1. Bradford City

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

Mark Hughes has brought the feel-good factor back to Bradford City and has been a very busy man this summer as he looks to put his own stamp on the club. The former Premier League boss’ appointment earlier this year raised eyebrows across the Football League and he has been assembling a brand-new squad as he looks to get the Bantams promoted during his first full campaign. He has brought in a whole host of new signings, starting in goal with highly-rated youngster Harry Lewis from Southampton, who has replaced Richard O’Donnell between the sticks. In defence, Bradford have lured Matty Platt away from Barrow in a shrewd free transfer deal whilst Brad Halliday, Timi Odusina and Romoney Crichlow have arrived from Fleetwood Town, Hartlepool United and Huddersfield Town respectively.

The Bantams have snapped up experienced midfielder Richie Smallwood in an impressive coup after his contract at Hull City expired and fellow new boys Emmanuel Osadebe from Walsall and Ryan East from Swindon Town will provide him with useful competition and depth in the middle of the park. Hughes has also significantly boosted his options in attacking areas with Harry Chapman arriving from Blackburn Rovers and Jamie Walker’s loan from Hearts being turned into a permanent deal. Bradford also now have a proven and established striker up front in the form of Vadaine Oliver, who fired 31 goals in 93 games in all competitions for previous club Gillingham. 

Verdict

Bradford’s team on paper is arguably the best in the league and they will be serious promotion contenders, if not champion contenders. Even League One clubs will be envious of their transfer business this summer and that is a credit to the pull of the football club and Hughes. Players like Smallwood, Lewis, Halliday, Chapman and Oliver could have easily joined teams in the league above, whilst the likes of Platt, Osadebe and Odusina were all standout players for their respective teams in League Two last term and have all arrived on free transfers. 

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2. Stockport County

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

The feel-good factor is back at Stockport County under the ownership of local businessman Mark Stott. The Hatters have returned to the Football League after an 11-year absence and have grand plans to make it back-to-back promotions. Based on their business in the transfer window, you wouldn’t bet against them. Dave Challinor’s side have made the tough decision to let fans favourites Jordan Keane and Liam Hogan head out the exit door to FC Halifax Town and Oldham Athletic respectively, but that is only because they won’t be able to give them game time anymore. Stockport have cherry-picked the best talents from non-league after their promotion and have brought in defender Joe Lewis and winger Connor Lemonheigh-Evans from Torquay United, midfielder Akil Wright from York City and striker Kyle Wootton, the latter of whom scored 26 goals in all competitions last season.

They have also mixed up their recruitment too, with Stockport-born midfielder Callum Camps dropping down from League One side Fleetwood Town to join his team to add more quality into the middle of the park, and goalkeeper Vit Jaros has joined on loan from Liverpool too. Arguably their best addition though is centre-back Fraser Horsfall from Northampton Town after he scored nine goals from defence last term to help the Cobblers to a 4^th place finish. 

Verdict

For a side only just promoted from the fifth tier, Stockport’s business has been very impressive and they will carry on the momentum from their promotion into the next campaign. First up is a home clash at Edgeley Park against Barrow and they will be eager to get off to a good start in front of a packed house. It will be interesting to see how new striker Wootton adapts to life back in the Football League. He had a lot of clubs in higher leagues after him as well in this window but opted to join Challinor’s side which shows the pulling power they have. 

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3. Mansfield Town

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

Mansfield Town have the joint-longest tenure in League Two now alongside Newport County, having been in this league since 2011/12. However, they have aims to get out of it as soon as they can and lost in the play-offs last season to Port Vale at Wembley.

Nigel Clough remains in charge which is a boost being an experienced manager in the Football League. Their first choice goalkeeper last term, Nathan Bishop, has returned to his parent club Manchester United following the end of his loan spell and the club has brought in two solid options in Christy Pym and Scott Flinders from Peterborough United and Cheltenham Town to compete for the number one spot. Midfielder Matty Longstaff has also returned to Newcastle United so the Stags have signed Hiram Boateng to fill the void left by his departure. The Londoner played 37 games in all competitions for MK Dons in the last campaign and arrives at Field Mill with some decent pedigree after helping them reach the League One play-offs under Liam Manning. Clough has also used his links at Nottingham Forest, the team his father managed, to land young pair Will Swan and Riley Harbottle to add more competition and depth to his ranks ahead of another long slog of a season ahead. 

Verdict

The Stags were unlucky not to go up automatically last term and will be up there once again. Their squad is littered with quality and despite losing Bishop and Longstaff, they have replaced them adequately. Clough’s side haven’t been that busy in this window but they haven’t needed to be with the players they have in their ranks already like Lucas Akins, Rhys Oates and Stephen Quinn. They have brought in too players over recent summers and have learnt that they need to create a team, rather than just bunch a load of new faces together. 

