Football Season Guide

Forfar have seen their squad overhauled in the summer, with seven players who would regularly make up the first team departing since the season ended in March. Jordan Kirkpatrick and centre-back Michael Travis are the most obvious blows in this regard, with the former providing creativity going forward and the latter a stable presence at the back. However, they have made a raft of new additions that should serve to fill these gaps. Steven Anderson is the most notable arrival in the defence, though he is coming off a long-term injury and Forfar’s plastic pitch is unlikely to do him too many favours. If he can stay fit, he will be a huge asset. In midfield, Forfar have added two players who have previously done well at League 1 level on loan in the form of Chris Antoniazzi and Mark Hill. The former is a creative attacking midfielder while the latter is a box-to-box player and will expect to be one of their key players over the course of the season. Aside from winger Bobby Barr, Forfar will be very young in the centre of the park – a sharp contrast to last season – and are gambling on Archie Thomas and Daniel Scally making the step up from League 2 football successfully. In attack, there have been wholesale changes, with five of the six forward players on their books new arrivals in the summer. Steven Doris did well last term and will primarily be supplemented by Scott Shepherd and Jordan Allan, two more who are making the step up from the basement league. Shepherd blew hot and cold for Edinburgh City last season but should be a capable player at this standing, while youngster John Robertson is one of four youths who have been drafted in from Premiership clubs.