York City are bracing themselves for significant interest in Tyrese Sinclair and Cameron John this summer, following the loan duo successful spell at Hartlepool United.
Pools want to keep the on-loan York City pair who have helped keep the club in the hunt for a National League play-off place but accept rival clubs will have been put on alert by their form and their impending availability.
Hartlepool United manager Nicky Featherstone has talked about his interest in signing John and Sinclair on permanent deals after their loans expire at the end of the season.
“We know the qualities Tyrese has got, he’s already impressed on three or four occasions – he’s a top player at this level.”
“He makes things happen, he creates things and he affects games at the top end of the pitch where we had been struggling before he came in.”
“Three goals in the last two games, he’s doing what he’s been brought in to do.”
“It’s the third club that they [Sinclair and John] have been at together as left-back and left-wing.”
“They have a really good relationship, they understand each other’s movements and what each other needs from the game.”
“It’s a really good partnership building there.”
“It’s not just his [Sinclair’s] relationship with Cam, it’s his experience at the level.”
“He played in a very good York team last year who finished on 96 points, so he knows how to win games at this level.”
“He’s been brought in to affect things at the top end of the pitch and that’s exactly what he’s doing at the moment.”
Summer arrivals
John originally signed on loan in August, under the previous management of Simon Grayson, on a deal until the end of the season.
City kept hold of Sinclair at the start of the season after he was a key player in the previous season where York narrowly missed out on promotion.
However, recently the winger struggled to break into the first team, and was subsequently loaned to Solihull Moors for a brief loan spell.
After Grayson’s sacking in October, Featherstone took the reigns and has brought in a few players including, reuniting John and Sinclair down the left hand side of the pitch for a third time in their careers.
Featherstone has claimed that due to the pair’s current form and their established relationship down the left, he acknowledges that the club will look to explore a permanent swoop but do expect tough competition to prize the duo away from York City.
Further loan updates
With York City flying in the National League, how are the loaned out players fairing up?
Goalkeeper Rory Watson has spent time at two clubs – Scunthorpe United and now Darlington FC.
Watson made an impressive start at Scunthorpe before recently being sent out to Darlington where he has continued that form.
Another loanee finding game time elsewhere is Ricky Aguiar, who has featured heavily for Horsham FC this season.
Aguiar has made 17 appearances and scored two goals, with the club currently cementing their place in mid-table of National League South.
Tyler Cordner is currently on a season long loan at National League South club AFC Totton.
Finding himself as a mainstay in the defence, Cordner has featured 31 times out of a possible 33.
Current squad depth
As the 2025/26 season finishes, the retained list is anticipated to be released in the coming weeks.
However, due to York’s promotion back to the EFL, this has been delayed as the players and staff were rewarded by the owners, the Uggla family, with a few days celebrating in Ibiza.
This hasn’t stopped business being done behind the scenes as this week the Minstermen have announced a new signing.
Mark Shelton becomes the first incoming player of the summer, arriving from fellow League Two club Barnet FC.
Shelton comes in with bags of experience after 91 appearances in the Football League with Salford City, Hartlepool United and Barnet.
York City’s current squad has changed significantly since the summer of 2024/25 with 23 permanent signings being made.
The team now has a prolific goalscorer in Ollie Pearce who has netted 34 goals in 45 games so far this season, also adding nine assists to his tally.
With Alex Woodyard stepping up a league, there was a need for top quality replacements to be brought in.
York have certainly invested in the right players with a another top two finish guaranteed at the end of this season, while the National League title also remains a possibility.
Change across the club
The biggest change across the last few seasons for York is the stadium swap from Bootham Cresent to the LNER Community Stadium in early 2021.
This adjustment was met with sadness by some fans who had attended Bootham Cresent for years to watch the Minstermen play their home games
However, the move was also welcomed by many fans who felt the stadium needed to be upgraded – which has certainly been the case at LNER Community Stadium.
The capacity of the new stadium has meant more fans able to attend than at Bootham Crescent, which has been needed in the recent years as York have pushed for promotion back to the English Football League.
Expectations
After an incredible season for the Minstermen, York earned promotion back to the Football league for the first time in over 10 years, with fans feeling optimistic for next year in League Two.
City fans will be in high spirits and will be hopeful of another strong season as no team promoted from the National League has ever been relegated back into non-league the following season.
Lifelong York fan, Chris Konya has given me his verdict on what would be a successful season next year.