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📸 All the action from yesterday's match against Huddersfield Town courtesy of Richard Ault and Tony Coombes#TRFC #SWA

— Tranmere Rovers FC (@TranmereRovers) July 24, 2022

4. Tranmere Rovers

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

Tranmere Rovers looked well on their way to an immediate return to League One last season before slipping away near the end. Micky Mellon’s side had the second best defensive record in the division behind 4^th place Northampton Town. Scoring goals was their problem, and they had the worst goal return in the top half. The Merseyside club have been active on the transfer front over the past couple of months as they look to freshen up their ranks ahead of another planned push for promotion.

They have signed midfield trio Jon Nolan from Bristol Rovers, Reece McAlear from Norwich City and Paul Lewis from Northampton to replace the departed Jay Spearing and Sam Foley. Highly-rated centre-back Ben Hockenhull has made the move up north to Prenton Park from Brentford following the exits of Nathaniel Knight-Percival and Peter Clarke this summer and the youngster will be looking to carry on the good defensive work of his predecessors. Mellon’s best business could be the permanent arrival of goalkeeper Ross Doohan from Celtic. He impressed on loan from the Hoops last term and at the age of 24 he could be a huge long-term addition for the club.  

Verdict

Not only have the Whites strengthened their squad, they have also kept hold of key players Kieron Morris and Josh Hawkes so will be strong again. They are a well-drilled and solid team under Mellon and if they can find the magic tough at the top end of the pitch, there is no reason why they can’t go for promotion again. They are strong at home and if they can avoid running out of steam near the back end of the season, don’t be surprised to see Tranmere in and around the top places of the league. 

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5. Doncaster Rovers

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

Like Crewe, Doncaster were also relegated with a whimper from League One last term. The Yorkshire club have had a tough past 12 months but will be hoping former player Gary McSheffrey can pick the club up off its knees now and guide them to an immediate promotion.

Their summer signings suggest this is certainly the aim. Attacking midfielder Luke Molynuex, who was a man in-demand in this transfer window, has joined on a free transfer from Hartlepool United. He fired 12 goals in all competitions last season and adapted well to the step up a league with the Pools from the National League. Donny have sharpened their attack by bringing in George Miller from Barnsley, who also found the net 12 times in the last campaign on loan at Millwall, and Josh Andrews on loan from Birmingham City. Harrison Biggins has also joined from Fleetwood Town to add depth to the midfield department and knows the division well from his time on loan at Barrow a couple of years ago. The club is still littered with players with quality, such as Tommy Rowe, Adam Clayton and Jon Taylor just to name a few, so they have the foundations laid to make a real go for it. 

Verdict

Doncaster’s squad is capable of getting promoted and they will make the top seven if injuries are on their side. They have a nice blend of youth and experience in their ranks, with youngsters Joseph Olowy, Liam Ravenhill and Aidan Barlow ready to learn lots from Rowe, Clayton and Tom Anderson. Donny’s signings have been smart and luring Molyneux to the Keepmoat Stadium was a serious statement of intent and shows they mean business. McSheffrey is an inexperienced manager though and it will be interesting to see if the club’s hierarchy stick with him if the team goes through any tricky patches. 

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6. Gillingham

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

Gillingham are back in League Two after they were relegated on the final day of last season. The Kent club will be aiming to gain promotion and have a manager with decent pedigree in the form of Neil Harris. He has managed both Millwall and Cardiff City in the Championship over recent years and will now be sinking his teeth into the bottom division.

He has wasted no time in trying to put his own stamp on the squad and has made two impressive signings up front with Scott Kashket and Mikael Mandron joining from Crewe Alexandra. They are two players who have been playing in the third tier over recent years and arguably shouldn’t have dropped back down a league. Experienced midfielder Shaun Williams has also made the move to Priestfield following his release by Portsmouth and he will inject more quality in their midfield department. In terms of players already in the squad, the Gills have some useful options such as key defender Max Ehmer, skipper Stuart O’Keefe and midfielder Ben Reeves. They have the spine of a solid team and with Harris sprinkling some more competition up top with his double striker signings, his team could be strong next term. Losing defender Jack Tucker to MK Dons is a blow, but Elkan Baggott, a new loan acquisition from Ipswich Town, will be looking to step into his shoes. The 19-year-old is already an Indonesia international with 10 caps to his name and is highly thought of at Portman Road. 

Verdict

Gillingham are another strong promotion contender in my opinion. They were unlucky to get relegated last season in the end and Harris is a talented manager who will be eager to return to managing higher up the football pyramid. They have made some shrewd signings this summer and also got rid of some of their dead wood at the end of June when contracts expired. Their squad is a lot more streamlined now and ready to return to the action, starting with AFC Wimbledon away on the opening day. 

