YORK City have bolstered their squad ahead of Saturday’s trip to Eastleigh with the permanent signings of Craig Hewitt and Nico Lawrence.
Winger Hewitt joins the club from National League North side Chorley, with defender Lawrence penning a deal with York after departing Championship outfit Southampton at the start of September.
The pair were both in attendance at last night’s National League clash against Gateshead, the Minstermen romping to a 4-0 win in a sparkling Bonfire Night performance at the LNER Community Stadium.
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Hewitt, who plies his trade down the left wing, has scored six goals in 13 appearances for Chorley in the sixth tier so far this season.
The 22-year-old began his career with Championship high-fliers Coventry, working his way up through their academy before departing the club in 2022.
That September, he joined Banbury on a permanent deal, going on to feature 44 times for the Puritans in the National League North before joining Chorley ahead of the 2024/25 season.
He featured 18 times for the Magpies in his debut season, scoring four goals and providing two assists, and leaves the club having scored a total of 10 goals in 35 appearances.
Centre-back Lawrence provides the Minstermen with cover for Ash Palmer, who will be sidelined for at least three months with a knee injury.
The 21-year-old came through the youth set-ups with Fulham, Crystal Palace and Sutton before featuring for Bromley-based Glebe in the Southern Counties East Football League.
In 2022, he joined then-Premier League club Southampton following a successful trial, going on to pen a contract extension at St Mary’s until 2025.
During his time with the Saints, Lawrence spent time on loan with League Two sides Colchester and MK Dons and at Torquay in the National League South, where he won the club’s Young Player of the Year award.
