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Vital Lincoln City – League One Season Preview 2021-22 (Part One)

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The first part of our League One Season Preview focuses on Accrington Stanley, AFC Wimbledon, Bolton Wanderers, Burton Albion, Cambridge United, Charlton Athletic, Cheltenham Town, Crewe Alexandra, Doncaster Rovers, Fleetwood Town, Gillingham, and Ipswich Town. The second part of this Season Preview will be published tomorrow.

The article has been published with two pages (6 clubs on each page). To get to the second page, press “Click here for the next six clubs!” at the bottom right of the page!

INTRODUCTION

The information in this preview is complete to 5pm on Monday 9 August 2021.

Managerial data is as accurate as I can make it: it is almost impossible to identify the exact dates managers joined or left minor non-league clubs 25 years ago, and detailed statistical information for minor leagues is not readily available. Online statistics databases have not been used due to the errors they can contain. As the figures are self-compiled, any errors, therefore, are my fault entirely. Firstly, sincere apologies to the subjects; secondly, any errors should be minor and not affect the overall impression; thirdly, it will be more accurate than Wikipedia.

An average points per game figure is given for each manager. To translate that into something more tangible, the table below shows how many points that figure equates to over the course of a 46-game season. Although other factors obviously come into play, it gives an indication of how likely that manager is to be involved in a relegation struggle (under 1.20 PPG), a play-off challenge (above 1.50 PPG needed) or an automatic promotion challenge (above 1.70 PPG needed).

As for the player sections, all permanent transfers in and out are included, as are longer-term loans in. All shorter-term loans in and out and season-long loans out are not included; that is because a player’s departure on loan is unlikely to have any bearing on the performance of his parent club, while short-term loans tend to have minimal impact. Players given their first professional contracts from academy status are not included as new signings. Remember that the transfer window does not close until 31 August, three weeks after the season begins: later signings may be significant.

Under normal circumstances, we would only note the results of standard 90-minute pre-season games. However, many games have not followed that format this summer for obvious reasons; therefore, we have listed every pre-season result designated as a first team friendly.

There is usually a caveat with these Season Previews, and this year it is a significant one. Last season was like no other, creating a set of circumstances that have generated an immeasurable number of variables. The abandonment of the salary cap means open season for financial lunacy once more. I have included a lot of financial information on each club to identify who the lunatics may be.

Finally, bookmakers’ odds are for promotion.

Scotimp, 9/8/2021


ACCRINGTON STANLEY

Last season: 11th
P46 W18 D13 L15 F63 A68 Pts67

Chairman/owner: Andy Holt, 56 (appointed October 2015)

Manager: John Coleman, 58 (appointed September 2014)

John Coleman’s managerial record:
League games only – play-offs and cup games not included.

Players out (7):

Goalkeepers (0):

Defenders (6):
Mark Hughes, 34 (Bristol Rovers)
Joe Maguire, 25 (Tranmere Rovers)
Ben Barclay, 24 (Stockport County)
Reagan Ogle, 22 (Hartlepool United)
Zehn Mohammed, 21
Jack Bolton, 19

Midfielders (1):
Lamine Kaba Sherif, 22 (on trial with Notts County)

Forwards (0):

Players in (10):

Goalkeepers (1):
James Trafford, 18 (Manchester City – season loan)

Defenders (1):
Archie Procter, 19 (AFC Wimbledon)

Midfielders (5):
Harry Pell, 29 (Colchester United)
John O’Sullivan, 27 (Morecambe)
Liam Coyle, 21 (Liverpool)
Tommy Leigh, 21 (Bognor Regis Town)
Jack Nolan, 20 (Walsall)

Forwards (3):
Joe Hardy, 22 (Liverpool)
Joel Mumbongo, 22 (Burnley – season loan)
Josh Woods, 21 (Clay Brow)

Average age of players out: 24
Average age of players in: 22

Number of players in squad: 27

Player of the Season 2020-21: Seamus Conneely, 33 (central midfielder)

