Football Season Guide

Forest Green were the bigger underachievers last season as their ambitious transfer campaign failed to yield any significant results and the team petered towards a mid-table finish at the end. Adrian Pennock was brought in as a manager from November on but has not really convinced yet that he is the man to turn the team into a proper contender for promotion. Pennock will be using his first pre-season with Rovers to drill the team better to his tactics and he will be determined to bring good results in the season ahead. There was some impressive transfer activity by Forest Green once again with David Pipe, Sam Wedgbury and James Jennings all looking like useful signings that will bring experience and flexibility to the squad. Jon Parkin is a and dangerous strikers Also, strong players like James Norwood, Marcus Kelly and Eddie Oshodi remain in the team and few can match Rovers’ in the league in terms of overall quality and depth of the squad. That makes them natural contenders but there is lack of winning mentality in the team and the burden of the last two failed campaigns will hang over their heads. Therefore, Forest Green should be considered as outside contenders for the top places and the lack of coherent image and vision for the direction of the club will be a problem. On the other hand, if Pennock manages to make them gel quickly, they will be a real force to be reckoned with and may have too much for the rest of the league. So, Forest Green are one of the most unpredictable sides in the division and will be fascinating to see how the team with biggest budget and most ambitious owner in the league manages to handle the expectation this time around.