Football Season Guide

Scunthorpe United suffered a dreadful second-half to last season which resulted in relegation from League One. Owner Peter Swann has to take much of the responsibility with a trigger-happy approach to managers which saw him sack both Nicky Daws and Stuart McCall whilst appointing Andy Dawson as caretaker on two occasions. The lack of continuity ultimately proved costly with the side winning just one of its final 14 games to fall through the trap door. Swann will be hoping to have made the right appointment this summer with Paul Hurst handed the poisoned chalice having endured a nightmare reign at Ipswich Town. Hurst has started to rebuild the squad with several loanees having left at the end of last season. He won’t have wanted to lose midfielders Funso Ojo and Josh Morris, who opted for moves to pastures new but will be pleased to have kept hold of the likes of midfielder Adam Hammill and strikers Kevin van Veen and Lee Novak, who ought to stand-out in League 2. The capture of experienced defender Andy Butler from Doncaster Rovers looks a shrewd one but Hurst still has work to do in the transfer market if he is to have the Iron pushing for an immediate return to League 1 this season.