Vanarama National League Ones To Watch: Part Four

We asked Joe Pope, founder of Off The Line blog to assess the players you should be keeping an eye on next season.

Zak Goodson
Former Shrewsbury Town man Charlie Caton has already featured in Part One of this series, a young player for whom I have high hopes after an impressive loan spell.

And, it speaks volumes of the exciting, hungry squad which Calum McIntyre has assembled in charge of the Seals that another young forward features in this series even though we are only on Part Four. That man is former Altrincham striker Zak Goodson.

The reaction of Robins fans in wake of his release perhaps provided an overview of highly Altrincham fans rate him; and, no doubt, sentiments echoed by boss Phil Parkinson.

Let go by purely as an unlucky benefactor of The Robins having a number of attacking options and no promise of regular game time, The Seals were quick to make the move for Goodson upon his release and it is no wonder.

McIntyre has an eye for a young player with promise, and I think Chester may well have landed one of the very best at this level.

Goodson was given a brief spell in the Altrincham team at the end of the campaign, and more than impressed; registering a goal, too. He has a good track record at non-league level, developing a reputation as an out-and-out goal threat despite being only 23; fruitful spells with Ilkeston Town, Basford United and Long Eaton United.

That was all after progressing through the Derby County youth team as a youngster earlier in his career.

Described as a versatile forward, he can play through the middle or out wide, all the while displaying an unrelenting pressing of the opposition, agility and trickery with the ball, and the composure in front of goal to boot.

I think he is more than capable of playing at National League level, and so without a doubt he is a coup for the National League North.

Sid Nelson
With the inevitable departure of Kevin Lokko confirmed shortly after the conclusion of the regular season, Farnborough needed to bring in a new starting centre-back this summer and have indeed done that with the capture of Sid Nelson on a free transfer from National League side Woking.

While he found game time limited with the Cards, I think there is a player in there and someone who represents a real coup for the National League South.

Nelson, formerly on the books of Millwall earlier in his career, is everything you would expect from someone who has come through at The Den; a front-foot, committed, energetic, hard-working, no-nonsense, heart on his sleeve-type defender that possesses a real hunger to win the ball back, relishing in one-on-one duels and getting stuck in.

At 27, he is still waiting for that real “breakthrough” moment of consistent displays, and as he drops down a level to sign for Farnborough, I think that this could well be the place for him to kickstart his development on a regular basis.

He will be afforded the adage of regular playing time, something which has not been freely forthcoming during his career, and in an environment which has proven to be beneficial for so many players at Farnborough in improving them, I feel this could be the time we see the best version of Sid Nelson.

While Lokko was more of a composed type, Nelson is going to bring a real explosive edge to the way in which they defend.

In many ways, he is a bit old-fashioned in that he relishes the gritty, attritional side of the game as opposed to the more modern-day ball-playing qualities.

There is definitely a good defender for the level there to work with, and I think he can thrive. If he can stay fit, he could well prove himself to be one of the best central defenders for the level.

Cody Johnson
Asked recently on Twitter by Tom Williams (@tomhwilliams23) which player in the National League I felt could potentially go on to play for England later in their career, the answer I gave was Cody Johnson.

And, having watched the young midfielder a couple of times in various local competitions for the Hatters, I am convinced that he will go on to bigger and better things in the future and as such represents a real coup for Rochdale.

Another player who has perhaps been unlucky in the regard of finding first-team opportunities with his parent club limited – due to the depth of options County have – but is someone I am excited to see play in the National League next term.

For someone so diminutive in stature, he certainly packs a punch in terms of quality. Given his lack of height, to play in the middle of the park at the base of midfield takes a player of significant technical quality and composure, and these boxes he most certainly ticks.

At times last season, Dale were too easy to play through, and Johnson’s qualities at the base of the midfield will be key. An elegant and confident midfielder that is able to play at speed, he shows a real maturity and intelligence far beyond his years.

For someone to display the positional awareness and simultaneous technical competencies at his age without having had any real first-team exposure provides a fitting epithet as to his potential; and, I think he is going – in the words of Harry Redknapp – right to the very top.

He is a hard-working player, the sort that keeps their head done and is a real bonus for a manager in terms of his selfless attitude; you get the picture that he is a dream for a manager.

Little fuss, he gets stuck in and just goes about his business. He will be a diligent performer for Dale, keeping the ball moving, circulating it with precision and providing a flexible metronomic option in and out of possession, and will provide Dale with the ability to be quite expansive in their play. I am so looking forward to watching him.