CHELTENHAM TOWN
Last season: 1st in League Two (promoted)
P46 W24 D10 L12 F61 A39 Pts82
Chairman: David Bloxham, 62 (appointed August 2021)
Manager: Michael Duff, 43 (appointed September 2018)
Michael Duff’s managerial record:
League games only – play-offs and cup games not included.
Players out (5):
Goalkeepers (0):
Defenders (1):
Dan Bowry, 23 (King’s Lynn Town)
Midfielders (4):
Chris Clements, 31
Alex Addai, 27
Tahvon Campbell, 24 (Woking)
Tom Chamberlain, 20
Forwards (0):
Players in (6):
Goalkeepers (1):
Owen Evans, 24 (Wigan Athletic)
Defenders ():
Midfielders (4):
Elliot Bonds, 21 (Hull City)
Dylan Barkers, 21 (Alvechurch)
Callum Wright, 21 (Leicester City – season loan)
Taylor Perry, 20 (Wolverhampton Wanderers – season loan)
Forwards (1):
Kyle Vassell, 28 (Rotherham United)
Average age of players out: 25
Average age of players in: 21
Number of players in squad: 25
Player of the Season 2020-21: Ben Tozer, 31 (defensive midfielder)
One to watch: Liam Sercombe, 31 (central midfielder)
Season ticket sales: not disclosed
Ground capacity: 7,066
Visiting supporter capacity: 1,100
Pre-season:
P7 W6 D0 L1 F20 A5
10/7 Cinderford Town A 3-0 Williams 2, Miles
13/7 Evesham United A 3-0 Sercombe, Miles, OG
17/7 BIRMINGHAM CITY H 0-3
20/7 Kidderminster Harriers A 2-1 Abraham 2 (1p)
24/7 COVENTRY CITY H 2-0 Williams 2
27/7 Hereford A 8-1 Williams 3, May 3, Sercombe, Armitage
31/7 WALSALL H 2-0 Blair, Raglan
Commentary: Will Cheltenham’s Tight Ship Ensure Survival?
“We are still fishing in the same pond, but the players have to be better, so it is more challenging. The facts are we will have the smallest budget in the division, or it’ll be a toss-up between us and Morecambe. There is no point whinging, we have to park it up, deal with it and move on, but it does affect who you can bring in and when… we are in a food chain, so we have to wait and we are obviously not at the top.” – Cheltenham manager Michael Duff
The manager of last season’s League Two champions perfectly sums up the challenge of bridging the gulf to League One, especially for the smaller clubs in the Football League. He is also one of five managers claiming to have the smallest budget in the division, and Cheltenham have a reputation for being one of football’s more prudent clubs in recent years. The club had net assets of £1.3 million according to the May 2020 accounts and a surprisingly low number of employees at just 91. The cost of player registrations carries almost no value at all, suggesting Cheltenham have achieved promotion with a squad of free transfers. Everything appears well-managed and financially sustainable although the impact of the Covid pandemic will only be visible in the 2020-21 accounts. Cheltenham had to deal with the unexpected resignation of chairman Andy Wilcox in July, now replaced by solicitor David Bloxham.
Changes to the playing staff have been minimal with only five departures during the summer. Despite the significant step-up to League One, there have been just five new signings at the time of writing, and with an average age of 21. As Michael Duff indicates, his club is not at the top of football’s food chain and there may be more arrivals in the closing week or two of the transfer window. Thus far, promotion-winning goalkeeper Owen Evans returns from Wigan, signed on a permanent basis this time. The other four arrivals are all midfielders and all aged either 20 or 21.
As the number of former Premier League clubs in the third tier continues to impact on playing standards and particularly on wages and transfer fees, the gap between Leagues Two and One has never been wider. There is always a temptation to believe that a wonderful promotion-winning squad is good enough to cope with the step-up, but it is a brave approach at best. Even the best of promoted clubs must invest significantly to ensure they can compete at the higher level. Having made so few changes so far to their League Two championship squad, Cheltenham look unprepared for life in League One. That may be related to the club’s desire to run a tight ship financially, given the limited support they can hope to attract – only nine clubs in the EFL had a lower average attendance than Cheltenham in 2019-20. On the other side of the coin, Michael Duff has a growing reputation in the game and may be smart enough to carry his team to survival. Some late summer additions to his squad may just enable him to do that.