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🗞️ Jon Brady reflects on the final pre-season fixture at Cheltenham Town 👊https://t.co/D7uXAMZo2r

— Northampton Town (@ntfc) July 25, 2022

7. Northampton Town

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

Northampton Town missed out on promotion to League One by a single goal last season and have had to pick themselves back up again this summer. They have a shrewd manager in Jon Brady and he has stayed at Sixfields to try and mount another promotion push.

The Cobblers have lost a couple of key players this summer so it will be remains to be seen whether they will be able to go for automatic promotion again. Key defender Fraser Horsfall, who scored nine goals from the back last term, has left for League Two new boys Stockport County which is disappointing for Northampton. Nevertheless, they have brought in Sam Sherring and Akin Odimayo from AFC Bournemouth and Swindon Town respectively to replace him. First choice goalkeeper Liam Roberts has moved on to join Middlesbrough in the Championship but Lee Burge has been signed to take his place between the sticks following his release by Sunderland. The Cobblers have also sharpened their attack by landing the experienced Danny Hylton from Luton Town and Fulham youngster Kieron Bowie on loan. Hylton, 33, is a solid signing for a team in League Two after scoring 62 goals in 170 games during his six years with the Hatters. 

Verdict

Although they have lost a couple of key players, that was inevitable after the sucker-punch of missing out on going up last term. Northampton have a solid group of players, have recruited well and will be eager to stamp their mark again under Brady. They had the best defensive record in the league in the last campaign and only let in 38 goals in 46 games. Most signs point towards another strong showing and they should have enough to make the play-offs again. 

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8. AFC Wimbledon

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

It has been a summer of transition at Plough Lane as AFC Wimbledon prepare for life back in League Two. Last season was a disaster for the London club in League One and they will be eager to bounce back at the first time of asking under new manager Johnnie Jackson. The former Charlton Athletic boss has a point to prove after being surprisingly dismissed by the Addicks this summer and he will be eager to show he is capable of performing in the Football League.

He has bolstered his ranks by bringing in experienced defensive pair Chris Gunter and Alex Pearce from Charlton and Millwall respectively. They are both former Premier League players and are strong acquisitions for a side in the fourth tier. Giant striker Kyle Hudlin, who stands at 6ft 9inc, has also joined on a season-long loan from Huddersfield and will be looking to show what he can do after spending the past couple of years in the National League with Solihull Moors. However, despite those three impressive additions, Wimbledon have lost key attacking midfielder Jack Rudoni to Championship side Huddersfield which is a blow. The 21-year-old scored 12 goals in all competitions last term and his creativity going forward will be missed. Defender Ben Heneghan has also left the club for Sheffield Wednesday, but new boy Pearce is an adequate replacement and has played more games in his career.  In addition, left-back Lee Brown, who joined the club back in January from Portsmouth, will be a key player for the Dons. He helped Bristol Rovers gain promotion back in 2016 so knows what it takes to get out of the division. 

Verdict

Wimbledon have a strong core of players and a solid spine to their team. Goalkeeper Nik Tzanev, defender Will Nightingale and midfielder Alex Woodyard have all stayed put and will all be more than capable of performing at League Two level after spending the past few years in the third tier. The area that may be of trouble to Jackson’s side is going forward, especially following Rudoni’s departure, and a lack of goals may well be an issue unless they can bring in some more attacking reinforcements before the end of the window. They will be solid defensively, but could struggle for goals which I why I think they will fall just short of the play-offs. 

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9. Salford City 

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

Salford City failed to gain promotion from League Two again last season which ultimately cost Gary Bowyer his job. The Ammies’ owners, the Class of 92 stars Gary Neville and co, have ambitious plans to guide the North West club up the Football League but their progress has been halted over the past three years as they haven’t managed to get out of the fourth tier yet.

They have a new manager at the helm in Neil Wood, who has left his role as Manchester United U23s to move to Moor Lane. He has been quick to change up the squad, with first-team players like Josh Morris, Ian Henderson, Donald Love and Ashley Hunter heading out the exit door. Salford have brought in striker Callum Hendry from St Johnstone after he scored nine goals in 26 games last season and will be hoping he can fire the goals in England next term. Midfield trio Stephen Mallan, Elliot Watt and Elliot Simoes have arrived from Malatyaspor, Bradford City and AS Nancy, whilst highly-rated defender Ryan Leak has left Burton Albion in League One to drop down a division. The Ammies’ additions have been impressive again, as they usually are under their owners, but will it work? 