One to watch: Colby Bishop, 24 (centre-forward)

Season ticket sales: 750

Ground capacity: 5,450

Visiting supporter capacity: 2,300 (1,800 standing, 500 seated)

Pre-season:
P6 W4 D1 L1 F10 A4
4/7 Clitheroe A 3-0 Charles, Bishop, Morgan
6/7 Hibernian N 1-0 Pritchard
17/7 Blackpool N 3-1 Charles, Pell, Mumbongo (at Leyland FC)
24/7 PRESTON NORTH END H 1-1 Pritchard
27/7 Warrington Town A 2-0 Mumbongo, Trialist A
31/7 BRADFORD CITY H 0-2

Commentary: Stanley Continue To Set The Gold Standard

“We’ve got a good crop of youngsters coming through that can support the first team, which is very good. It’s something that I think a club of our size and stature needs, but at the end of the day it’s all down to getting results.” – Accrington manager John Coleman

While Accrington may be viewed as one of the smallest clubs in League One, they had net assets of £1.72 million in their June 2020 accounts. Many bigger clubs may view Stanley as a non-league club made good, yet how many can point to such a degree of stability? Andy Holt and his board continue to demonstrate exactly how a football club should be run, while John Coleman – about to enter his twenty-first season as Accrington manager – repeatedly proves that an open cheque book is not a prerequisite for success.

With a playing budget of around £1.65 million for this coming season, logic suggests that a successful relegation battle would be an achievement. However, that has been a familiar pre-season story since the club entered the Football League fifteen years ago. Accrington are good at making much from very little, progressing up the football pyramid and improving their limited infrastructure as they go. Signings in recent seasons have been impressive, with players such as Colby Bishop coming from lower non-league clubs and successfully making the transition. Coleman is also the master of using the loan system, regularly finding quality signings to underpin his limited budget. If he really does have a good crop of youngsters coming through, that can only strengthen Coleman’s hand further.

At the time of writing, Accrington have made ten new signings with an average age of just 22. The star signing appears to be creative midfielder John O’Sullivan, surely playing below his natural level in League Two with Morecambe last season. Two younger players have arrived from the famed Liverpool Academy, and Burnley loanee Joel Mumbongo has already scored goals in pre-season. Harry Pell has extensive lower division experience to complement the youngsters, yet surprisingly steps up to League One for the first time in ten years. All in all, a typical Coleman collection of youth and experience.

Accrington finally took their first tentative steps towards the development of their own training ground during the summer when permission was granted to enclose part of the King George V Playing Fields in the town. Lots of money and work will be needed to transform a public park into a facility suitable for a Football League club, a challenge made more problematic by the current redevelopment of the main stand at Wham Stadium. Stanley have become renowned as the definition of a well-run football club, improving infrastructure while progressing on the pitch. Heavily involved in the current Fair Game campaign, one wonders how much further Accrington could rise up the football pyramid should the campaign’s objectives be realised.

At the bookies (Sky Bet): 14/1

Prediction: Lower mid-table


AFC WIMBLEDON

Last season: 19th
P46 W12 D15 L19 F54 A70 Pts51

Chairman: None
CEO: Joe Palmer, 45 (appointed April 2019)

Manager: Mark Robinson, 52 (appointed January 2021)

Mark Robinson‘s managerial record:

League games only – play-offs and cup games not included.