At the bookies (Sky Bet): 25/1
Prediction: Bottom eight
CREWE ALEXANDRA
Last season: 12th
P46 W18 D12 L16 F56 A61 Pts66
Chairman: Charles Grant, 66 (appointed April 2021)
Manager: David Artell, 40 (appointed January 2017)
David Artell’s managerial record:
League games only – play-offs and cup games not included.
Players out (5):
Goalkeepers (0):
Defenders (3):
Eddie Nolan, 33 (Waterford)
Olly Lancashire, 32 (Southampton)
Omar Beckles, 29 (Leyton Orient)
Midfielders (2):
Daniel Powell, 30 (Barnet)
Ryan Wintle, 24 (Cardiff City)
Forwards (0):
Players in (5):
Goalkeepers ():
Defenders (3):
Callum McFadzean, 27 (Sunderland)
Tommie Hoban, 27 (Aberdeen)
Kayne Ramsay, 20 (Southampton – season loan)
Midfielders (1):
Shaun MacDonald, 33 (Rotherham United)
Forwards (1):
Chris Long, 26 (Motherwell)
Average age of players out: 29
Average age of players in: 26
Number of players in squad: 35
Player of the Season 2020-21: Owen Dale, 22 (forward)
One to watch: Owen Dale, 22 (forward)
Season ticket sales: not disclosed
Ground capacity: 10,101
Visiting supporter capacity: 1,694 (all seated)
Pre-season:
P8 W4 D2 L2 F22 A10
11/7 Nantwich Town A 4-1 Onyeka, Griffiths, Robbins, Lundstram
14/7 Ashton United A 5-1 Robbins 3, Porter, Ainley
14/7 Witton Albion A 6-0 Dale2, Mandron 2, Long, Finney
17/7 WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS H 1-0 Long
20/7 STOKE CITY H 2-3 Lundstram, Dale
21/7 Kidsgrove Athletic A 1-1 Onyeka
24/7 NOTTINGHAM FOREST H 2-2 Ainley, Adebisi
27/7 Oldham Athletic A 1-2 Kirk
Commentary: Replacing The Departures Is The Challenge For Artell
“It is what it is at Crewe. We have the lowest budget in League One, so to finish in 12th place has us punching above our weight. That is the way it has always been and we have to try and recruit well and improve our own.” – Crewe manager David Artell
So, Crewe are yet another League One club claiming to have the lowest budget in the division. The June 2020 accounts reveal a wage bill of £3.2 million for 234 employees (against a turnover of £4 million), suggesting that is not strictly true given the club was in League Two at that point. The curtailed 2019-20 season brought about a loss of £475,000 for the financial year, leaving the club with net liabilities of £1.475 million. That is certainly not a problem considering player sales since publication of those accounts, although there appears to be a high degree of short-term liability to creditors. Covid losses during the last twelve months will impact on Artell’s playing budget, although that is the same challenge for the majority.
Whatever the true financial position, Crewe have certainly punched above their weight at times during the last twenty-five years, spending two short spells in the Championship or its equivalent. Last season provided their highest league finish since relegation from the second tier in 2006, and hopes are high that promotion can be achievable again. The loss of three key players so far during 2021 (Perry Ng, Harry Pickering and Ryan Wintle) will certainly not help that cause, and those players will take some replacing. As Artell points out, Crewe have always been a selling club, developing their own players and selling them on for a profit. A contract dispute with Tom Lowery this summer that has seen the midfielder frozen out of first team affairs by manager Artell is a further problem that remains unresolved at the time of writing.
As for incomings, the most notable name is that of centre-half Tommie Hoban from Aberdeen. Having seen his career affected by a series of bad injuries, it will be interesting to see whether he can recapture the fitness and form that made him a Watford prodigy in his younger days. Left-back Callum McFadzean arrives from Sunderland, and interestingly starts the season with a new club for the seventh year in a row. Shaun MacDonald from Rotherham adds vast League One and Championship experience in midfield but there is little to suggest that Ng, Pickering and Wintle have been replaced yet. Crewe did exceptionally well to finish in the top half in their first season back in League One, but this season presents new challenges once again. Artell has stated within the last few days that he has irons in the fire regarding incoming players, and some astute signings appear to be a necessity if they are to match last season’s achievements.