Verdict

They have genuine quality in their squad and their summer signings have been strong. With key players like Ibou Touray, Matt Smith and Brandon Thomas Asante also sticking around in this transfer window, you would expect Salford to be there or thereabouts come the end of the 2022/23 season. I worry a bit about the experience of their new boss Wood because he has never managed in the Football League before. Chopping and changing your manager every year is not healthy and the Ammies have suffered due to the lack of consistency and changes both on and off the pitch. 

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10. Crawley Town 

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

Crawley Town were taken over by sports crypto currency company WAGMI United earlier this year and have been preparing for their first full season in charge. There has been a change of manager at the Broadfield Stadium, with Kevin Betsy leaving his role as manager of Arsenal U23s to take over the Red Devils. It will be interesting to see how he adapts to life as a number one in the Football League having spent the opening few years of his coaching career working with younger players.

Crawley have made one of the most eye-catching signings in League Two this summer by luring Dom Telford to the club on a free transfer. The attacker scored 26 goals in all competitions last term for Newport County and was expected to move to League One or even the Championship. His move to Betsy’s side shows their ambition under the new owners and suggests they could be a force to be reckoned with next season. Defenders Travis Johnson and Dion Conroy have also joined from Crewe Alexandra and Swindon Town respectively to add more competition and depth to their midfield department, whilst youngster James Balagizi has signed on a season-long loan deal from Liverpool. The England youth international penned his first professional contract at Anfield back in 2020 and is being tipped for a bright future with Jurgen Klopp’s side. 

Verdict

They finished 12^th in the last campaign and although Telford is an incredible addition, I still think it will be a tough year ahead for Crawley. Betsy isn’t an experienced manager and the unforgiving nature of the fourth tier may be tough for him. The Reds will do better than last term but will fall short of the play-offs, with another reason being how strong a lot of other clubs are in the league. They are still a few acquisitions short of being capable of mounting a serious promotion push, but maybe the owners could make some more signings between now and the end of the window? 

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11. Leyton Orient

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

Leyton Orient have a manager in Richie Wellens who knows what it takes to get promoted to League One having guided Swindon Town to promotion back in 2020. The former Doncaster Rovers and Salford City boss took over the O’s at the back end of the last campaign and guided them to safety with ease.

They ended up finishing in 13^th place and will be looking to carry on that momentum. Leyton Orient have sold young midfielder Hector Kyprianou to Peterborough United bit have replaced him with George Moncur in an impressive addition. He has joined from Championship side Hull City and still had a year left on his contract with the Tigers. However, the ex-Luton Town man has decided to drop down two leagues and will have bags of quality at League Two level. The London side have also brought in Theo Archibald on a permanent basis from Lincoln City after his impressive loan spell last term, where he scored eight goals in all competitions. They have also managed to keep hold of promising 21-year-old striker Ruel Sotiriou and next season is a big one for him after he fired 10 goals in 29 games last term. 

Verdict

I think Leyton Orient will have a solid year and could even push for the top seven. Moncur is a shrewd acquisition and if they can keep him fit he could make a serious impact. The O’s have a good blend of youth, with the likes of Sotiriou and Shadrach Ogie, and experience with Darren Pratley and Omar Beckles, which will stand them in good stead. Their opening match is at home to newly promoted Grimsby Town and they will see that as a perfect opportunity to get three points on the board early. 

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12. Swindon Town

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

It has been a hectic summer for Swindon Town following their defeat in the play-offs last season to eventual winners Port Vale. Their boss Ben Garner was poached by Charlton Athletic and he has taken Jack Payne, Joe Wollacott and Mandela Egbo to The Valley with him. Swindon have also lost defenders Dion Conroy and Akin Odimayo to league rivals Crawley Town and Northampton Town respectively so new manager Scott Lindsay has been busy bolstering the squad to replace all their lost players.

The Robins have signed 13 new players and counting in this transfer window so will sport a new-look side in the next campaign. Their most impressive additions are experienced defender Angus MacDonald on a free transfer following his release by Rotherham United,  attacking midfielder Ronan Darcy from Bolton Wanderers and winger Tyrese Shade on a permanent deal from Leicester City. The new arrivals have mainly been to add depth to the squad, with the core of the team still there from last term. Key man Harry McKirdy, who scored 23 goals in all competitions last season, remains at the County Ground for now, as does Wales international Jonny Williams, Louis Reed and Ben Gladwin. 

Verdict

Swindon’s chances of success depend on whether McKirdy stays beyond the end of this transfer window. He is way too good to playing in League Two, as proven by his goal return last season, and the club will be sweating over his future over the next month or so. It will be tough to live up to last term, especially following Garner’s exit, but the Wiltshire club have kept hold of most of their players and could be strong again if injuries are on their side. Their first match is away at Harrogate Town which is a good chance to start well if the Sulphurites are still stuck in their rut from the last campaign. 

