Football Season Guide

National League
England
National League
2015/2016
Gateshead
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Gateshead

In


Nathan Buddle (def), Carlisle), Josh Gillies (mid), Carlisle), Simon Ramsden (def), Motherwell), Sam Russell (gk), Forest Green), Danny Johnson (att), Cardiff), Jimmy Phillips (mid), Burton), James Marwood (mid), Forest Green), Patrick McLaughlin (mid), Grimsby), Ryan Bowman (att), Torquay), River Allen (mid), Plymouth)

Out


Michael Rankine (sp)(att), Altrincham), Valentin Gjokaj (r)(def), Tom Allan (sp)(def), Alfreton), Phil Turnbull (r)(mid), Darlington), Adam Bartlett (r)(gk), Hartlepool), Carl Finnigan (sp)(att), Alex Rodman (r)(mid), Newport County), Ryan Wilson (sp)(def), Alfreton), Andrai Jones (sp)(def), Southport), Alex Baird (sp)(gk), Kevin Saint-Lunce (sp)(mid), Jonathan O’Donnell (r)(mid), Jake Orrell (sp)(att), Chesterfield), Josh Oster (r)(mid), retired), Matty Robson (sp)(def), Carlisle - end of loan), Adam Campbell (r)(att), Newcastle - end of loan)

It has been the summer of change for Gateshead as they look forward to the upcoming campaign with a new manager and a vastly different squad to the one that finished the previous one. Gary Mills has done some wonderful things in Tyneside over the past two seasons and established the team as a real force to be reckoned with at the top end of the table. But the failure to reach the play-offs for a second season running, despite a tight battle until the end, persuaded him to pursue a different challenge and turn his back on the Heed. The choice of a replacement was an eye-catching and certainly not an orthodox one as Malcolm Crosby was coaxed to take up his first managerial position in over 20 years. The former Sunderland player is most famous for leading the Black Cats into a FA Cup final just six months into his caretaker tenure all the way back in 1993. Since then, Crosby has worked as a youth coach, scout and various other positions in a multitude of clubs. He was not expected to return to the pressure-cooked of first-team management at the age of 61 but accepted the proposition of the Gateshead chairman to take over the local club. It certainly makes the Heed an intruding club to follow for the coming season and there has been lots of turnover among the players. Established members of the squad like Phil Turnbull, Adam Bartlett and John Oster will not be around anymore and they definitely leave a big gap to be filled. Alex Rodman is another of the more notable departures as he took up the offer to join Newport County in League two. But Gateshead bought well too and players like Ryan Bowman, Simon Ramsende, James Marwood and Sam Russell all look like superb additions to any non-league side. Marwood struggled in the past year but is now back to the club where he excelled in 2013-14, while Russell is one of the best keepers in the division and it could be argued that he is an upgrade on Bartlett. Jimmy Phillips and Josh Gillies are potentially excellent signings too as the latter is back to the club he left two seasons ago. The big question mark is how the team will adapt to the new man in charge and whether they can gel quickly. If they do, there is no reason why the Heed should not be among the play-off contenders.

Target


Have the capacity to challenge for the play-offs but a top-10 finish is more realistic.