In a League Two that may be viewed as somewhat weaker than usual, many teams will be hoping to win the championship or even just get promoted this season.
It is reasonable to state that the league lost a few relatively “big” teams, all of whom were promoted the previous year. Wrexham’s finances and transfer budget have been well-documented, and the club is now in a position to really challenge in the third tier, while Mansfield Town have been knocking on the door for a number of years. Stockport County, on the other hand, were only a kick away from promotion the season before and rightfully took the title.
Though Crawley Town was among the best teams in the division for the second half of the season, there are some slight doubts about them. They look up against it in League One, just like any team that gains promotion through the play-offs—just look at Carlisle United the previous season. The focus now shifts to the four teams that were demoted from the third division after three, possibly four, notable teams were promoted.
Carlisle and Fleetwood Town both had extremely difficult seasons last year, but improvements are anticipated. However, there are uncertainties surrounding both teams. The roster of Cheltenham Town has been completely dismantled in the transfer window, and it doesn’t appear like a team that will be vying for promotion in the upcoming campaign. The other side that was demoted was Port Vale, who actually placed lower than both Fleetwood and Cheltenham in the previous campaign. However, the Valiants appear to have the best chance of being promoted back into England’s third division right away.
It was evident that the future was a priority as soon as Darren Moore assumed leadership of the team in the middle of February. That may have had something to do with the five-and-a-half-year contract he was given, but there still appears to be a distinct sense of direction. Though, to be fair, Moore was never given the opportunity to bring in the players he desired, he was unable to keep Vale up and they did not significantly improve under his leadership.
But with the summer transfer window now open, it’s reasonable to argue that, from a player’s standpoint, the club has undergone a significant transformation. This is true even though, as of this writing, only seven players from the team from the previous season are still with the team. They are Lewis Cass, Ryan Loft, Alex Iacovitti, Jayson Leutwiler, Gavin Massey, James Wilson, and Uche Ikpeazu.
Even though that list includes one or two respectable names, the importance of the arrivals this summer far exceeds the departures.
George Byers’ signing is a significant coup, and his move from Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship to League Two was a complete surprise. There is definitely movement at the Valiants, as they were able to sign him before Oxford United.
Although Byers, who has played in the Championship for teams like Wednesday and Swansea City for the majority of his career, is undoubtedly the name that will make headlines, their business is much more complex than just signing the 28-year-old.
The addition of Ryan Croasdale, who recently won the League Two championship with Stockport County, and former promotion winner Connor Hall, who may not have had the best season with Colchester United but did have a successful run with the team in the past, has added a wealth of experience to the Valiants’ roster. Even without considering the new attacking options, the window could already be deemed successful with the addition of Ben Amos and Sam Hart.
With the addition of Ronan Curtis, Jayden Stockley, Ruari Paton, and Lorent Tolaj this summer, the forward positions have undergone the most change of any.
The fact that Curtis did not return to League One following his impressive season-ending recovery from a serious injury and AFC Wimbledon came as a bit of a surprise. He is another experienced player who can be among the league’s most exciting on his day. The same can be said for Jayden Stockley, who joins from Fleetwood, a rival team, and the attack appears to be extremely deadly already.
Furthermore, with the addition of young players Ruari Paton and Lorent Tolaj, the forward line’s future appears to be taking shape. The former scored 17 goals for Queens Park in the Scottish Championship last season, while the latter scored 27 goals for Aldershot in the National League and may still have unrealized potential despite a failed league stint with Salford City.
A club’s goals and structure can occasionally change following relegation; Forest Green Rovers is one such example. That’s not the case at Vale Park, and it’s obvious that they want to return to the third division right away.
It might take some time for the squad to chemistry with all of the new members. Preseason action hasn’t exactly been spectacular for them; they’ve drawn with Rushall Olympic, defeated Newcastle Town, and lost to Coventry City, Leek Town, and most recently, Bath City. However, it’s important to keep in mind that this is only preseason.
Moore has spent this time experimenting with various lineups and configurations, so heading into their final practice matches, they should have a better idea of what to do.
Given the number of players who have arrived at Vale Park and the fact that they are getting used to life in League Two again, don’t be shocked if they have a slow start to the upcoming season. However, based on their first five games—against Salford City, Tranmere Rovers, Barrow, Doncaster Rovers, and Newport County—they could get off to a strong start and end up as the favourites.
There are many positive aspects of the current project, and their transfer market is arguably the best in League Two, even though Chesterfield isn’t considered the current favourites. Now, everything revolves around watching these goals be realised on the pitch, and supporters are expecting a much more pleasurable season than the one they had the previous one.
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