Players out (6):

Goalkeepers (1):
Matthew Cox, 18 (Brentford)

Defenders (2):
Luke O’Neill, 29
Archie Procter, 19 (Accrington Stanley)

Midfielders (2):
Callum Reilly, 27
Shane McLoughlin, 24 (Morecambe)

Forwards (1):
Joe Pigott, 27 (Ipswich Town)

Players in (8):

Goalkeepers (1):
Zaki Oualah, 26 (Leatherhead)

Defenders (2):
Darius Charles, 33 (Wycombe Wanderers)
Henry Lawrence, 19 (Chelsea – season loan)

Midfielders (2):
Luke McCormick, 22 (Chelsea)
George Marsh, 22 (Tottenham Hotspur)

Forwards (3):
Aaron Cosgrave, 22 (Lewes)
Dapo Mebude, 20 (Watford – season loan)
Aaron Pressley, 19 (Brentford – season loan)

Average age of players out: 24
Average age of players in: 23

Number of players in squad: 31

Player of the Season 2020-21: Joe Pigott, 27 (centre-forward) no longer with club

One to watch: Aaron Pressley, 19 (centre-forward)

Season ticket sales: not disclosed

Ground capacity: 9,215

Visiting supporter capacity: 1,465

Pre-season:
P7 W1 D1 L5 F3 A8
17/7 BRENTFORD H 0-1
20/7 Kingstonian A 0-2
20/7 Metropolitan Police A 1-0 Robinson (p)
23/7 Hampton & Richmond A 1-1 McCormick
24/7 Dartford A 0-1
27/7 Woking A 0-1
31/7 SCUNTHORPE UNITED H 1-2 Palmer (p)

Commentary: Back Home, But At What Cost?

“Keep It – sit back, relax, and hang on to your ticket for the next quarter of a century. You’ll never have to worry about naturally rising ticket prices again as we continue on the club’s magnificent journey. You could be watching us play against the game’s biggest teams for the price you paid when we were still a League One club.”

And so goes the promotional literature for AFC Wimbledon’s new twenty-five-year season ticket.  On sale this summer for £10,000, the ticket can be sold or transferred at any time. It may be a great option for anyone with ten grand burning a hole in their pocket and a long life expectancy, but is this really a case of AFCW kicking the financial can down the road? The club appears to be gambling on reaching the Premier League and perhaps covering their stadium costs that way, but is that feasible for such a small club? Will the current financial climate permit such a high-risk strategy? Refinancing that expensive bridging loan still carries a high cost, and exactly how will a heavily discounted season ticket in ten years’ time and for fifteen years after that help the club? Ultimately, the number of takers is likely to be small and the scheme is designed largely to help the club through what could be a tough few years ahead. To compound matters, fifteen months of Covid shutdown came at exactly the time the club needed to increase income. However, the self-styled ‘Greatest Story In Football’ continues for the time being, and Wimbledon are back home.

Given the financial backdrop, a successful season or two could prove imperative if that journey is to continue. As expected, Joe Pigott rejected his contract offer and moved on to Ipswich during the close season, leaving a twenty-goal hole that will need to be filled urgently. Wimbledon only scored 54 league goals last term as it is, and that is the main challenge for new manager Mark Robinson to address. The most notable signing is that of central defender Darius Charles, who returns to the club after three eventful seasons at Wycombe. The rest of the new arrivals come from non-league football and Premier League academies, adding a youthful look and an unknown quantity to the squad. Striker Dapo Mebude from Watford has built a reputation in Premier League 2 and must now translate that to the professional game. Former Imp Ollie Palmer will hope to have an injury-free season, but it is hard to see who is going to score the goals at this juncture.

The prize for the worst pre-season schedule also goes to AFCW after five games against non-league sides, and just three goals scored, two of which were penalties. The side then capped the lot by losing at home to Scunthorpe in front of an impressive pre-season crowd. Disappointing pre-seasons can lead to impressive league campaigns, but it would appear that there is lots to be done if the first full season in their new home is not to end in relegation. Whatever else happens this season, at least AFCW made surely the most romantically named signing of the summer in Aaron Pressley from Brentford – perhaps they just can’t help believin’.

At the bookies (Sky Bet): 14/1

Prediction: Relegation


BOLTON WANDERERS

Last season: 3rd in League Two (promoted)
P46 W23 D10 L13 F59 A50 Pts79

Chairman: Sharon Brittan, 54 (appointed August 2019)

Manager: Ian Evatt, 39 (appointed July 2020)

Ian Evatt’s managerial record:League games only – play-offs and cup games not included.

