Shock moves at Peterborough Sports as star men leave and new players arrive

It’s a bold move by a club battling against relegation from the National North League amid an injury crisis, but Sports are confident they will now be able to get some fresh bodies into what will be an unfamiliar-looking squad.

Sports signed former Posh youth team star Tyler Winters from Spalding and winger Max Booth from Stanway Pegasus, and took central defender Ben Lomax from Port Vale on loan on Tuesday before the league game with Alfreton.

Lomax has made eight first-team appearances for the Valiants including two League One starts last season.

Sports signed youngsters Bayley McCann and Jonathan Bland from Barnsley on loan before the weekend defeat at Leamington.

McCann, the son of former Posh star and manager Grant, can play midfield or wing-back. Bland is a central midfielder.

For Sembie-Ferris and Lawlor it's the chance to link up with their former Sports manager Jimmy Dean. Both were key men as the club went on a remarkable surge up the English League ladder.

Dean is filling his Tulips’ squad with his former players. He’d already picked up ex-Sports’ men Jordan Nicholson, Maniche Sani and Nathan Fox before today’s surprising news.

Spalding also had former Sports’ men Lewis Hilliard and Kyle Barker on their books before Dean arrived.

It’s thought Dean has had an eye on joining up with Sembie-Ferris again for a while. He took the winger with him to Scunthorpe United after leaving Sports for a then National League club in January, 2023.

Spalding are an ambitious club owned by one of the wealthiest men in the area, Yours Clothing chief Andrew KIllingsworth, who was once linked with a bid to buy Posh.

Spalding are currently fighting relegation in the Southern Premier Division Central, but they can expect to climb the table with Killingworth’s backing and the managerial reputation of Dean.

Current Sports’ bosses Michael Gash and Luke Steele are inexperienced in comparison and the problems of being a small club at National League North level have been apparent with a nine-man injury list biting hard

Before all the player movement, Gash told the PT: “It’s all new to me and Luke. We are going through a tough time with injuries and consequently with results, but we are working really hard alongside Tim Woodward (Sports owner) to get some new players into the club.

"Tim is backing us and we are grateful for that, but it’s not easy getting new players in so we would all ask for patience as we try and get through a difficult period.

"The commitment from us all is total. We are putting the work in and we are determined to establish this club at this level. We just need time, but we will get there.

"We picked up Bayley and Jonathan last Friday afternoon and they both did well at Leamington.

"Bayley played as a left wing-back and Jonathan was slightly further forward than he normally plays as a 10, but shortages are forcing us to use players in unfamiliar positions. Midfielder Oisin Gallagher is playing at the back.”