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13. Walsall

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

It is easy to forget that Walsall were in a relegation battle before Michael Flynn took over from Matt Taylor mid-way through last season. The Saddlers ended up surviving comfortably in 16^th and will be looking to build on that. Flynn did a great job with former club Newport County and has wasted no time in putting his own stamp on his squad. Veteran pair Peter Clarke, who was part of the second best defence in the league last term with Tranmere Rovers, and striker Andy Williams, who has scored 157 goals in his career to date, has arrived at the Bescot Stadium to add more experience into a squad that currently has an average age of 25.1.

The Saddlers have also freshened up their options in the middle of the park by landing Isaac Hutchinson, Joe Riley and Brandon Comley from Derby County, Carlisle United and Dagenham and Redbridge respectively. They have lost a key player in this window though with midfielder Emmanuel Osadebe heading out the exit door to fellow League Two club Bradford City. He was an important player for the club and his influence and versatility will be missed. 

Verdict

If they can carry on their form from the back end of the past campaign, there is no reason why Walsall can’t have a big season. I think the signings of Clarke and Williams are solid ones and although they don’t possess the quality of other teams in the league, they should be pushing on towards the top half, if not play-offs if they can hit a bit of form. Flynn got to the top seven twice with Newport so has proved he is capable in the past. They start the new season at home against Hartlepool United which is a good opportunity to get three points early, followed by a trip to their manager’s old stomping ground Rodney Parade to face the Exiles the week after. 

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14. Newport County

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

Newport County lost long-serving boss Michael Flynn during last season and brought in young James Rowberry to replace him from Cardiff City. The 37-year-old is a promising coach but saw his side slip away from the play-offs and end up finishing in 11^th place. He has been preparing for his first full campaign in charge of the Exiles now and has been up against it following the departure of last term’s top scorer, Dom Telford. The striker, who fired 26 goals in all competitions, has left for fellow League Two side Crawley Town on a three-year deal. In an attempt to replace his goals, Rowberry has signed Offranda Zanzala from Barrow, Omar Bogle from Hartlepool United and Chanka Zimba from Cardiff. The trio all played in the fourth tier last season and scored a combined 14 goals.

Other forwards such as Padraig Amond, Courtney Baker-Richardson and Alex Fisher have also moved on this summer so the club will have a brand new set of attackers. Newport have also acquired defensive pair Declan Drysdale and Adam Lewis from Coventry City and Liverpool respectively, whilst midfielder Sam Bowen has also made the move from Cardiff and it will be interesting to see how they get on. 

Verdict

Apart from the three striker additions, Newport’s signings are young and are all under the age of 25 which means they may take a while to get to grips with life in the fourth tier. The Exiles have been promotion contenders over recent years but I think they have missed the boat now, especially as they don’t have Flynn anymore. In addition, losing arguably the best striker in the division in Telford is a huge setback to a league rival and I don’t think any of his replacements will have the same impact as him. 

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🎥 𝘽𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙨… 👊

An all-action session for the boys this afternoon at Deepdale!#pnefc pic.twitter.com/XQnAzWE10g

— Preston North End FC (@pnefc) July 25, 2022

15. Crewe Alexandra

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

Crewe Alexandra are back in League Two following their relegation from League One. Long-serving manager David Artell lost his job earlier this year so former academy coach Alex Morris has taken over at Gresty Road. Last season was a disaster for the Cheshire side and they will be looking to make an immediate promotion back to the third tier, even though their confidence may be shot. The club has boosted their defence by bringing back Kelvin Mellor, who played for the Alex from 2008 to 2014, from Carlisle United along with his Cumbrians teammate Rod McDonald.  Midfield pair Conor Thomas and Charlie Colkett have also both dropped down from the league above to join Morris’ side from Cheltenham Town, whilst striker Courtney Baker-Richardson has switched from Barrow. All their signings are solid additions and the club has also managed to keep hold of key players like Tom Lowery, Luke Offord and Callum Ainley so far this summer which is a boost. The Railwaymen have a solid team still and kick-start the new campaign at home to Harrogate Town, before an away trip to Salford City. 

Verdict

The average age of Crewe’s squad is 24.3 and despite signing Mellor and McDonald who are two experienced professionals, their ranks are still very youthful. Veterans Chris Porter and Luke Murphy have left the club over recent times and they would have been two players who would have been useful for another year. There is no doubt that squad has quality and Offord and Lowery especially will follow former teammates like Harry Pickering and Ryan Wintle to the Championship over the next couple of windows. However, I don’t think they’ll be good enough to go straight back up and a season of mid-table mediocracy beckons.  