At the bookies (Sky Bet): 14/1
Prediction: Lower mid-table
DONCASTER ROVERS
Last season: 14th
P46 W19 D7 L20 F63 A67 Pts64
Chairman: David Blunt, 72 (appointed August 2014)
Manager: Richie Wellens, 41 (appointed May 2021)
Richie Wellens’ managerial record:
League games only – play-offs and cup games not included.
Players out (8):
Goalkeepers (1):
Ian Lawlor, 26 (Dundee)
Defenders (4):
Reece James, 27 (Blackpool)
Brad Halliday, 26 (Fleetwood Town)
Joe Wright, 26
Danny Amos, 21
Midfielders (3):
James Coppinger, 40 (retired)
Madger Gomes, 24 (on trial with Charlton Athletic)
Jason Lokilo, 22
Forwards (0):
Players in (9):
Goalkeepers (1):
Pontus Dahlberg, 22 (Watford – season loan)
Defenders (2):
Kyle Knoyle, 24 (Cambridge United)
Ro-Shaun Williams, 22 (Shrewsbury Town)
Midfielders (4):
Tommy Rowe, 32 (Bristol City)
Ben Close, 24 (Portsmouth)
Aidan Barlow, 21 (Manchester United)
Matt Smith, 20 (Arsenal – season loan)
Forwards (2):
Jordy Hiwula, 26 (Portsmouth)
Tiago Cukur, 18 (Watford – season loan)
Average age of players out: 26
Average age of players in: 23
Number of players in squad: 25
Player of the Season 2020-21: not known
One to watch: Tom Anderson, 27 (centre-half)
Season ticket sales: not disclosed
Ground capacity: 15,231
Visiting supporter capacity: 3,344
Pre-season:
P6 W3 D0 L3 F15 A11
10/7 Rossington Main A 4-0 Trialist (Barlow) 3, Trialist
17/7 Bradford City A 0-2
20/7 Wakefield AFC A 6-0 Trialist Two (Barlow) 2, Trialist One, Close, Williams, Trialist Seven
23/7 NEWCASTLE UNITED H 2-3 Rowe, Bogle
28/7 SHEFFIELD UNITED H 0-4
1/8 Harrogate Town A 3-2 Knoyle, Barlow, Trialist Three
Commentary: More Questions Than Answers At The Keepmoat
“Monies from player trading have proven to be invaluable, this season further monies were received from the John Marquis sale, along with the compensation for Darren Moore and transfer fee received for Ben Whiteman. Whilst the club have survived the pandemic, as we move into next season there are still long-term challenges as part of that survival process. There are also significant debts which the club owe this year… HMRC debt to be repaid is more than £800,000, player wage deferrals are in excess of £170,000 and the repayment of the EFL rescue loan begins too. In summary there is more than £1m of debt to be repaid on top of normal operating costs.” – Doncaster Rovers head of finance Richard Poole
We do not usually start these pre-season commentaries with a statement from an accountant, but Richard Poole’s comments are a stark reminder of the reality of where lower division football finds itself in August 2021. Whilst the numbers will differ from club to club, the story will be common to the majority. To compound matters, Doncaster had net liabilities of £8.2 million in their June 2019 accounts – two years ago and prior to the Covid pandemic. Most of that debt is owed to the club’s owners and is in no danger of being called in, but it is not a promising financial outlook at the Keepmoat.
Having enjoyed a strong start to 2020-21, Doncaster’s second half of the season collapse produced some embarrassing statistics. The 48 points taken from their first 23 games would have seen them comfortably crowned champions over a full season, yet the 16 points from their final 23 games would have seen them finish bottom. They lost only five games over the first half of the season but won only four over the second half. Was the loss of Ben Whiteman during the January window to blame for the loss of form, or was it poor recruitment thereafter? Was losing manager Darren Moore to neighbours Sheffield Wednesday a significant factor? Local news reports suggested everything was not rosy in the Keepmoat garden even prior to Moore’s departure. Consolation came from the fair play table, which saw Rovers finish joint first with MK Dons. So, were Rovers not good enough, or were they simply too nice?
