Solihull Moors’ 2022 Playoff Finalists: Where Are They Now? – Opinion

Dating back to the 2021/22 campaign, Solihull Moors came to within touching distance of the EFL but were beaten in extra-time against Grimsby Town at the London Stadium, but where are the squad now?

Neal Ardley’s men defied all odds by securing a top-three finish in the National League. This setup a fierce play-off semi-final against Chesterfield, which Solihull Moors cooly skipped through after a thrilling victory at the Armco Arena.

This created a hotly contested playoff final between Solihull Moors and Grimsby Town at West Ham United’s London Stadium, in front of a crowd of over 22,000 spectators and for over an hour, Neal Ardley’s side appeared to be in the driving seat, taking the lead and sitting relatively comfortable until an injury shifted momentum into Paul Hurst’s teams’ favour.

18 months on from the heartbreak at the London Stadium, LookSportsMedia’s Callum will take a look at where the squad is now and what happened following the final whistle in London…

Joe McDonnell

Following an injury to first-choice goalkeeper Ryan Boot, Solihull Moors acted swiftly to sign Eastleigh goalkeeper Joe McDonnell on an emergency loan deal to try and help the club reach the football league. He produced several excellent saves in the final but returned to the Spitfires following the final whistle.

The 29-year-old replicated his playoff move in the following campaign by joining Boreham Wood following an injury to their number one but wasn’t able to take the club to the final.

He remains at Eastleigh to this day, making 27 league appearances for the club so far this season as they sit 11th in the National League.

James Clarke

Full-back James Clarke arrived at the Armco Arena on loan from League Two side Mansfield Town but penned a permanent deal just weeks before the National League playoffs. During the final, Clarke worked his socks off for the Moors and was up and down the pitch all match.

During the following campaign, Clarke continued to compete for the Moors and even took over the role of captain alongside Jamey Osborne and Callum Howe following the departure of club captain Kyle Storer in December 2022.

Clarke recently signed a new contract with Andy Whing’s side and remains one of the first names on the team sheet. He’s made 26 league appearances so far this season and finally managed to find the back of the net during a recent victory against Woking.

Kyle Storer

Club captain Kyle Storer played in a handful of roles during the play-off final and battled consistently throughout the match having been at the club for a few seasons.

Following the heartbreak of the final, Storer remained with the National League side up until December 2022 when he made the surprise return to Nuneaton Borough in the seventh tier. Storer continued to try and lift Nuneaton back into the sixth tier but he suffered back-to-back playoff final defeats after the club lost to Rushall Olympic.

This season, Storer has been surrounded by off-field issues that are fiercely affecting the football club. However, in recent weeks he has been made player-manager of the seventh-tier side as they continue to push for promotion despite the various issues threatening to take down the club.

Callum Howe

Defender Callum Howe produced another solid performance at the heart of the Solihull Moors defensive line but wasn’t able to prevent the club from achieving their dreams of reaching the football league.

Like Clarke, Howe continued to stick with the Moors in the entirety of the 2022/23 National League season, even despite the difficult circumstances when the club slipped into the bottom half of the table.

However, Howe was sold by Solihull Moors to York City during the summer but has since had a difficult start within the club’s new era. He’s scored twice in 24 league appearances so far this season in league competition but the club are still in the bottom half.

Alex Gudger

Cult hero Alex Gudger was another member of Neal Ardley’s squad and filled in after injuries to Lois Maynard and Jordan Cranston but despite his resolute efforts, it ended in heartbreak.

He continued to stand by the Moors heading into the new season, but despite minor setbacks, he made over 140 appearances for the football club and left as a firm fan favourite when his contract expired during the summer.

However, Gudger wasn’t a free agent for long as he was quickly snapped up by National League North side Brackley Town allowing him to return to the club for the first time since 2018. He’s made 15 league appearances so far this season as they aim to make the playoffs.

Ryan Barnett

Winger Ryan Barnett arrived at Solihull Moors from Shrewsbury Town and his impressive efforts helped to take Neal Ardley’s side into the playoff final, becoming one of the division’s standout players.

He began the following campaign with Solihull Moors but in early 2023, Barnett turned down a new contract at the club and was sold to National League rivals Wrexham for an undisclosed fee. He played a crucial role as the club won the National League title.

This season, Barnett has made 18 appearances in all competitions after adapting to the role as a right wing-back but has appeared more times off the bench. During this time he’s gained two assists as Wrexham continue to push for a back-to-back promotion.

Callum Maycock

Central midfielder Callum Maycock is the second Solihull Moors starter that remains with the National League side, whilst having a very impressive 2021/22 season.

Despite a troublesome 2022/23 season for the football club, Maycock remained at the heart of the midfield at times but did have a brief stint outside of the squad, when the likes of Tom Whelan arrived on loan from Chesterfield.

This season. Maycock has made 25 league appearances for the Moors, adapting to a new role under Andy Whing, scoring four goals including two in his last three league outings against Woking and the league leaders Chesterfield.

Joe Sbarra

Playmaker Joe Sbarra was the heartbeat of the Solihull Moors squad during the 2021/22 campaign, scoring 18 goals in 44 league games as well as providing the assist to open the scoring for the Moors at the London Stadium.

