Solihull Moors: Sbarra Returns, Control Must Follow
Solihull Moors produced a season that never quite made sense on paper. They scored 71 goals, more than anyone outside the play-off places, yet finished 14th with 56 points.
They carried real attacking threat, but also too much chaos. Seven red cards told part of the story, with only Aldershot, Sutton and Altrincham collecting more. The early damage hurt them most. Three points from the opening seven games cost Matt Taylor his job and left Moors playing catch-up from September onwards.
Chris Millington eventually brought more direction, but 2025/26 still felt like a campaign of flashes rather than flow. The aim now looks clear: keep the attacking edge, cut out the self-inflicted problems, and turn a lively but inconsistent side into one that sits more comfortably in the top half.
From the dugout
Moors started last season badly and the club acted quickly. Matt Taylor left after a winless opening run, with Solihull bottom of the table and already needing a reset. James Quinn took interim charge and restored momentum, winning three of his six league games before Chris Millington arrived in October.
Millington did not inherit a calm situation. He walked into a squad short on rhythm, low on confidence and already damaged by a poor start. Even so, Solihull still finished with 71 goals, which tells you the raw material existed. The issue came at the other end, and in the moments when games became too stretched, too emotional or too messy.
Andy Cooper followed Millington from Halifax, while Quinn stayed on as part of the coaching staff. That gives Moors a dugout with National League knowledge, internal continuity and a manager who now gets a full pre-season rather than a rescue job.
Manager Profile
Chris Millington has a proper National League CV. At Halifax, he built competitive, well-drilled sides and did it without the resources of the biggest clubs in the division. He won the FA Trophy in 2023, pushed Halifax into the play-off picture, and earned a reputation for structure, player development and getting more from squads than the market might expect.
That background suits this Solihull job. Moors do not need a complete reinvention, but they do need a firmer base. Millington’s Halifax teams rarely gave opponents easy afternoons. Solihull need some of that edge. Last season proved they can score; this season has to show they can manage games better.
The challenge for Millington lies in balance. If he makes Moors more solid without draining their attacking spark, they should climb. If the back door stays open and the red cards keep coming, the same old frustration will follow them around.
Summer Mood
Solihull’s summer has not removed the uncertainty left by last season. They scored 71 goals, but conceded 72, collected seven red cards and too often allowed matches to become stretched. Their attacking quality means they can trouble anyone, but it also covered weaknesses that could drag them into trouble if they remain unresolved.
Joe Sbarra’s permanent return is a major positive. This will be his fourth spell with Moors, and after finishing last season as their leading scorer, he brings proven quality and a player supporters already trust. Matty Carson, Justin Hanks and Junior Tiensia add younger defensive options, while Nat Ford has arrived to replace Laurie Walker in goal.
There is still risk within that change. Ford is only 22, much of the defensive recruitment is young, and Millington must turn new personnel into a more controlled unit without weakening the attack. Whitmore remaining provides useful experience, but the wider problems were structural rather than the fault of one or two players.
Squad
Solihull’s squad is built around a small experienced core rather than an ageing one. Jamey Osborne and Conor Wilkinson provide senior leadership, but most of the retained group is between 21 and 27, giving Millington a side with plenty of players still capable of developing.
The summer additions have increased competition across the pitch. Matty Carson, Justin Hanks and Junior Tiensia strengthen the defensive options, Jamie Andrews and Rio Shipston add midfield depth, while Ben Wodskou gives the attack another younger option. Joe Sbarra is the exception in profile rather than age: a proven National League performer who should be ready to contribute immediately.
Laurie Walker and Emmanuel Sonupe take some experience with them, but this is not an inexperienced squad. The more relevant question is whether enough of its younger players are ready to become reliable starters rather than useful prospects. Millington has options; he now has to establish which combinations form his strongest side.
Retained
- Jamey Osborne | Midfield | Age 34
- Conor Wilkinson | Forward | Age 31
- Jacob Wakeling | Forward | Age 24
- Oscar Rutherford | Defence | Age 22
- Cameron Green | Defence | Age 27
- Callum McFarlane | Forward | Age 22
- Ben Worman | Midfield | Age 24
- Scott High | Midfield | Age 25
- Kian Ryley | Midfield | Age 21
- Tyler French | Defence | Age 27
- Charlie Watts | Midfield | Age 18
- Finn Howell | Defence | Age 21
- Alex Whitmore | Defence | Age 30
Players in
- Matty Carson « Boston United | Free Transfer | Defence | Age 23
- Justin Hanks « Nottingham Forest | Free Transfer | Defence | Age 21
- Joe Sbarra « Doncaster Rovers | Free Transfer | Midfield | Age 27
- Jamie Andrews « Woking FC | Free Transfer | Midfield | Age 23
- Junior Tiensia « Wealdstone FC | Free Transfer | Defence | Age 25
- Ben Wodskou « Birmingham City | Season Long Loan | Forward | Age 19
- Jevon Mills « FC Halifax Town | Free Transfer | Defence | Age 22
- Nat Ford « FC Halifax Town | Free Transfer | Goalkeeper | Age 22
- Rio Shipston « Sheffield Wednesday | Free Transfer | Midfield | Age 21
Players out
- Brad Stevenson » Chatham Town | Free Transfer | Midfield | Age 27
- Emmanuel Sonupe » Samui United | Free Transfer | Forward | Age 30
- Olly Tipton » Kidderminster Harriers | Free Transfer | Defence | Age 22
- Kyle Moseley » Chasetown FC | Free Transfer | Forward | Age 19
- Aaron Flahavan » Released | Goalkeeper | Age 21
- Laurie Walker » Bedford Town | Free Transfer | Goalkeeper | Age 36
One to Watch
Joe Sbarra.
His return gives Solihull an immediate lift, not just because supporters know him, but because he brings goals, craft and a bit of calm to a side that had attacking output last season but were too open. Millington needs Moors to find more control, and Sbarra can help provide that link between midfield and the final third without everything becoming frantic. If Solihull are going to prove the odds wrong and pull away from the lower-third picture, he probably has to stay fit, stay central and keep producing.
Bookies’ Odds
At 150/1, Solihull are firmly among the division’s title outsiders, reflecting last season’s 14th-place finish and 72 goals conceded. Sbarra’s return and the defensive additions offer room for improvement, but the market still sees a side with plenty to prove before it can enter the promotion conversation.
Prediction — 20th
Solihull have enough attacking quality to finish higher, but their defensive vulnerabilities may remain their Achilles’ heel. In a tightly matched lower half, the difference between comfort and trouble could be small, leaving Moors vulnerable to finishing just above the line.