Players out (8):

Goalkeepers (0):

Defenders (3):
Ryan Delaney, 24 (Morecambe)
Jamie Mascoll, 24
Jak Hickman, 22

Midfielders (2):
Sonny Graham, 19
Callum King-Harmes, 19

Forwards (3):
Shaun Miller, 33 (Nantwich Town)
Arthur Gnahoua, 29 (Morecambe)
Muhammadu Faal, 24

Players in (9):

Goalkeepers (1):
Joel Dixon, 27 (Barrow)

Defenders (3):
Will Aimson, 27 (Plymouth Argyle)
Declan John, 26 (Swansea City)
George Johnston, 22 (Feyenoord – Netherlands)

Midfielders (2):
Josh Sheehan, 26 (Newport County)
Xavier Amaechi, 20 (loan from Hamburger SV – Germany – to January)

Forwards (3):
Elias Kachunga, 29 (Sheffield Wednesday)
Amadou Bakayoko, 25 (Coventry City)
Oladapo Afolayan, 23 (West Ham United)

Average age of players out: 24
Average age of players in: 25

Number of players in squad: 31

Player of the Season 2020-21: Ricardo Almeida Santos, 26 (centre-half)

One to watch: Elias Kachunga, 29 (centre-forward)

Season ticket sales: 10,000

Ground capacity: 28,723

Visiting supporter capacity: 3,000 (can be extended to 5,000)

Pre-season:
P8 W5 D3 L0 F13 A4
10/7 Longridge Town A 3-1 Brockbank, Bakayoko, Darcy
13/7 Atherton Collieries A 4-0 Delfouneso 2, Thomason, Darcy
17/7 FC United of Manchester A 1-1 Johnston
20/7 Preston North End N 1-0 Jones (at the County Ground, Leyland)
24/7` Barrow A 1-0 Afolayan
27/7 Chorley A 1-0 Senior
31/7 BLACKBURN ROVERS H 2-2 Johnston, OG
4/8 Chester A 0-0

Commentary: Back To League One But Familiar Problems For Bolton

“Football Ventures came together to ensure that Bolton Wanderers Football Club survived. We inherited a difficult situation with significant administration obligations to be sorted through. Taking all this into consideration, huge progress has been made to stabilise the financial position and we now look forward with confidence to being competitive in League One next season.” – Bolton chairman Sharon Brittan

Last season Bolton Wanderers became the latest former Premier League club to pay a fleeting visit to League Two after a series of financial disasters that left the rest of the football world gasping. Astronomical debts of over £200 million saw Bolton slide three divisions in eight years. The club was only saved in 2016 by former owner Eddie Davies writing off an astonishing £198 million owed to him, yet Wanderers proceeded to lurch from disaster to disaster. Administration and failure to fulfil fixtures followed in May 2019 before an eleventh-hour takeover three months later saved the club in the short term but inevitably produced some complex financial restructuring.

Despite new ownership, Bolton are far from being out of the woods. The club still made an operating loss of £3.5 million in the financial year to June 2020 and debt gearing is high. There is almost £4 million still to be paid to creditors this year, and total debts in the form of loans amount to £30 million, much of which is due to be repaid within the next two years. The Covid pandemic can only have presented further unprecedented challenges for The Whites, and success on the pitch has assumed added urgency.

Speaking of which, Bolton secured an automatic return to League One on the final day of last season. Eoin Doyle’s nineteen goals made him the club’s highest scorer for twenty years while manager Ian Evatt signed a new three-year deal in May as a reward for promotion. Evatt has retained the majority of last season’s promotion-winning side although centre-half Ryan Delaney oddly declined a contract offer to join Morecambe.

