Football Season Guide

The Reds go into the new season with cautious optimism having enjoyed an unusual summer. The last two years have seen bigger clubs raid the Crown Ground for their best players and the club have been unable to prevent departures but this time it has been different. They have suffered only one notable departure with striker Shay McCartan, voted player of the season in 2016/17, having moved on to pastures new. The ever-reliable and versatile Romuald Boco and striker Terry Gornell have both been allowed to leave the club during the close season. Coleman will again be working with one of the lowest average attendances and budgets in the division. He does now have the support of owner Andy Holt, which loosens the constraints placed upon him but is likely to rely on his tried and tested formula of uncovering rough diamonds discarded by other clubs. One of those could be midfielder Liam Nolan, signed from relegated National League side Southport. He also seems keen on Portuguese winger Erico Sousa who has signed a permanent deal, having been thwarted by registration issues earlier in the year. Striker, Kayden Jackson, has also joined on a permanent deal from Barnsley and is likely to partner last season’s leading goalscorer Billy Kee in attack. Defender, Janoi Donacien, midfielder, Seamus Connelly, and winger, Sean McConville, have all signed new two-year deals this summer. Coleman will be pleased to have held on to defender, Matty Pearson, despite being linked with a host of clubs during the summer so the manager now has a strong and established spine to his team. He appears to be content with Aaron Chapman in goal despite having replaced him with a loan goalkeeper for the second half of last season. However, he still could bring in another goalkeeper for competition before the end of this summer’s transfer window. He will still want to add to his squad if they are to be play-off challengers again next time around.