Whatever the reasons, new manager and former Rover Richie Wellens has a significant task ahead of him to reverse some astonishing negative momentum against an unpromising financial backdrop. Reece James rejected a contract offer in June to join Blackpool while Wellens also has to deal with the immeasurable loss of club legend James Coppinger through retirement. The most notable arrival was the return of Tommy Rowe (brother of Danny) from Bristol City while fellow midfielder Ben Close declined a deal with Portsmouth in favour of the move north. Striker Jordy Hiwula has also joined from the Fratton Park club and former Manchester United trainee Aidan Barlow has signed after hitting six goals as a pre-season trialist. Amusingly, Rovers will have a loanee midfielder called Matt Smith for the second season running, this one from Arsenal; Smith played under Wellens at Swindon last season.
Rovers did not have the best of pre-seasons, with influential John Bostock diagnosed with Covid and losing strikers Jordy Hiwula and Fejiri Okenabirhie to mid-term injuries. Doncaster were one of several League One clubs to enhance their membership and season ticket packages this summer, offering discounts off the price of a season ticket for the next five seasons. Whilst laudable from a fan perspective, Richard Poole’s statement at the head of this article may imply that Rovers are another club simply aiming to survive for the time being. Within the context of an uncertain financial landscape, poor end of season form and a new manager, Doncaster may be one of League One’s unknown quantities this season.
At the bookies (Sky Bet): 14/1
Prediction: Bottom eight
FLEETWOOD TOWN
Last season: 15th
P46 W16 D12 L18 F49 A46 Pts60
Chairman/owner: Andy Pilley, 51 (appointed August 2004)
Manager: Simon Grayson, 51 (appointed January 2021)
Simon Grayson’s managerial record:
League games only – play-offs and cup games not included.
Players out (9):
Goalkeepers (1):
Joel Coleman, 25
Defenders (1):
Nathan Sheron, 23 (Harrogate Town)
Midfielders (5):
Glenn Whelan, 37
Mark Duffy, 35 (on trial with Tranmere Rovers)
Paul Coutts, 33 (Bristol Rovers)
Sam Finley, 29 (Bristol Rovers)
Josh Morris, 29 (Salford City)
Forwards (2):
Wes Burns, 26 (Ipswich Town)
Harvey Saunders, 24 (Bristol Rovers)
Players in (8):
Goalkeepers (1):
Harry Wright, 22 (Ipswich Town)
Defenders (4):
Tom Clarke, 33 (Salford City)
Brad Halliday, 26 (Doncaster Rovers)
Max Clark, 25 (Hull City)
Darnell Johnson, 22 (Leicester City)
Midfielders (1):
Anthony Pilkington, 33 (SC East Bengal – India)
Forwards (2):
Callum Morton, 21 (West Bromwich Albion – season loan)
Ryan Edmondson, 20 (Leeds United – season loan)
Average age of players out: 29
Average age of players in: 25
Number of players in squad: 29
Player of the Season 2020-21: not known
One to watch: Danny Andrew, 30 (left-back)
Season ticket sales: not disclosed
Ground capacity: 5,327 (smallest in League One)
Visiting supporter capacity: 1,131 (831 standing, 300 seated)
Pre-season:
P6 W4 D2 L0 F10 A5
10/7 Radcliffe A 2-0 Garner, Teale
13/7 PORT VALE H 1-0 Rossiter
17/7 Rochdale A 3-3 Edmondson 2, Andrew
24/7 St Johnstone A 0-0
27/7 HUDDERSFIELD TOWN H 2-1 Morris, Garner
30/7 LEEDS UNITED H 2-1 Morris, Garner (p)
Commentary: A Transfer Embargo And A Tighter Belt At Highbury Stadium
“I wanted four or five new faces in the building before we came back, and we’ve done that so far. There were a lot of players out of contract at the end of last season so I was able to look at the squad and keep whoever I wanted to keep, and some have moved on – all you can do is wish them well and everyone knows that it’s part of football.” – Fleetwood manager Simon Grayson
Fleetwood Town made yet another significant loss of £4.85 million in the 2019-20 financial year to add to an even more spectacular loss of £6.04 million in 2018-19. Most of that relates to an eyewatering wage bill for such a small club of £6.47 million against turnover of just £4.4 million.
The latest loss takes net liabilities to an incredible £20.28 million, and the impact of Covid will undoubtedly make those numbers far worse once the 2020-21 accounts are published. The club now owes £25.28 million to creditors within one year, £21.6 million of which is owed to companies controlled by owner Andy Pilley (largely through informal loan agreements). Whilst Pilley has pledged his continuing support by not calling those debts in until the club is able to pay them, Fleetwood Town continues to operate beyond its means.