Bolton have strengthened in all positions during the summer despite the obvious financial challenges. Dapo Afolayan has signed permanently on a three-year deal at the end of his loan from West Ham, as has Declan John from Swansea. Former Arsenal winger Xavier Amaechi is an eye-catching signing on loan from Hamburg although fans are going to have to wait to see him after he fractured a metatarsal in a pre-season game against Preston. Ex-Liverpool trainee George Johnston returns to English football after a disappointing spell with Feyenoord and new Wales international midfielder Josh Sheehan arrives from Newport. Former Sheffield Wednesday striker Elias Kachunga signed on the eve of the new season and will present a stern test to League One defences.

The number and quality of signings suggest Bolton are the best-equipped of the promoted teams and must consider a second successive promotion a genuine possibility. Supporters certainly believe so, if 10,000 season tickets are anything to go by. And that added impetus remains: unless the club can refinance some of the immediate debt, promotion to the Championship looks imperative this season.

At the bookies (Sky Bet): 6/1

Prediction: Unsuccessful play-off challenge


BURTON ALBION

Last season: 16th
P46 W15 D12 L19 F61 A73 Pts57

Chairman/owner: Ben Robinson MBE, 75 (appointed June 1995)

Manager: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, 49 (appointed January 2021)

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s managerial record:League games only – play-offs and cup games not included.

Players out (13):

Goalkeepers (0):

Defenders (8):
Colin Daniel, 33
Neal Eardley, 32
John-Joe O’Toole, 32
Owen Gallacher, 22 (Crawley Town)
Jevan Anderson, 21 (Cove Rangers)
Reece Hutchinson, 21
Ben Hart, 20 (Tamworth)
Tom Armitage, 18 (Nuneaton Borough)

Midfielders (3):
Stephen Quinn, 35 (Mansfield Town)
Ryan Edwards, 27 (Busan IPark – South Korea)
Ben Fox, 23 (Grimsby Town)

Forwards (2):
Luke Varney, 38 (Quorn)
Mike Fondop, 27

Players in (12):

Goalkeepers (1):
Ellery Balcombe, 21 (Brentford – season loan)

Defenders (5):
Deji Oshilaja, 28 (Charlton Athletic)
Frazer Blake-Tracy, 25 (Peterborough United)
Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, 24 (Oldham Athletic)
Ryan Leak, 23 (Burgos CF – Spain)
Thomas O’Connor, 22 (Southampton)

Midfielders (3):
Bryn Morris, 25 (Portsmouth)
Conor Shaughnessy, 25 (Rochdale)
Jacob Maddox, 22 (Vitória SC – Portugal – season loan)

Forwards (3):
Louis Moult, 29 (Preston North End)
Aaron Amadi-Holloway, 28 (SC East Bengal – India)
Omari Patrick, 25 (Carlisle United)

Average age of players out: 27
Average age of players in: 25

Number of players in squad: 33

Player of the Season 2020-21: Ryan Edwards, 27 (attacking midfielder) no longer with club

One to watch: Ellery Balcombe, 21 (goalkeeper)

Season ticket sales: not disclosed

Ground capacity: 6,912

Visiting supporter capacity: 1,800 (1,400 standing, 400 seated)

Pre-season:
P6 W2 D1 L3 F8 A7
6/7 Nuneaton Borough A 3-1 Patrick, Kane, Powell
10/7 Bognor Regis Town A 3-0 Trialist (Amadi-Holloway), Taylor, Moult
20/7 Scunthorpe United A 1-2 Smith
24/7 LEICESTER CITY H 0-0
27/7 Alfreton Town A 1-2 Powell (p)
30/7 NEWCASTLE UNITED H 0-2

Commentary: Hasselbaink Clears The Decks At The Pirelli

“We had 12 players who were going, and we wanted to have the majority of the new players in for pre-season. There is a risk in that as at the end of the window there might be someone you really want but you have already filled the place. But we made a decision that the players we identified were opportunities we had to take and didn’t want to wait.” – Burton manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

Upon publication of Burton Albion’s 2018-19 accounts in June 2020, ‘significant doubt’ was cast over the club’s ability to continue as a going concern due to the advent of the Covid pandemic. Relegation from the Championship in May 2019 had produced a loss of £1.85 million, which was partly offset by the sale of Marcus Harness to Portsmouth in July 2019 plus a cash injection of £400,000 from owner Ben Robinson. The June 2020 accounts show a loss of just £47,000 as the club reduced the Championship wage bill to around £4.5 million, and the club immediately made use of the furlough scheme to ensure sufficient cashflow to survive through the summer of 2020.