He celebrated his campaign with a new contract with the National League side, scoring nine times in 33 league appearances before suffering an injury in March 2023 which ruled him out for the remainder of the season.

During the summer, Sbarra suffered a heart issue which saw him miss almost the entire first half of the season. Since his return, Sbarra has made three league appearances and captained the side during a 5-1 FA Trophy victory against Nantwich Town. He is contracted until June 2024 but the football club hold a one-year option in their favour which will almost certainly be triggered.

Harry Boyes

Loan star Harry Boyes had a spell to remember for Solihull Moors, playing a major role in the semi-final victory over Chesterfield as well as creating several opportunities during the playoff final itself.

Following the final whistle, Boyes returned to Sheffield United before being loaned out to Forest Green Rovers, assisting four times in 19 games before being recalled and moved to Lincoln City. At Sincil Bank, Boyes continued to excel although he didn’t appear to fit the system at the time.

In Summer 2023, Boyes was loaned out to Wycombe Wanderers and made 29 appearances at Adams Park but has again been recalled and sent to fellow League One side Fleetwood Town earlier this month.

Andy Dallas

Another star for Solihull Moors during the 2021/22 campaign was Scottish forward Andy Dallas who struck 20 goals throughout the season, including his strike in the playoff semi-final.

He stuck by the Moors for the first half of the season, netting 14 goals before leaving the club on loan to join National League rivals Chesterfield. He scored seven goals in 14 games, helping the club to reach the playoff final before leaving the Moors after turning down a new contract.

After a few weeks as a free agent, Dallas joined League One side Barnsley and scored on his debut during a 7-1 win against Port Vale. However, he was swiftly loaned out to SPFL side Kilmarnock where he remains today making 15 appearances so far.

Kyle Hudlin

Solihull Moors’ goalscorer on the day, Kyle Hudlin had been with the club for a couple of seasons and was the main man in the final before a head injury caused him to be substituted which ultimately shifted momentum.

This proved to be his final match for the club before leaving to pursue a career with Championship side Huddersfield Town. He had six months with AFC Wimbledon, scoring four goals in 18 appearances before being recalled.

Hudlin remains with the Championship side to this day, netting once in ten appearances in all competitions, with his strike arriving during a 4-2 EFL cup defeat against Middlesbrough.

Jack Myatt

Beginning with the only member of the squad who didn’t play, goalkeeper Jack Myatt is one of the club’s Academy graduates and provided competition during the playoff campaign.

The youngster remained with Solihull Moors last season, featuring in the youth sides under Neal Ardley.

In the summer, Myatt joined Non-League side Easington Sports on a three-month loan deal to earn his first taste of men’s football and it appears as though this loan move has since been extended.

Mark Ellis

Experienced defender Mark Ellis joined the Moors on loan from Barrow in the hope of adding more leadership to try and take the club over the line and into the EFL.

After returning to the League Two side, Ellis was loaned back into the National League with Torquay United before finishing the season with York City and becoming a free agent once his contract had expired.

He’s since joined National League North Side Chorley on a free transfer, making 24 league appearances for the club and netting three goals as the side aim to achieve a playoff place this season.

Reiss McNally

Another product of the Solihull Moors youth system was defender Reiss McNally who had several Non-League loans including returning from his spell at AFC Telford United just weeks before the final.

Last season, McNally spent the majority of the campaign with National League North Side Kidderminster Harriers, helping them to achieve promotion into the fifth tier.

He was released by Solihull Moors during the summer after his contract came to an end and subsequently signed for Kidderminster on a permanent deal. He’s made 17 appearances so far this season as the club sits bottom of the division.

Callum Reilly

Loanee Callum Reilly replaced Joe Sbarra during the playoff final but wasn’t able to prevent the Moors from slipping up to Grimsby Town.

After the match, the midfielder returned to Leyton Orient before being released. He spent the 2022/23 campaign with Banbury United under the management of current Moors boss Andy Whing, making 20 appearances before leaving in the summer.

He currently plays for National League North Side Tamworth who are pushing for back-to-back promotions this season. He’s made 12 appearances so far this season with his latest match arriving during Tamworth’s 1-0 win against Darlington at the weekend.

Danny Newton

Replacing goalscorer Kyle Hudlin was fellow forward Danny Newton who joined on a one-year deal from Stevenage and made 38 appearances for the club.

After leaving the Moors due to his contract expiring, Newton signed for fellow National League side Boreham Wood. He contributed to four goals for Luke Garrard’s side before being let go in the summer.

He’s since signed for Brackley Town alongside Alex Gudger and has netted 11 goals for the National League North Side so far this season.

Neal Ardley

Manager Neal Ardley ultimately almost did the unthinkable and took Solihull Moors into the football league, but unfortunately, the injury to Kyle Hudlin changed the match completely.

In the following campaign, Solihull got off to a flying start with big victories against Scunthorpe United but quickly slipped out of form and finished the campaign in the bottom half of the National League.

Days before pre-season began, Ardley parted ways with Solihull Moors and was replaced by Andy Whing. Meanwhile, Ardley remained without work for a few weeks before moving to fellow National League side York City where he remains today. His side are currently 18th in the table, three points above the relegation zone.

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