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16. Carlisle United

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

Carlisle United struggled last season and were saved by popular boss Paul Simpson. He has now committed his future to the Cumbrian side and will be looking forward to a full campaign in charge. He has wasted no time in getting rid of all the dead wood in his squad as he looks to avoid another relegation dogfight next term.

This has seen the likes of Tristan Abrahams, Kelvin Mellor, Joe Riley, Gime Toure and Rod McDonald chopped and the team will have a new goalkeeper between the sticks following Mark Howard’s exit to National League side Wrexham. Their ‘keeper will be 6ft 7inc giant Tomas Holy, who has arrived from Ipswich Town after helping Port Vale gain promotion on loan last season. Scottish midfielder Owen Moxon has signed from Annan Athletic and will be eager to form a partnership in the heart of midfield with key player Callum Guy, who remains under contract which is a big boost as he has been a standout player over recent times. Carlisle have delved into the loan market to bring in young striker Ryan Edmondson from Leeds United, attacking midfielder Sonny Hilton and defender Ben Barclay from Stockport County. They all have potential to be exciting acquisitions but there are question marks over their lack of experience in the Football League. 

Verdict

Apart of Guy, Carlisle’s squad is lacking any serious quality that would suggest they are capable of mounting a push for promotion. Simpson is a manager who knows the club inside out, is popular with the fans and has proven people wrong before in his career. However, I think they will endure another year of frustration. They are too good to go down and there are plenty of other clubs who are worse off than them but in terms of pushing for the top seven, the Brunton Park outfit aren’t up to that standard. It will be worth keeping an eye on academy prospects like Sam Fishburn, Jack Ellis and Gabriel Breeze though. 

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17. Colchester United

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

Colchester United struggled in the last campaign but Wayne Brown managed to steady the ship after taking over from Hayden Mullins and has now been handed the job on a permanent basis. The U’s have been dealt a blow this summer following the departure of key midfielder Brendan Wiredu to League One side Fleetwood Town. He was an influential player last season and will be missed with the likes of Emyr Huws, Cole Skuse and Noah Chilvers ready to step into his shoes and attempt to have the same influence. Defender Miles Welch-Hayes has been allowed to leave the club for fellow League Two side Harrogate Town with Cameron Coxe proving he is a stronger alternative at right-back.

The Essex club has delved into the transfer market to sign goalkeeper Sam Hornby on a permanent deal after his loan spell last term from Bradford City. The 27-year-old was a hit with the U’s and will be eager to make the number one spot his own. In addition, the club has also swooped to land right winger Alex Newby from Rochdale to bolster their attacking options. He scored six goals in all competitions for the Dale and is now moving down south for the first time in his career. 

Verdict

The U’s squad actually has a lot of experience with the likes of Skuse, Huws, Freddie Sears, Luke Chambers, John Akinde, Alan Judge and Tom Eastman. This know-how will help them throughout the course of the season and I have no doubt they will be solid and won’t get relegated. However, a 46+ game campaign could catch up with their ageing squad and Colchester haven’t added any youngsters or fresh blood into their ranks to balance things out. In fact, they haven’t been very active at all in the transfer market which means they may fall behind their competitors. 

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18. Rochdale

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

Last season was a rude awakening for both Rochdale and their boss, Robbie Stockdale. The Dale were relegated from League One in 2021 but struggled to get to grips with life in the division below and struggled to an 18^th place finish. They sold key pair Jake Beesley and Aaron Morley last January to Blackpool and Bolton Wanderers respectively and didn’t replace them. They have however delved into the window this summer to bring in some new arrivals in the hope of improving last term’s showing.

The North West club’s most impressive addition is the return of striker Ian Henderson from Salford City on a free transfer and he back at Spotland after two years away. He is a legend at the club and has fired 126 goals in 343 games for the club in all competitions so will feel he has unfinished business. Experience seems to be what Stockdale has been after with his recruitment over the past couple of months, with ex-Bradford City goalkeeper Richard O’Donnell joining to replace the departing goalkeeping duo of Joel Coleman and Jay Lynch. Defender Ethan Ebanks-Landell has signed following his departure from Shrewsbury Town, whilst youngster Femi Seriki has joined on loan from Sheffield United, to give Rochdale more strength at the back. Going forward, Henderson’s addition in attack has been accompanied by Tyrese Sinclair and Devante Rodney, who has signed from Mansfield Town and Walsall respectively. 

Verdict

Rochdale don’t have a bad squad and they are certainly stronger than they were last term following the arrival of Henderson. Him and the Dale just seem to click and he will no doubt score a bag full of goals for them once again. However, although they have players who know the league well, I still think they will have another mediocre campaign due to lack of depth in their ranks as they only have 19 players at the moment and fans could start getting on Stockdale’s back if the results start to dip. 

