DEFENSIVE DUO SPARK SHAYMEN EXODUS
THE break-up of FC Halifax’s Trophy winners started from the back with defenders Hamza Bencherif and James Bolton opting to stay in the National League top-flight this week. Bencherif, who impressed at Wembley on the left side of Jim Harvey’s back three, has joined Wrexham – becoming Dragons boss Gary Mills’ sixth new signing of the summer, joining Khaellem Bailey Nicholls, Callum Powell, Kai Edwards, Jordan White and Paul Rutherford in checking into the Racecourse. The 28-year-old was followed swiftly through the exit on Friday of Bolton, who has joined up with his former Shay boss Neil Aspin at Gateshead. Bolton, 22, joined Halifax in January 2014 on loan from Macclesfield Town before joining permanently in the same summer. The right-back told The NLP of his joy at winning at Wembley last Sunday, saying: “It’s amazing, the best day in football I’ve ever had and celebrating in the changing rooms was different class. “Just the name, Wembley. It’s a brilliant occasion and I’m thankful I can say I’ve played here.You see the stadium as you arrive on the bus and it is daunting. Everyone was a bit nervous before – if anyone says they weren’t they are lying! “You can always imagine winning, but I tried not to do that. I just wanted to focus on doing ok myself. Luckily we’ve won it. “Grimsby got promoted and we got relegated, you saw in the game the difference isn’t that much.The fans deserve it.” Paul Hurst’s preparations for life in League Two have been affected by the loss of Mariners’ young player of the year Jon Nolan, who has signed for League One Chesterfield. The 24-year-old midfielder is one of 11
players leaving Blundell Park. Captain Craig Disley has signed a new contract, while top scorer Padraig Amond and goalkeeper James McKeown are among seven mulling over offers. Richard Tait, Toto Nsiala, Nathan Arnold and Josh Venney are the others Grimsby want to keep, while Shaun Pearson, Josh Gowling, Omar Bogle and Harry Clifton are already tied down for life in the Football League.