Football Season Guide

Woking can look back on a satisfying first campaign back in the Conference Premier after promotion in which they illuminated the league with some dazzling football and showed the rest of the league that results can be secured even with enterprising style, centred around possession and the ball being kept on the deck. Garry Hill deserves credit for sticking to his principles on that and now will see further improvement from his side and a better finish in the table than last season. It has been all so quiet in the transfer market, however, for the Cards who have signed only Gavin Williams and Josh Payne. Both are very impressive signings though with the former part of the Yeovil's promotion-winning side from last season and with bags of Football League experience. Payne lost his way after being a big talent at West Ham and had a bad year at Oxford last season but he undoubtedly has the quality to fill the void left by Billy Knott, the mercurial Sunderland youngsters who had a loan spell last season and illuminated Woking's games. The defence is kept pretty much the same but the lack of attacking options is a major concern at the moment with just a week of the new season left. Brett Williams, Bradley Bubb, Jayden Stockley and Loick Pires have all left after their end of their loan spells or after being sold to other clubs and no striker has been signed up. Giuseppe Sole is back after an year on the sidelines and offers an option up front but the lack of fitness is an issue with him. John Akinde is expected to sign before the start of the season after doing well on trial but still at least another one or two players are needed up front. Hill can be mildly confident ahead of the start of the season though as Woking have developed a good style of play last season and with Lee Sawyer, Kevin Betsy and Mark Ricketts around and Williams and Payne added to it, they boast a very good midfield than can keep Woking in good stead.