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19. Hartlepool United

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

It has been a whirlwind past 12 months for Hartlepool United since their promotion from the National League. They lost manager Dave Challinor to Stockport County last season and brought in Graeme Lee as his replacement. The ex-Middlesbrough youth coach then kept them up comfortably but was surprisingly sacked earlier this summer.  

Scotsman Paul Hartley is their latest appointment and left Cove Rangers to move to the North East. He has since wasted no time in recruiting new players and has raided Scotland as he looks to put his own stamp on his newly inherited squad. 50% of his acquisitions have come from above the border and they are defensive pair Euan Murray and Reghan Tumilty from Kilmarnock and Raith Rovers respectively, winger Jake Hastie from Rangers, full-back Brody Paterson from Celtic and midfielder Mouhamed Niang from Partick Thistle. The Pools have been dealt a huge blow in this transfer window though with the exit of key man Luke Molynuex to fellow League Two club Doncaster Rovers. He has been a huge player for them over the past few years and scored 12 goals last term. His replacement Hastie, didn’t score in 17 games on loan at Motherwell in the last campaign.

Verdict

Although I think Hartlepool have enough to survive, I don’t think they will be pulling up any trees. They have been taking a big risk with their recruitment and you worry that the players arriving from Scotland, all who have never played in England before bar Hastie who had a loan spell at Rotherham United in 2019, and it may take them a while to adjust to a new league. Their other signings have arrived from non-league in the form of defender Alex Lacey from Notts County and striker Josh Umerah from Wealdstone but again they lack experience in the Football League. 

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20. Sutton United 

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

Sutton United will be disappointed that they missed out on the play-offs last season by a single point. Despite that though, it was a glorious season for the London club after they also reached the Papa John’s Trophy final as well. Matt Gray’s side were the surprise package in their first ever year in the Football League and will be hoping to carry on their impressive work.

They have lost a few key players this summer though which has been a big sucker-punch. Goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis has left to join Championship side Reading on a free transfer and the U’s have brought in Jack Rose on a free transfer from fellow League Two club Walsall to replace him. The former West Brom man only played three league games in the last campaign for the Saddlers and was their second choice. Winger David Ajiboye, who scored 17 goals in 131 games for the club, has departed for Peterborough United, whilst attacker Isaac Olaofe, who bagged nine times last term, has returned to parent club Millwall following the expiration of his loan spell. They were both huge sources of goals for Sutton and will prove very tough to replace. Winger Luke Gambin and striker Kwame Thomas have signed from Hamrun Sport and Wrexham respectively and winger Josh Neufville has arrived on loan from Luton Town in an attempt to beef up their attacking options, but Ajiboye and Oloafe’s departures leave a gaping void in the squad. 

Verdict

It is likely to be a case of second season syndrome for Sutton. Gray is a good manager and showed that last term so they should survive, but they have a distinct lack of quality in their squad now following Ajiboye and Olafe’s exits. Losing their number one goalkeeper is a big blow as well and Bouzanis’ influence on the pitch and in the dressing room will be missed. There is no doubt the club has been punching above their weight over recent years and will it catch up with them now? 

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21. Grimsby Town 

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

Grimsby Town are back in the Football League following their promotion from the National League. Paul Hurst guided the Mariners back at the first time of asking after their play-off final win over Solihull Moors at the London Stadium back in May. They have since been preparing for life back in League Two and have a tough year ahead now.

The club are in good spirits though and have unearthed a new star over recent times in the form of striker John McAtee, a 22-year-old striker who fired 22 goals in all competitions last term. Grimsby have recognised the need that they need to bolster their ranks to ensure they are competitive in the new season. They have brought in a mix of players who have played in League Two before in striker Danilo Orsi from Harrogate Town, midfielder Bryn Morris from Burton Albion, defender Anthony Glennon from Burnley and winger Otis Khan from Leyton Orient. FC Halifax Town pair Kieran Green and Niall Maher have made the step up from non-league but both lack experience at this level and may take a while to adapt. Non of the Mariners’ additions are stand-out ones but they all add useful competition and depth in their respective positions. 

Verdict

Momentum is a big thing in football and Grimsby will have that going into the new campaign following their promotion. There is no doubt that they will have their struggles but they should have enough to survive. Hurst is a manager who knows what he is doing in the Football League and he will have learned a lot from his unsuccessful spell at Ipswich Town in the Championship a few years ago. It will be interesting to see how McAtee adjusts to life in the division above after ripping up the National League and he is one to watch at Blundell Park. 

