from Premier League Bournemouth until the end of the season.

Midfielder Reeves, 32, was without a club, having last summer left Gillingham, where he played 48 times over two seasons.

Woking have signed Curtis Edwards on a deal until the end of the season.

The midfielder, 30, had been with Norwegian side Stabaek since 2022. He spent seven years in Sweden, including playing for Graham Potter at Ostersunds.

Bromley have signed defender Idris Odutayo from Premier League side Fulham on a permanent deal.

The 21-year-old came through Fulham’s academy but never made a first-team appearance for the London club.

The Ravens have also have signed Millwall defender Kamarl Grant on loan until the end of the season and midfielder Ashley Charles from fellow National League side Wealdstone on a permanent contract for an undisclosed fee.

Grant, 21, is yet to play for the Lions, but he had a spell on loan in this division at Dagenham & Redbridge last season.

Charles, 24, is a Grenada international who has made 20 league appearances for the Stones this season.

Southend United have agreed a new two-and-a-half-year contract with top scorer Harry Cardwell.

The 27-year-old, who has scored 12 goals in the National League this season, will remain at Roots Hall until the summer of 2026.

Winger Cian Hayes has re-signed for Rochdale on loan from Fleetwood until the end of the season.

Hayes, 20, spent almost two months at loan with Dale in the autumn, where he scored twice in nine games before being recalled by his parent club.

Defender Leon Woodman has joined Wealdstone on an initial one-month loan from Championship club Queens Park Rangers, with the option to extend his stay until the end of the season.

The 21-year-old centre back spent two months on loan at Dulwich Hamlet last season, where he made eight National League South appearances.

Ebbsfleet United have signed Middlesbrough defender Bryant Bilongo on loan until the end of the season.

22-year-old Bilongo has yet to play a league game for Boro, having joined them from Kingstonian two years ago, but he did have a short loan spell at Woking last season.

Boreham Wood have re-signed forward Kabongo Tshimanga on a short-term loan from Peterborough United.

Tshimanga, 26, returns to the club having played for them from 2019 to 2021 after which he joined Chesterfield and later the Posh.