Football Season Guide

The Robins endured a season to forget on their return to the Football League last year. They avoided relegation back to the non-league by just four points and experienced manager Gary Johnson has looked to strengthen his squad over the summer. He will be relieved to be back at Whaddon Road having recovered from heart surgery and will be hoping the problems with the playing surface to be solved following renovations this summer. Like most League Two clubs he has been unable to hold onto leading goalscorer Billy Waters, with the Robins’ player of the season opting instead to join Northampton Town. He is one of a whole host of players who have left the club this summer, with the rest deemed surplus to requirements. He might not be the last key figure to leave however, with the club having already rejected unwanted interest in influential midfielder Harry Pell. They face a battle to keep him before the transfer window closes at the end of August. Defender, Daniel O’Shaughnessy, midfielder Kyle Storer and striker Danny Wright have survived Johnson’s cull of the National League title-winning squad as they all have signed new one-year deals this summer. Johnson will be hoping to have sorted out the goalkeeping situation with Jonathan Flatt joining on a season-long loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers and he will be pleased with the capture of winger Kevin Dawson from Yeovil Town. Midfielder, Nigel Atangana, will add bite in the centre of the park after signing from relegated Leyton Orient whilst Johnson has opted to go for potential in attack with the arrivals of Mohamed Eisa from non-league Greenwich Borough and Jerrell Sellars from Aston Villa. Both are youngsters who have precious little experience of League football and they will have to find their feet quickly if the club are to avoid another battle for survival in 2017/18.