Views from the Sieve

Another new signing in Kane Chrichlow a midfielder from Sutton United. Don't know much about him but hopefully a decent player.

Kane Crichlow had a good season at Chelmsford and looked against us.

It seems that teaming up with Gemini Sports is a good thing for us. It seems there’s lots of quality signings in the pipeline.

Goalie signed Nathan Ashmore from Borehamwood. Competition for Howes. Nightingale will probably go out on loan at some point. He looks good so Howes could lose his place to Ashmore.

Daggerfan wrote: Thu May 21, 2026 6:12 pm Goalie signed Nathan Ashmore from Borehamwood. Competition for Howes. Nightingale will probably go out on loan at some point. He looks good so Howes could lose his place to Ashmore.

‘Not a retirement home’ he said, but ok we move

Ashmore is a very good goalkeeper. I can see Howes leaving as Allinson rates Ashmore highly and describes him as the best goalkeeper in the league.

Was he playing regularly for BW last season? If he's anywhere near the keeper he was he'll easily be our No.1. Always hated him for the opposition as he was so good and such a commanding presence. He's not coming to be a No 2.

He played a few times for Boreham Wood.
As seen last season we need two good goakeepers so think this is a good signing. He will certainly give Howes some competition to keep his place. Howes could even learn from him.

I think Howes will go. I was surprised he was runner up in the club and supporters players of the season because I thought he was poor at the start and unconvincing at the end with a few spectacular saves in the middle. Ashmore is good but now 36 which seems to belie the new philosophy of acquiring young, aspiring local talent rather than those near the end of their careers.

I'm a little sceptical so far. Probably because we've had so many false dawns over the last few years.

On paper they're 3 good players. But two of them are getting on and being given 2 year deals. I think their best years are behind them so I hope they're not part of the retirement home that Allinson referenced in his first interview.

Need a few more in their early or mid 20s with something to prove.

Mark wrote: Thu May 21, 2026 9:23 pm I'm a little sceptical so far. Probably because we've had so many false dawns over the last few years.

On paper they're 3 good players. But two of them are getting on and being given 2 year deals. I think their best years are behind them so I hope they're not part of the retirement home that Allinson referenced in his first interview.

Need a few more in their early or mid 20s with something to prove.

I understand your reservations about the age of two of our recent signings but looking at Beautyman first, this is a player that has scored 10 goals the season before last and 11 last season from midfield in the division above us, so his record is pretty impressive.With regard to Ashmore, whenever I have seen him play I have been impressed and with goal keepers they seem to go on far longer than outfield players, so thirty six isn’t that old.
I also think Lee Allinson is a very shrewd guy and knows exactly what is needed to get out of this division and trust his judgement.

Ashmore and Beautyman have bags of experience and if we do actually get promoted they’ll be about next season too to help hopefully some of the others we bring in this season that need handholding.

Need some centre backs and a couple of strikers, very good ones that will push us on.

Building a dressing room- Signing the woking captain, and an older keeper who likes banter with away fans behind the goal, another Robbo.

I heard also about the hemel captain (Kyle Ajayi) - but Forest Green now in advanced talks, so unlikely now it seems,

Listening to Lee’s latest interview it seems 90 percent of the business is done, just waiting to be announced. Seems like majority of our signings now will be younger players.

The approach seems to be a good blend of experienced heads like Ashmore and Beautyman with some younger more inexperienced players.

Hope it pays off and they gel on the pitch. But it does seem positive from Lee’s words that we will have the squad in place before pre season starts rather than playing catch up as we have done in previous seasons.

If Lee Allinson can get these players to gel then I think we will have a superb season. He has shown that he is brutal already so I don't think he is interested in any player who thinks that this might be a retirement home or big final pay day. And if any of these players think this is an easy ride then they will soon find out from some of our more vocal supporters exactly what we think of them.