Football Season Guide

Woking had a rather satisfying last season in the Conference and only a poor start denied them the chance of a proper play-off push in the closing stages of the season. The Surrey outfit were one of the better teams in the second half of the season, boosted by some quality loan signings, and definitely go into the new season with some momentum behind them. Garry Hill has developed a very bright and lively team that plays on the deck and likes to attack all the time. Garry Hill has sought to keep the balance of the squad and the transfer activity has been mostly limited compared to the other teams in the league. Sam Beasant moved to Stevenage over the summer and is the one significant loss from the starting 11. Yet, Jake Cole is a very experienced replacement on goal and Woking are unlikely to lose too much in this department. Moreover, they added depth to the squad by signing James Clarke and Theo Lewis from the troubled Salisbury. Clarke is one of the more promising defenders in the league and will be a great presence if he settles in quickly. Lewis is a livewire of a winger and should complement well with the highly experienced Kevin Betsy. Moreover, Kieran Murtagh is staying on a permanent deal for the next season after impressing on loan last year. He is great on the ball and gives the team great rhythm in the middle of the park. He and Josh Payne form one of the best midfield pairings in the league. Scott Rendell is to start as the lead striker but he is not too prolific and now there is no Jack Marriott, back at his parent club, to provide a foil for him. Yet, that is a minor handicap for a quality Woking side that has the depth and trickery to challenge at the top end of the table. Whether they have the right mentality to stand the course is another matter though and they are likely to settle for a place in the top ten.