Further losses will have to be covered by Pilley in the same way, but it appears that the gravy train may have ground to a halt at last. A recent change in financial direction was underlined in early July when the EFL placed the club under a transfer embargo relating to the terms of the monitored loan agreement. Whilst not a complete embargo, it limits which players can be signed and how they can be paid for. Squad size is limited to 23 players and the club cannot pay transfer fees or top up the wages of a player on loan, thereby restricting which players can be signed. Contracts are limited to one year only, with loans limited to six months.
As for 2020-21, it was a strange season in more ways than the obvious one. Only three sides in League One conceded fewer goals than Fleetwood last season, yet they could only finish fifteenth. Conversely, only three sides scored fewer goals than the Cods, suggesting that they could return to the competitive end of the table if Grayson can solve the obvious goalscoring problem. However, those company accounts may be casting a shadow over transfer dealings if progress to date is anything to go by. A number of higher wage earners departed via the retained list in May, largely replaced by loans and fringe players from other clubs. The experienced Anthony Pilkington returns to English football from a spell in India while Tom Clarke has spent the majority of his career in the Championship and League One. Lincoln supporters will be interested to see how Callum Morton gets on over a full season and new strike partner Ryan Edmondson also spent a short time in League One last season with Northampton.
The appeal of Simon Grayson to League One clubs is clear, with four promotions to the Championship on his cv (Blackpool 2007, Leeds 2010, Huddersfield 2012, Preston 2015). With the exception of a solitary game as caretaker manager of Kendal Town last season, Grayson’s entire managerial career has been spent in the second and third tiers. However, he was not successful in his last two League One jobs (Bradford and Blackpool again) and will be eager to avoid a hat-trick of failures. Given the financial position at Fleetwood now, it would take something special to add a fifth promotion to his collection.
At the bookies (Sky Bet): 18/1
Prediction: Bottom eight
GILLINGHAM
Last season: 10th
P46 W19 D10 L17 F63 A60 Pts67
Chairman/owner: Paul Scally, 65 (appointed May 1995)
Manager: Steve Evans, 58 (appointed June 2019)
Steve Evans’ managerial record:
League games only – play-offs and cup games not included.
Players out (7):
Goalkeepers (2):
Jack Bonham, 27 (Stoke City)
Sacha Bastien, 26 (Stevenage)
Defenders (1):
Connor Ogilvie, 25 (Portsmouth)
Midfielders (3):
Jordan Graham, 26 (Birmingham City)
Matty Willock, 24 (Salford City)
Tyreke Johnson, 22 (Woking)
Forwards (1):
Dominic Samuel, 27 (Ross County)
Players in (10):
Goalkeepers (2):
Aaron Chapman, 31 (Motherwell)
Jamie Cumming, 21 (Chelsea – season loan)
Defenders (3):
Rhys Bennett, 29 (Carlisle United)
Max Ehmer, 29 (Bristol Rovers)
David Tutonda, 25 (Bristol Rovers)
Midfielders (5):
Mustapha Carayol, 32 (free agent)
Olly Lee, 30 (Heart of Midlothian)
Danny Lloyd, 29 (Tranmere Rovers)
Ben Reeves, 29 (Plymouth Argyle)
Daniel Phillips, 20 (Watford – season loan)
Forwards ():
Average age of players out: 25
Average age of players in: 27
Number of players in squad: 21
Player of the Season 2020-21: Kyle Dempsey, 25 (central midfielder)
One to watch: Steve Evans, 58 (manager)
Season ticket sales: not disclosed
Ground capacity: 11,582
Visiting supporter capacity: 1,700 (all seated)
Pre-season:
P5 W1 D2 L2 F6 A11
10/7 Welling United A 3-3 Lloyd, Oliver, Akinde
24/7 Colchester United A 2-0 Reeves, Tucker
27/7 MILLWALL H 1-1 Dempsey
31/7 Leyton Orient A 0-2
3/8 Norwich City A 0-5
Commentary: Departures, AWOL Accounts And An Embargo For Evans
“Our task to improve on last season’s 10th place finish is a huge ask given the resources, but we will be organised, efficient and we will also have a number of exceptional players in our squad. We will find a way to be competitive; the challenge is exciting in a league that many are now describing as a Championship 2. We have made a few decent signings and I am sure time will tell with a couple that I am a better judge of a player than some others.” – Gillingham manager Steve Evans
Whilst supporters may tire of hearing Steve Evans play the budget card again, financial challenges certainly abounded at Priestfield during the summer. In one of his regular open letters to supporters, Gillingham chairman Paul Scally apologised for being unable to offer any kind of season ticket refunds or discounts due to the club’s financial position and called on supporters to display goodwill instead of resorting to legal process. Any supporter insisting on a refund will receive the money over three years. The club shop was closed in favour of online sales only, and a new ticketing partner has been chosen to assist the move towards cashless trading. Season tickets did not go on sale until 9 July due to technical issues and the uncertainty surrounding the return of supporters.
