National League news - December 2020

New Hartlepool loan signing Luke Armstrong began his career with Birmingham City

BBC Sport tracks the latest news stories from the National League, including managerial announcements, new signings and contract extensions.

Check out the gossip page for the latest rumours and use our transfers page to track signings made by English Football League clubs.

31 December

Wealdstone have signed centre-back Rob Swaine from Isthmian League North Division side Brentwood Town on dual registration terms.

He is expected to be available to make his debut in the 9 January game at Hartlepool United.

24 December

Neil Young, 45, manager of FA Cup third-round hopefuls Marine, has signed a new three-and-a-half-year contract with the Merseyside club.

After coming past Runcorn Linnets, Nantwich Town, his old club Chester, Colchester United and Havant & Waterloville, Young is to take on Jose Mourinho's Tottenham Hotspur at Rossett Park on Sunday 10 January (BBC1 17:00 GMT).

23 December

Yeovil Town's FA Trophy tie on Wednesday against Boreham Wood has been cancelled after the Glovers were unable to get Covid-19 test results for their players.

A number of the Yeovil side displayed coronavirus symptoms, and in order to keep all players safe the game has been called off with Boreham Wood progressing to round four.

Dover Athletic have extended the loan of midfielder Ryan Hanson, 20, from League One side Hull City for another month.

Weymouth have signed 18-year-old striker Christian Saydee on loan from AFC Bournemouth until the end of the season.

Solihull Moors midfielder Callum Maycock, 23, and defender Melis Bushaj, 18, have signed contract extensions until May 2022 with the National League club.

21 December

FC Halifax Town have extended the loan of striker Nyal Bell, 23, from National League rivals Stockport County for a further month.

King's Lynn Town have signed former Chelsea and Leicester academy winger Michael Gyasi, 20, from St Ives Town.

18 December

Midfielder Jak McCourt has agreed an 18-month contract at Chesterfield.

The 25-year-old had been at the Spireites on a short-term deal since the start of the month after becoming a free agent when Macclesfield Town folded in September.

Barnet have signed midfielder Ben Fox from League One side Burton Albion on a one-month loan deal.

The 22-year-old becomes Tim Flowers' first new signing as Bees manager.

Meanwhile, Gary Whild, who worked alongside Flowers at Solihull Moors, has joined the Bees as assistant coach.

Woking have re-signed forward Jamar Loza from King's Lynn Town for an undisclosed fee.

The 26-year-old, who has scored nine goals in 43 appearances during two previous loan spells at Kingfield, has signed an 18-month deal with the Cards.

17 December

Dagenham & Redbridge have re-signed full-back Liam Gordon from Bolton Wanderers in an initial one-month loan deal.

The 21-year-old moved to Bolton in the summer after 54 appearances for the Daggers, but has not played for the League Two club since mid-November.

12 December

Altrincham winger Ryan Colclough, 25, has signed a new contract until the end of the 2021-22 season while midfielder Alistair Smith, 21, has extended his loan spell from Mansfield Town for another month.

Barnet have signed midfielder Dean Parrett on a non-contract basis. The 29-year-old was at Wealdstone on non-contract terms after leaving Stevenage in the summer.

8 December

New Chesterfield manager James Rowe has signed two players from National League North clubs, Chester defender Joel Taylor and Gloucester City midfielder George Carline.

Taylor, 24, who had six months left on his existing contract, cost £25,000, plus add-ons, while former Solihull Moors man Carline, 27, is reunited with Rowe, having played under him for league leaders Gloucester.

Meanwhile, Gloucester have appointed former Grimsby Town and West Bromwich Albion midfielder Paul Groves, 54, as their new manager.

Groves, who had been working as assistant manager at Israeli side Maccabi Haifa, succeeds Rowe, following his move to Chesterfield 12 days ago.

7 December

Hartlepool United have signed striker Luke Armstrong on loan from League Two side Salford Town until January, subject to ratification by the Football Association.

Mid-table Pools need to up their strike rate, having scored just 13 times in 11 league games this season.

5 December

Aldershot Town have signed former Peterborough United and Bradford City midfielder Jermaine Anderson, 24, on a short-term deal.

4 December

Woking have extended the loan of Oxford United striker Slavi Spasov, 18, for a further month.

2 December

Barnet have signed Stevenage striker Inih Effiong on a one-month loan deal.

The 29-year-old has scored two goals in 13 appearances for Boro since joining from Dover in the summer.

1 December

Wealdstone have signed former MK Dons goalkeeper Stuart Moore, 26, on a free transfer.

Moore, who has been without a club since leaving the League One side in June, was signed after Luton Town recalled goalkeeper Harry Isted from his loan with the National League high-fliers after an injury to first-choice Hatters stopper Simon Sluga.

Isted had made 11 appearances for the Stones this season and kept five clean sheets in 10 matches in a previous spell on loan last season as Wealdstone won the National League South title.

Chesterfield have signed midfielder Tom Whelan from fellow National League club Weymouth and brought former midfielder Jak McCourt back to the club on a short-term deal.

McCourt, 25, had been with Macclesfield Town before the club's demise and previously played for the Spireites in 2017-18.

Whelan, 24, made 27 appearances for Weymouth after initially joining on loan from Yeovil Town in December 2019.