Football Season Guide

Altrincham return to the Conference Premier this season after securing a well-earned promotion back to the league in which they last played in 2011. The team from Manchestershire has failed in previous attempts but Lee Sinnott eventually moulded a strong side that held its nerve until the end and eventually got the better of Guiseley in the play-offs to secure a ticker to the upper division. Altrincham were not close to the top places for most of the season but did play as well any side in the Conference North in the business end of the campaign and that momentum eventually carried them through until the end. The team does not boast too many players of note but in Damien Reeves and Kyle Perry they boasted some of the best attackers in the league last season. There was also the prolific James Walshaw but he will not be staying on for the upcoming season as he decided to stay in the Conference North with Harrogate. He is the one significant loss to the squad over the summer but Sinnott has made a few impressive signings that will definitely bolster the overall quality of the squad. Peter Cavanagh is a very experienced and versatile player who comes from Rochdale and will be a major asset in the Conference Premier. Moreover, Steven Gillespie and Ryan Crowther look like fine captures as well and should also lift the level of the team as a whole. The team chemistry and understanding is very impressive too and Altrincham should not be too troubled about staying up in the league as a whole. They will rely on their experienced heads and free-scoring strikers but one concern could be the relative lack of cover and quality in defence. Still, Alty should have enough to stay up overall.