Comment on Callum Dolan's move to Fleetwood Town from Rylands

A feather in the cap for Warrington Rylands? A poorly-timed blow to a season that was gaining momentum? Which side of the fence you fall on depends on your outlook, but you have to say it is a good deal all-round.

> Click here to read more about Callum Dolan's move to Football League side Fleetwood Town

A young player who has been an outstanding performer gets a chance to live out a dream of playing football full-time, the club for whom he has shined gets compensated pretty handsomely and the buying club get a talented forward desperate to prove himself.

Will he succeed? Only time will tell but his displays this season in particular have shown he is more than capable of playing higher up the pyramid.

Dolan scores for Rylands against neighbours Warrington Town (Image: Mark Percy)

For Rylands, that is now two players who have gone directly from them to the Football League after FA Vase hero Elliott Nevitt’s move to Tranmere Rovers – where he continues to shine to this day – in 2021.

Deals like this will only help to cultivate a reputation for being a club where players striving to earn a chance in the game can get themselves noticed.

It is no doubt a badge of honour for the club but with their first ever Step Three season at a delicate stage, a significant task lies ahead of them.

There may be cynics that say his impact on the side has waned of late – a view that could be supported by the fact more than half of his goals this season have come from the penalty spot and that he has not scored in open play since the FA Trophy win at Nantwich in October.

Regardless, Dolan’s goals – in whichever way they have arrived – have been integral to Blues and now he has gone, he leaves a 15-goal hole in their side that must be filled quickly.

Indeed, the 22-year-old has been responsible for just over a third of their goals in all competitions.

When the tally of Kane Drummond, who left for Macclesfield in November, is added, that proportion leaps to more than half.

Between them, the now-departed Kane Drummond and Callum Dolan have scored more than half of Rylands' goals this season (Image: Mark Percy)

They remain the NPL Premier Division's leading goalscorers, but a big part of their arsenal has now been taken out.

Those currently left at the club have 14 goals between them this season, with Salford City loanee Kelly N’Mai leading the way with four.

Drummond’s departure has not derailed them – quite the opposite, they have won four out of six since he left – but taking Dolan out of their side presents a different challenge altogether.

As previously mentioned, Rylands are believed to have been well compensated for letting Dolan leave and if their previous willingness to chop and change their squad is anything to go by, that cash may well go directly into Jody Banim’s search for a replacement.

With the division as tight as it is and with some hugely significant games including the derby with neighbours Warrington Town on the horizon, it is important that search is concluded relatively quickly.

Whoever comes in to fill the void, they will need to hit the ground running.