As for 2020-21 season, prospects were looking grim as the pandemic continued and Burton propped up the League One table in December. Former manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink returned and revitalised the team with a dozen new signings in January; safety was achieved with room to spare, but what damage had been done to their finances in the interim? Ben Robinson cites government schemes and the Premier League/EFL bailout and loan as the reasons for survival, but a challenging financial outlook has not prevented Hasselbaink from churning his squad again this summer.

The squad has a much younger look to it than Jake Buxton’s Dad’s Army of twelve months ago and some astute signings should ensure a comfortable season. Very few players remain from that period after changes in every area of the pitch. Deji Oshilaja from Charlton should form an experienced defensive partnership with Michael Bostwick while highly-rated goalkeeper Ellery Balcombe joins on loan from Brentford. The standout signing is former Motherwell and Preston striker Louis Moult who will be playing in League One for the first time; however, an ankle injury incurred in pre-season will keep him out until the new year. The Brewers suffered a further blow when Kane Hemmings pulled up with a hamstring injury, meaning they will have to face the first few months of the season without their two main strikers. Hasselbaink is considering another visit to the transfer market for a striker in the short-term, so watch this space. Burton enter the 2021-22 season in a far better place than a year ago and there should be no worries about relegation this time around.

Whether Burton can progress much further than that within the current financial environment will depend on astute management. Burton are not alone in that by a long chalk, although recovery will be hampered more than most by the club’s restricted home support. One undeniable advantage is that they have Hasselbaink at the helm, the manager who took them to the top of League One during his previous tenure. On that basis, Burton could be one of this season’s surprise packages.

At the bookies (Sky Bet): 9/1

Prediction: Mid-table


CAMBRIDGE UNITED

Last season: 2nd in League Two (promoted)
P46 W24 D8 L14 F73 A49 Pts80

Chairman: Shaun Grady, 60 (appointed December 2017)

Manager: Mark Bonner, 35 (appointed March 2020)

Mark Bonner’s managerial record:League games only – play-offs and cup games not included.

Players out (5):

Goalkeepers (1):
Callum Burton, 24 (Plymouth Argyle)

Defenders (1):
Kyle Knoyle, 24 (Doncaster Rovers)

Midfielders (1):
Luke Hannant, 27 (Colchester United)

Forwards (2):
Paul Mullin, 26 (Wrexham)
Joe Neal, 20

Players in (9):

Goalkeepers (1):
Will Mannion, 23 (Pafos – Cyprus)

Defenders (4):
George Williams, 28 (Bristol Rovers)
James Brophy, 27 (Leyton Orient)
Lloyd Jones, 25 (Northampton Town)
Jubril Okedina, 20 (Tottenham Hotspur)

Midfielders (3):
Shilow Tracey, 23 (Tottenham Hotspur)
Jack Lankester, 21 (Ipswich Town)
Jensen Weir, 19 (Brighton & Hove Albion – season loan)

Forwards (1):
Sam Smith, 23 (Reading)

Average age of players out: 24
Average age of players in: 23

Number of players in squad: 27

Player of the Season 2020-21: Paul Mullin, 26 (centre-forward) no longer with club

One to watch: Shilow Tracey, 23 (winger)

Season ticket sales: 2,200

Ground capacity: 8,127

Visiting supporter capacity: up to 1,600

Pre-season:
P5 W1 D2 L2 F5 A6
17/7 Cardiff City XI (1) N 2-0 Smith, Weir (at Cardiff International Sports Stadium)
17/7 Cardiff City XI (2) N 1-1 Ironside (at Cardiff International Sports Stadium)
23/7 Brentford XI N 1-3 Knibbs (at St Neots FC)
27/7 QUEENS PARK RANGERS H 1-2 May (Harrison Dunk testimonial)
31/7 NORTHAMPTON TOWN H 0-0

Commentary: Can Cambridge Stay On The Platform They Have Built?

