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Scunthorpe away on Saturday, pre season is in the history books and the Rowley rebuild is practically complete, bar a few late loan additions.
Some context before the grades, because you can't judge a signing in a vacuum, you need to judge it against the gap it fills.
A reminder (sorry): 4 managers in one season, Macca wiped out by that groin injury against Sutton, Morgan Williams left for York mid season, and a squad that was gripping the walls for points. The retained list was Mukena, Wannell, Ellison, Daly, McCormick, Ryan Jones, plus McGavin tied down to 2028 and Gouldy staying on in the player/GK coach dual role. That's it. That's the foundation.
So Rowley wasn't tinkering. He was building a squad from six players and a goalkeeping coach.
Ellison and Wannell out, 14 in. Let's go.
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GK
Jos Barker (22, Walton & Hersham, 2 years) - C+
The hardest one to grade and I've moved him three times while writing this.
The case for: Great stature, reportedly one of the best cross-claimers Rowley has worked with, 20+ clean sheets in a title winning side. Young, working with a manager he knows in a full time environment, growth potential is huge.
The case against: Jumping from Step 3 to the National League, in the one position where the gap between levels is most brutal, replacing a goalkeeper we were all in love with, behind a back line where nobody has played with anybody.
"Raw characteristics, high ceiling, hasn't been polished by anyone" is a lovely thing to read in June and a terrifying thing to remember in November when we've conceded from a set piece at Hartlepool. Having Gould coaching him daily is the mitigation and it's a real one.
C+ on process, potential B+ by May. Ask me at Christmas.
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DEFENDERS
Joe Gubbins (24, Southend United, 2 years) - A
24 years old. 35 league appearances at this level last season in a play off side. Left footed, good in the air, comfortable in the middle or on the left side, and his last act as a Southend player was lifting the FA Trophy at Wembley. He has played against us twice and done a job both times.
Prime age, proven at the exact level, fills the Wannell shaped hole, adds set piece threat at both ends, and gives us balance we genuinely lacked. 2 year deal. This is what good recruitment looks like when it isn't trying to be clever.
Southend let him go to "explore an opportunity elsewhere," which always makes me wonder slightly what we're not being told.
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Archie Davies (Carlisle United, 2 years) - A
Massively underrated bit of business.
A right back by trade who's played centre mid, wing, essentially everywhere, leaving from Carlisle to us on a 2 year deal. Rowley was upfront that he was in and out at Carlisle late on for personal reasons, which is presumably why we could get him, and if that's the reason rather than a football reason, we've bought at the bottom of the market.
Against Newport he was the one consistently getting round the corner and putting balls in. He was involved in the McCormick goal. Rowley talking about inverting him into midfield from the right of a five tells you he's not just a full-back, he's a system piece.
Prime years, proven at the level, versatile, 2 year commitment. Very good.
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Hayden Muller (24) - B+
The hybrid. Roughly half his minutes at centre back, half in centre midfield, which is the Cousin-Dawson role Rowley clearly wants in his system. 6'1", composed, plays with his head up.
I like it a lot in theory. My hesitation is that "can do two jobs" occasionally becomes "does neither one consistently" over 46 games, and at 24 he's still got a bit to prove about which he actually is. But at this level, a ball playing defender who can step into midfield and break lines is a genuine tactical weapon rather than a luxury. Looked fantastic on the ball against Newport.
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Jordan Norville-Williams (26, Dorking Wanderers, 1 year + option) - A-
26, left footed, left wing back, key part of Dorking's play-off run, and we've got him on a 1 year deal with a 12 month option. That's the club holding all the cards. Rowley and the analyst apparently sat watching 45 minutes of his 1v1 defending against good wingers and he didn't get beaten once, which is the sort of detail that makes me feel better about the recruitment department than anything else this summer.
Left sided balance was a real weakness. Two left footed defenders in one window fixes it. Low risk, decent ceiling, right contract structure.
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Jack Kingdon (20, Cardiff City U21s) - B
Development signing and should be judged as one.
Captained Man United U18s, captained Cardiff U21s, two loan spells at Rochdale, described by the gaffer as a Rolls-Royce, can play middle of a three, back four, or right back. Everything about the profile says "good footballer."
Fine signing, correct age profile for a squad that skews prime age, no complaints. Just don't expect him to start on Saturday.
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Loick Ayina (23, season loan, Salford City) - B+
This is the one I'm quietly excited about. Clips show a really confident, aggressive centre back who isn't afraid to step out the with ball.
The CV reads well: Huddersfield academy, Dundee United and Ross County loans, 24 combined appearances in the Scottish Premiership.
The recent reality reads badly: 27 league minutes for Salford in 2025/26. Unused sub over and over. A minute against Rotherham. He has not played meaningful senior football in a year and a half.
Adds pace and physicality to a defensive group that needed bodies, no downside if it doesn't work.
B+, and I'd love to be wrong.
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Ben Radcliffe (22, loan from Crawley Town until January) - B+
Late arrival, straight into the XI against Newport, 66 minutes, and Rowley went out of his way to compare the gut feeling to the one he had about Skura.
13 National League games at Gateshead last season, 19 League One appearances for Crawley the season before. He's played at a higher level and he's played at this level. Can play centre back or midfield.
