JOHN Coleman admits two tough transfer windows left him in need of a break at the end of last season.

The Accrington Stanley boss made Newcastle prospect Mo Sangare his fifth summer signing yesterday, the one-time Reds youngster joining on a season-long loan.

With Cameron Burgess, Tom Allan, Ryan Cassidy and Matt Butcher the other new arrivals Coleman is pleased with how things are going in the transfer market two weeks before the start of the new League One season.

It was a different story last time around though before the campaign was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic in March.

“I enjoyed the break, I enjoyed playing golf and while there was a time when I couldn’t I was still practicing a lot in my garden,” the Stanley manager said.

“But there was more time with the family and time to put your feet up.

“I was coming to the end, it was a struggle last year, I was ready for a breather when it happened.

“We endured two difficult windows missing out on targets left, right and centre in both the summer window and the January window last year.

“This year’s been a little bit better and it takes away the strain.

“Hopefully I’ll be recharged for the start of the season.”

Having brought in a defender, two midfielders and two attackers, three of them on loan, Coleman’s next priority is clear.

He has a big hole to fill in goal after the departures of Joe Bursik, who returned to Stoke before going out on loan to Doncaster, and Dimi Evtimov, released at the end of his contract and now back in his native Bulgaria with CSKA Sofia.

Former Blackburn Rovers man Jayson Leutwiler has appeared in friendlies but the Reds boss has plenty to consider given the financial climate.

“It’s still up in the air on the budget,” Coleman admitted.

“We haven’t overtaxed ourselves and we will never stretch ourselves to money that we can’t afford.

“We want to bring two or three more in, a goalkeeper for sure.

“We’ve had some class acts there and what we’ve always done is develop them.

“We’ve had ones go on to play in the Premier League which is phenomenal.

“Hopefully they’ll be another one on the conveyor belt.”

Sangare has become the second arrival from the Magpies, following Allan, but his path to the Wham Stadium is an unusual one.

Having arrived in England from Liberia as a 14-year-old, the now 21-year-old trained with Stanley as a youngster but work permit problems prevented him from signing.

During that time he studied at Accrington and Rossendale College and played alongside current Stanley players Ross Sykes and Reagan Ogle.

He had to move on though and after several trials, including some time with Burnley, he was picked up by the Magpies.

Coleman said: “He is a young lad who was at Accrington as a kid and we couldn’t get a work permit.

“He went to Ireland and then made his way to Newcastle and he’s a strong presence in midfield and we needed strengthening in there.

“He played behind closed doors against Blackburn this week and picked up a bit of hamstring strain. Once he gets himself fully fit he’ll be a good asset.”

Sam Finley is suspended for the first 10 games of the season meaning Sangare could get a chance to make his mark sooner rather than later.