Football Season Guide

Cheltenham are back into the mire of non-league football for a first time since 1999 after enduring a very difficult and tumultuous last season that logically concluded with relegation. It was a struggle from the start for the Robins as Mark Yeates could not get the team going at all and was sacked by November. The club only descended into further farce after that as Paul Bucke would last less than 90 days on the job after being put as a replacement. The constant turnover of players meant that results remained poor and Cheltenham only realised their mistake by March, appointing Gary Johnson with the hope to save them. The hugely experienced manager tried to reverse the already unstoppable decline but it was all in vain as five losses and a single win in seven games sealed the club’s demise. While relegation out of the Football League is painful and initially comes as a shock, the bridge between League Two and Conference has been narrowing in recent years and it is unlikely to be that big a culture shock for the Robins. Moreover, Johnson now had time to take out a full pre-season and is well prepared to lead the team to the new division. Still, it will be a hard task for the Gloucestershire side and there will be definitely some downs and disappointments over the coming months as a newly-assembled squad experiences growing pains. Almost all of the regulars from last year are now gone and Johnson opted for a mix of young talent and proven non-league players to mould the team. Danny Parslow, Jack Bertram Billy Waters and Amari Morgan-Smith are the most impressive singings of the summer as they all come from various Football League sides and have the quality to lift the overall level. On the other hand, some of the additions are pretty average and one has to wonder how much time Cheltenham will need to gel. All in all, they are set for a tough season ahead and getting even into the play-offs may be too much of an ask in a highly competitive league.