6 month loan means low commitment and it plugs the gap left by Ellison going to Salisbury. The only mark against is that it's short term in a summer that's otherwise been admirably long term.
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MIDFIELD
Zain Westbrooke (29, Doncaster Rovers, 3 years) - A-
The statement signing.
Coventry, Bristol Rovers, Doncaster, and a season on loan at Scunthorpe last year where he was excellent in a side that defended well and used the ball efficiently. Rowley's description, elite brain, one-touch player, good pictures, also breaks up play, is exactly what this midfield lacked. Alongside McGavin and a fit McCormick, that's the best central three we've had in years.
The grade is dragged down purely by the contract. A 3 year deal for a 29 year old at our club is a bet. Years one and two, brilliant. Year three, when he's 32 and we're paying what is presumably one of the bigger wages at the club, is a bet. Although, that contract length was likely crucial in being able to attract a player of his quality.
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Johl Powell (25, Walton & Hersham, 2 years) - B
21 goals in 39 league games is a ridiculous return, and 25 is a good age to make the jump. He's played the best football of his career under Rowley, knows the system, and could hit the ground running.
But let's be honest about what we're looking at: a 2 tier jump for an attacking midfielder whose value is almost entirely in the final third. Southern Premier South defenders give you time on the ball. Rochdale and Halifax do not. Goals don't travel up divisions at anything like a 1:1 rate, and the 10 position is the hardest place to make that adjustment.
I want this to work more than almost any signing here. But B is the honest grade until we see him do it against organised opposition.
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Mason Obeng (22, Walton & Hersham, 2 years) - B+
22 goal contributions in 42 games, Players' Player of the Season, QPR academy, and, crucially, we beat off interest from several National League clubs to get him. When a player has options at this level and picks us, that's information.
Same 2 tier jump caveat as Powell, but he's three years younger with a better developmental runway and he's already done a season at Aldershot, so it's not a total step into the unknown.
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Joe Haigh (23, Dagenham & Redbridge) - Incomplete (provisional B)
Hard to grade a player we haven't really seen in pre season.
The recruitment story is genuinely encouraging: a League One manager rang him personally the night before he was due to sign for us, and he came anyway. That says something about what we're selling to players this summer. Rowley calls him top level talent.
But the phrasing was "if we can get Joe back fit, firing and confident," and that "if" is doing heavy lifting. He didn't feature at Newport. Until he's on the pitch this is a punt on upside, a good punt, but a punt.
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FORWARDS
Slavi Spasov (24, Southend United, undisclosed fee, 2 years) - A
The only signing we actually paid a fee for, and it shows in the profile.
24, 7 league goals last season with limited minutes. FA Trophy winner. Scored against us at Huish in November. Oxford's youngest ever goalscorer at 16. Top scorer at Slough in National League South before that. This is a striker who has scored at every level he's played at, including this one, and he's arriving at the age where forwards typically start their best years.
He's also looked sharp in pre-season, the link play for McCormick's goal against Newport was lovely, and he was doing defensive work in his own box at set pieces, which tells you something about the character we've bought.
Paying a fee at a club is a real decision, not a shrug. I think it was the right one.
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Stephen Walker (25, Scarborough Athletic, 2 years) - A-
The most interesting signing of the window and the one that will define how this summer is remembered.
17 league goals in National League North. England U20 pedigree. Middlesbrough, MK Dons. A mate of Rowley's who played with him says he should be playing Championship football with what he can do with the ball. He's been part-time, he's 25, and he's had what the manager fairly openly described as the kick up the backside that comes from realising you're better than where you are.
That's a hell of a profile. It's also, historically, the profile of a lot of players who never quite put it together. The difference between Ste Walker at his ceiling and Ste Walker at his floor is bigger than for anyone else on this list.
2 year deal at 25 with that talent level is a fantastic risk adjusted bet even if it only half comes off. If it fully comes off, we're not keeping him beyond 2028.
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THE OVERALL GRADE: A-
Fourteen in, from six retained players, in one window, with a first time National League manager. That's an enormous execution job and the shape of it is coherent, which is more than you could say for the last two summers.
What I like:
- The age curve. Barely anyone here is over 26 apart from Westbrooke. Prime age players on multi-year deals is a club building an asset base, not renting a season.
- The contract structure. 2 and 3 year deals mean we're not doing this again next June. Rowley said it explicitly and I believe him.
- The proven-at-level core. Gubbins, Spasov, Davies, Westbrooke, Radcliffe have all done it at this level or above. That's a spine.
What worries me:
- The goalkeeper. Everything else can be papered over. This one can't.
- The step up volume. Barker, Powell and Obeng all jumping two tiers at once, from the same club, is a lot of correlated risk in one bet. If Rowley's read on Walton players is right, we've got three bargains. If it's wrong, we've got three problems and a bad relationship with a Surrey football club.
- The bedding-in period. Rowley has said it himself, repeatedly, which I appreciate. New players need time. Scunthorpe away, then whatever September brings, could look rough while it clicks.
- Cohesion in the back line. Newport exposed us on long channel balls and set pieces. Four new defenders and a new keeper will do that. It needs to be fixed by October, not January.
Prediction: slow start, ugly autumn, and if the spine holds we're in the play-off conversation from February. Which, after last season, I'd sign for right now with both hands.
Anyway. 5 days. COYG.