“The financial realities for the vast majority of lower league clubs remain very difficult given the annual losses incurred and we are no exception. The pandemic has only made things that much harder for every part of society. But we are guardedly confident we now have a platform of greater financial stability alongside a collective desire to be the best we can be on and off the pitch.” – Cambridge chairman Shaun Grady

With net liabilities of £1.47 million at the end of the 2019-20 financial year, Cambridge are one of many smaller clubs needing a quick return to footballing normality. Loans totalling over £2 million have been received from major shareholder Paul Barry to keep the club afloat, since converted to share capital. An extra £1 million was invested during the summer to cover improvements to the training ground and the Abbey Stadium, proving that the directors are serious about being the best they can be on and off the field. With club legend Dion Dublin appointed to the board in July to add some Premier League knowledge, Cambridge return to the third tier for the first time in nineteen years with Shaun Grady’s platform in place.

The immediate challenge of course is to stay on it. Manager Mark Bonner was rewarded with a new three-year contract in May, but summer trading did not get off to the best of starts with Luke Hannant and Kyle Knoyle rejecting contract offers. However, the biggest loss was striker Paul Mullin who also rejected his contract offer before surprisingly turning up at National League Wrexham. Mullin’s 32 league goals last season won him the Golden Boot and the League Two Player of the Year title, and that will be almost impossible to replace.

On the plus side, former Wigan Athletic prodigy Jensen Weir arrives on loan from Brighton and will be keen to establish himself in League football after failing to make an appearance at all last season. The same would apply to striker Sam Smith, who joins Cambridge on a permanent basis after six spells out on loan from former club Reading. Winger Shilow Tracey looked impressive at times on loan at Shrewsbury last season and has joined the Us permanently from Spurs during the close season. However, with the notable exception of new right-back George Williams from Bristol Rovers (Conner Robinson may remember him from his Worcester City days), there is a lack of extensive League One experience throughout the side which could prove costly in the long run.

Survival this season could depend on finding a striker capable of filling the boots of record-breaking Paul Mullin before the transfer window closes at the end of August, and that would require a degree of good fortune as well as a substantial fee. Manager Mark Bonner is building a good reputation in the lower divisions, and perhaps staying in League One will be a bigger achievement than winning promotion to it three months ago.

At the bookies (Sky Bet): 40/1

Prediction: Relegation


CHARLTON ATHLETIC

Last season: 7th
P46 W20 D14 L12 F70 A56 Pts74

Chairman/owner: Thomas Sandgaard, 63 (appointed September 2020)

Manager: Nigel Adkins, 56 (appointed March 2021)

Nigel Adkins’ managerial record:League games only – play-offs and cup games not included.

Players out (7):

Goalkeepers (1):
Ben Amos, 31 (Wigan Athletic)

Defenders (1):
Deji Oshilaja, 28 (Burton Albion)

Midfielders (4):
Darren Pratley, 36 (Leyton Orient)
Andrew Shinnie, 32 (Livingston)
Erhun Öztümer, 30 (Fatih Karagümrük – Turkey)
Marcus Maddison, 27 (Spalding United)

Forwards (1):
Chuks Aneke, 28 (Birmingham City)

Players in (5):

Goalkeepers (1):
Craig MacGillivray, 28 (Portsmouth)

Defenders (1):
Akin Famewo, 22 (Norwich City – season loan)