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22. Barrow 

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

Barrow are preparing for their third consecutive season in League Two. They waited 48 years to get back to the Football League in 2020 and have managed to stay up over the past two campaigns.

The Bluebirds struggled last term and looked like they were heading back to non-league before former Premier League boss Phil Brown came and saved them from the drop. He has now left Holker Street and has been replaced by Pete Wild. The ex-Oldham Athletic manager is back managing in the fourth tier after an impressive past couple of years in the National League with FC Halifax Town. He guided the Yorkshire club to the play-offs last term and has brought key attacker Billy Waters to Barrow with him this summer after he fired 19 goals in all competitions. Wild has also signed right winger Tyrell Warren from the Shaymen, as well as bringing in midfielders Sam Foley from Tranmere Rovers and Solomon Nwabuokei from Woking, defender George Ray from Exeter City and striker Richie Bennett from Sutton United. Young pair Sam McClellenand and Harrison Neal have also signed on loan from Chelsea and Sheffield United respectively to get some experience so Barrow haven’t been messing around. However, another campaign of struggle could still be on the cards with it being no secret that they don’t have the same financial powers as other clubs in the league. 

Verdict

I think the Cumbrian club will survive again as they are a gritty team, will be well organised under Wild and other teams have found it tough travelling up to play them over the past couple of years. Losing key centre-back Matty Platt to Bradford City in this transfer window is a blow as he has been an important player at the back over recent years. His replacement Ray has bags of experience in the league having previously played for Crewe Alexandra, Tranmere Rovers and Exeter City so has all the makings to be a suitable alternative. 

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23. Harrogate Town

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

Harrogate Town have been in the Football League for two years now but could face a struggle to survive next year. The Yorkshire club saw their form slump dramatically during the second-half of last season and ended up finishing in 19^th place. It has since been a summer of transition for the Sulphurites and they let 11 players head out the exit door in late June, including midfield pair Nathan Sheron and Connor Kirby and full-back Ryan Fallowfield. Jack Diamond, who was their top scorer last season with 14 goals to his name, has returned to parent club Sunderland and doesn’t appear to be returning.

Their boss, Simon Weaver, has had some gaps to fill in his squad and has brought in a whole new back-line with the signings of Joe Mattock, Miles Welch-Hayes, Kyle Ferguson, Jaheim Headley and Lewis Richards. This is because they conceded a hefty 75 goals last term, with only 24^th place Scunthorpe United leaking more goals in the whole division. Harrogate have also swooped to sign Stephen Dooley from Rochdale to give them something different out wide, whilst central midfielder Matty Daly has come through the door on loan from Huddersfield Town to add more energy into central midfield. Finally, goalkeeper Peter Jameson has arrived from York City and will compete with Mark Oxley for the number one spot. 

Verdict

Weaver’s side have finished the past two seasons in 17^th and 19^th place respectively and they will be up against it again in the new campaign. They have brought in a new-look defence but it takes a while for players to gel together and with tough early matches against Swindon Town who made the play-offs last term, relegated Crewe Alexandra and ambitious Crawley Town, Harrogate could find themselves on the back foot from the start. In addition, who is going to score the goals now Diamond has gone?

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24. Stevenage

Squad Assessment & Transfer Business So Far

Stevenage haven’t finished higher than 10^th in League Two for seven years and have almost been relegated in two out of the past three campaigns, finishing 23^rd back in 2019/20 with only Macclesfield Town’s demise the reason they stayed up. Last term was no better really, with boss Steve Evans managing to keep them up in the end. Nevertheless, next season will be another tough one for the Hertfordshire club and they have another year of struggle ahead.

They have let 14 players leave the club this summer as Evans clears the decks, including Ed Upson, Chris Lines, Luke O’Neill and Charlie Carter, with 10 of those joining non-league clubs now which shows the standard of players they had. Stevenage have been busy bringing fresh blood in with nine new faces coming through the door at Broadhall Way. They have a new goalkeeper between the sticks in the form of 32-year-old Aaron Chapman from Gillingham, and in front of him will be new boys Michael Bostwick, Carl Piergianni, Dan Sweeney, Kane Smith and Max Clark. Further up the pitch, youngster Dean Campbell has joined on a season-long loan from Aberdeen, whilst Jordan Roberts and Danny Rose are the players who Evans will be hoping can lead the line. 

Verdict

It will take a while for all their new players to gel together and I think Stevenage will take a while to get out of the blocks this season. Evans is a manager who knows what he is doing at this level but none of their signings stand out. They all seem to be the standard free transfer acquisitions which could see Boro, who have been slipping towards non-league for the past few years now, finally fall off the cliff. First up for them is a tricky away trip to face a strong Tranmere Rovers side at Prenton Park on 30^th July. 

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