ADAM HINSHELWOOD is ‘really happy’ with the quality of signings York City have brought in ahead of the 2024/25 season.

The York boss has so far welcomed in seven new faces to his ranks, with Ollie Pearce, Joe Felix, Harrison Male, Ashley Nathaniel-George, Tyrese Sinclair, Alex Hunt and Darragh O’Connor all joining the Minstermen.

Four of the seven signings have previously worked with Hinshelwood, something he believes will be a positive for the football club, with the City boss having no concerns over the likes of Pearce or Felix potentially struggling with the step up in division.

“I’m really happy with the new signings we’ve managed to bring in, it was quite a bit of a turnover but I am really grateful to the board, the chairman and the co-chair for backing us and believing in us to get our players in whilst helping to move other players on that we didn’t feel were right for us," Hinshelwood enthused.

"I’ve been really pleased that they have allowed us to do that.

“It takes time, at the end-of-the-season when you start making these plans, if you were to say that you were going into pre-season tomorrow then we have the players in that we wanted to.

"We’re still a bit heavy in terms of squad numbers wise, things are moving and hopefully we have a nice settled number to work with tomorrow. I’m really pleased with how that has gone.

“I’m delighted really, there are a lot of players that I know firstly and I’m really happy that a few of them decided to come and join us.

"We tried to get the age down a little bit, players 24 and under has been the bulk of players that we’ve got in.

"It’s lads that want to still progress up in the game and we want to do the same as a club, we want lads with real potential and we want to help them find that. We’ve got some real assets at the club now.

“Having Hunty [Alex Hunt] and working with him for a bit, getting him to sign permanently, we know of him as well.

"It’s the same with Harrison [Male], there are a good cluster of lads that I have worked with before and I know what they can offer.

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"It does help, I know them a bit better personally, I know what buttons to push and they know what’s expected when they come to training and what I demand.

"That should help create the culture that we want to create a little bit quicker, if it is the same sort of input that Marv [Marvin Armstrong] had, then we will all be delighted.

"What we have got now is a really good squad, if you have an off-game or an off-session, then your place will be up for grabs.

"Any successful team has that, it should really help with the intensity of training and the quality out on the pitch, there are options now in all departments to play different formations and I’m really excited with the group that we have got."

Hinshelwood also remains confident that both Pearce and Felix, who have joined from Vanarama National League South Worthing, will have no issues with the step up in divisions.

Felix has previously played at National League level with both Woking and Torquay United, whilst Pearce has only featured at National League South or lower.

However, that is no concern to Hinshelwood, who remains confident that his newest additions will make their desired impact.

Hinshelwood admitted: “Ollie and Joe had their doubters, about whether they could cut it in the National League South, they always had that.

"They’ll be keen to prove what they can do at a National League club, similarly to myself, I’m no different and I want to prove myself as well, show what I can do at this level.

"Without being cocky and arrogant, all of us have got belief in ourselves that we can do it.

"I’d say that the National League North is probably physically a bit closer [to the National League], but the South is closer.

"I think we want to play a certain brand, we want to have good technical players in and we are getting the balance right.

"Darragh [O'Connor] coming in is a bit more of a physical presence, alongside Callum Howe, Crookesy [Adam Crookes], Dips [Dipo Akinyemi] is a physical presence as well.

"We have got players physically as well, we know that if we go into this league and don’t have that certain balance, then we would be really tested. We have got the balance spot on at the moment.

“We want to be a team that dominates the ball more than the opposition, and we have technical players that can do that, so there are less corners and less long throws for us to worry about.

"At the same time, we know that it’s a big weapon at this level and we have to be prepared for it."

The City boss also has also insisted that there will be a 'clean slate' for his York players heading into pre-season, with the opportunity to impress him there for any potentially out-of-favour players.

Hinshelwood also provided a brief update on the future of Alex Woodyard, who was transfer-listed by City at the back end of last campaign.

“You’ve got to go in with a bit of a fresh mind. I’ve had it before where certain players have performed so well in pre-season, that you’ve had to start them," Hinshelwood explained.

"That’s the message to the players tomorrow, it will be a blank canvas, I’ll turn over a blank A3 page and say ‘this is my starting team’, with no players on it at the moment.

"That’s the truth, there will be players that could come in that could hit the ground running and build relationships, that’s what we’re hoping happens, but there will be players that have off-games and off-days in pre-season that could really flourish.

"We’ve got to have that open mind, it’s a clean slate and we want them all to fight and make sure that they’re in that starting team come August 10.

"A real clean slate in pre-season, we’ve got six and a bit weeks now for me to really put my stamp on this side.

"Us as coaching staff, we want to make sure that the lads are as fit as they can possibly be for pre-season, we want that team spirit and that chemistry amongst the group.

"We want to get our ideas across the group, they are the three things that we really want to focus on through pre-season.

"If we can do that, then we will be pleased that it will be a certain style in that first game."

Hinshelwood commented on the future of Woodyard: “He’s still coming back in, we’ll keep the conversations that we’ve had in house.

"He’s still a part of the squad."

Alex Woodyard remains with the squad.Alex Woodyard remains with the squad. (Image: Tom Poole)