Gillingham were one of several League One clubs to submit their accounts late for the 2019-20 financial year. The EFL imposed a transfer embargo on the club in early July due partly to those overdue accounts and partly to the terms relating to the monitored loan agreement. Squad size is limited to 23 players and the Gills cannot pay transfer fees or top up the wages of a player on loan, thereby restricting which players can be signed. Contracts are limited to one year only, with loans limited to six months.
Further to the retained list, former Imp John Akinde and Christian Maghoma were made available for transfer, probably as an economy measure. To compound matters, key players Jordan Graham, Connor Ogilvie and Jack Bonham all departed after rejecting new contract offers, leaving Evans to rebuild the heart of his side again. Replacements look less inspiring, coming largely from the lower reaches of League One downwards. Old favourite Max Ehmer has returned from relegated Bristol Rovers while former loanee Olly Lee has signed permanently from Hearts. Another former Imp Danny Lloyd joins from Tranmere, presumably the replacement for Jordan Graham. One signing of interest for Lincoln fans is Mustapha Carayol, now 33 and without a club for the last year. All in all, this season promises more of the same from Gillingham, although Evans’ uncompromising style of play possibly exists to maximise the limited quality at his disposal.
Pre-season preparations were further hampered by several members of the squad testing positive for Covid, necessitating the cancellation of two friendlies. On this occasion, Steve Evans may be right: against such an unpromising start to the season, he will need to prove his claim of being a better judge of players if Gillingham are to maintain their mid-table status this time around.
At the bookies (Sky Bet): 16/1
Prediction: Lower mid-table
IPSWICH TOWN
Last season: 9th
P46 W19 D12 L15 F46 A46 Pts69
Owner: Gamechanger 20 Ltd
Chairman: Michael O’Leary, 68 (appointed April 2021)
Manager: Paul Cook, 54 (appointed March 2021)
Paul Cook’s managerial record:
League games only – play-offs and cup games not included.
Players out (22):
Goalkeepers (3):
David Cornell, 30 (Peterborough United)
Harry Wright, 22 (Fleetwood Town)
Adam Przybek, 21 (Wycombe Wanderers)
Defenders (3):
Luke Chambers, 35 (Colchester United)
Stephen Ward, 35 (Walsall)
James Wilson, 32 (Plymouth Argyle)
Midfielders (10):
Cole Skuse, 35 (Colchester United)
Alan Judge, 32 (Colchester United)
Gwion Edwards, 27 (Wigan Athletic)
Emyr Huws, 27 (on trial with Doncaster Rovers)
Teddy Bishop, 25 (Lincoln City)
Andre Dozzell, 22 (Queens Park Rangers)
Jack Lankester, 21 (Cambridge United)
Tristan Nydam, 21
Allan Viral, 19
Liam Gibbs, 18 (Norwich City)
Forwards (6):
Freddie Sears, 31 (Colchester United)
Oli Hawkins, 29 (Mansfield Town)
Aaron Drinan, 23 (Leyton Orient)
Ben Folami, 21 (Melbourne Victory – Australia)
Kai Brown, 20
Zak Brown, 20
Players in (14):
Goalkeepers (1):
Václav Hladký, 30 (Salford City)
Defenders (2):
Matt Penney, 23 (Sheffield Wednesday)
George Edmundson, 23 (Glasgow Rangers)
Midfielders (5):
Lee Evans, 27 (Wigan Athletic)
Scott Fraser, 26 (Milton Keynes Dons)
Kyle Edwards, 23 (West Bromwich Albion)
Rekeem Harper, 21 (West Bromwich Albion)
Callum Page, 19 (Needham Market)
Forwards (6):
Sone Aluko, 32 (Reading)
Joe Pigott, 27 (AFC Wimbledon)
Wes Burns, 26 (Fleetwood Town)
Macauley Bonne, 25 (Queens Park Rangers – season loan)
Conor Chaplin, 24 (Barnsley)
Louie Barry, 18 (Aston Villa – season loan)
Average age of players out: 26
Average age of players in: 24
Number of players in squad: 26
Player of the Season 2020-21: James Wilson, 32 (central defender) no longer with club
One to watch: Scott Fraser, 26 (attacking midfielder)
Season ticket sales: 12,500
Ground capacity: 30,311
Visiting supporter capacity: 1,900 (all seated)
Pre-season:
P5 W1 D2 L2 F5 A8
10/7 Dartford A 1-0 Chirewa
13/7 Bury Town A 1-1 Humphreys