Midfielders (2):
Sean Clare, 24 (Oxford United)
George Dobson, 23 (Sunderland)

Forwards (1):
Jayden Stockley, 27 (Preston North End)

Average age of players out: 32
Average age of players in: 25

Number of players in squad: 20

Player of the Season 2020-21: Jake Forster-Caskey, 27 (central midfielder)

One to watch: Craig MacGillivray, 28 (goalkeeper)

Season ticket sales: 8,550

Ground capacity: 27,111

Visiting supporter capacity: 3,000 (all seated)

Pre-season:
P6 W2 D2 L2 F9 A7
10/7 Glasgow Celtic N 1-2 Washington (at Dragon Park, Newport)
13/7 Welling United A 3-0 Jaiyesimi, Clayden, Henry
17/7 Dartford A 2-1 Jaiyesimi, Davison
24/7 Reading A 1-1 Ghandour
27/7 Crystal Palace A 2-2 Stockley, Davison
31/7 Fulham A 0-1

Commentary: Adkins, Additions And Alsatians At The Valley

“Pre-season can be judged in so many different ways in terms of getting a squad of players together to arrive at the start of the season: fit, fresh, organised. It’s how quickly you get a settled side and a group of people that want to be part of what you want to do. It’s not just about an 11, it’s about a squad of players who understand and know their responsibilities.” – Charlton manager Nigel Adkins

Although one of the larger clubs in League One, Charlton Athletic enter the 2021-22 season in a challenging financial position. Historic debt from a lengthy period in the Premier League and the Championship had spiralled to over £70 million two years ago with over £60 million due to then owner Roland Duchâtelet. Around £44 million of that was waived by Duchâtelet upon selling the club to Thomas Sandgaard in September 2020, although there are certain conditions attached relating to the rent of the stadium (still owned by Duchâtelet) and success on the field. The short-term financial position was further improved with a five-year interest-free loan of £10.5 million from Sandgaard, although the June 2020 financial year still ended with net liabilities of £23.3 million. Interestingly, the club actually spent more money buying Range Rovers than it did buying players.

Missing out on the play-offs was certainly not the expectation at Charlton last season, but it was a season of great progress all the same. Chronic ownership wrangles and transfer embargoes were finally put to bed with Sandgaard’s acquisition of the club in September although Lee Bowyer’s relegated side was unable to mount a serious promotion challenge at any stage. Bowyer departed for Birmingham in March and was replaced by experienced League One campaigner Nigel Adkins, who already has three promotions to the Championship on his cv. Adkins was unable to drag his side over the promotion line, but his appointment was clearly made with a longer-term view.

As expected, Adkins has already made some significant changes to his squad. Some old favourites including Ben Amos and Darren Pratley have departed while Marcus Maddison bizarrely decided to sign for Spalding. Last season’s star loanee Jayden Stockley has returned on a permanent basis after Charlton apparently hijacked his intended transfer to Portsmouth. To rub salt into that wound, Charlton also picked up Portsmouth’s Player of the Season in goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray. Centre-half Akin Famewo returns on loan from Norwich for the second season in a row. Notably, Adkins has significantly reduced the average age of his first team squad at the end of the most intensive season on record.

As part of their new six-tiered membership scheme, Charlton have become the first club in the UK to offer a pet membership to allow supporters’ pets to officially become part of the Charlton family.  Animal Addicks will pay £10 for the season in exchange for treats, 15% discount from Blackheath Pet Supplies, a Charlton Athletic bandana, and the opportunity to be club mascot for the day. And to top everything, owner and guitar gearhead Thomas Sandgaard wrote and recorded his own club anthem – Addicks To Victory – which is available across all major music streaming services. Be sure to get your copy now!

At the bookies (Sky Bet): 4/1 joint-sixth favourites

Prediction: Play-offs

Click HERE for Page Two, featuring Cheltenham Town, Crewe Alexandra, Doncaster Rovers, Fleetwood Town, Gillingham, and Ipswich Town.

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