24/7 CRYSTAL PALACE H 0-1
27/7 Colchester United A 3-3 Pigott, Bonne, Burns
31/7 MILLWALL H 0-3
Commentary: Paul Cooks The Books At Portman Road
“There may have been some concerns from the supporters following the drastic action at the end of last season, but we are starting to build a new team and that can be a slow process. We’re looking to bring quality into the club and I am really delighted with what we have done so far. We were in a difficult position with where we finished last season, so naturally there was unhappiness around the club. I think the supporters will be pleased to hear that we are going through every detail in terms of recruitment. To make a good team you need a mix of experience, youth, energy, goals – there are a lot of factors. We’ve had meetings with the board and Mark Ashton [CEO] and we are aligned in what we want to do.” – Ipswich manager Paul Cook
It is all change at Ipswich Town at last with the takeover by Gamechanger 20 Ltd in April 2021. The natives had become restless after thirteen years under Marcus Evans, a period considered by many to consist largely of stagnation and eventual relegation. That will not be acceptable to the club’s new American owners who have already set their sights on an immediate return to the Championship and beyond.
On the field, the need for significant change was abundantly clear. If there ever can be a dictionary definition of a boring season, Ipswich Town delivered it in spades in 2020-21 with just 46 goals scored and 46 conceded in 46 games. For the second season in succession, Ipswich started the season well but faded disastrously to finish in mid-table. Lambert eventually paid the price but the arrival of Paul Cook came too late to revive the promotion challenge.
Ipswich’s lack of success in recent seasons can be attributed to several factors but without doubt there is a track record of poor recruitment. Lambert had remained loyal to his relegated and ageing Championship failures, and that error was visible on the pitch in terms of some pedestrian performances. New manager Paul Cook took immediate steps this summer to reduce the average age and inject some pace and energy into a notoriously lethargic squad. Co-owner Brett Johnson reported in June that Cook was likely to retain around 10% of the club’s roster, and that has proved to be almost correct – an astonishing twenty-two players have been moved on as Cook cleared the decks for a serious assault on League One.
Incomings have been impressive with arrivals from the Championship supported by some of the better players in League One. Given the financial backing from Gamechanger, that is no surprise. The fee for George Edmundson is rumoured to be in the region of £750,000 rising to £1.5m. A similar fee has been suggested for Conor Chaplin, and Scott Fraser and Rekeem Harper would not have been cheap either. Joe Pigott scored 20 in League One last season for a poor AFC Wimbledon team while Macauley Bonne returns to League One on loan from QPR. They are all very good players for the third tier, but can Cook now mould them into an effective team?
Optimism is high, with season ticket sales the best for six years, and Cook has undoubtedly built one of the best squads in the division. Cynics will point to the vast financial backing he has been given, although Cook suggests it has been funded by the high number of departures. However, the continued presence of some big clubs in League One proves that money does not necessarily buy success: it depends on who is spending it and whom it is spent on. In this case, the manager has a good track record when given a good budget and he has spent it well. On that basis, Ipswich must be favourites for the title.
At the bookies (Sky Bet): 2/1 second favourites
Prediction: Champions
Writer: Scotimp
Vital Lincoln City – League One Season Preview 2021-22:
Part One:https://t.co/7O7KDkEsTh#BWFC #CAFC #ITFC
— Vital Lincoln City (@VitalLincoln) August 12, 2021
