Seasonal preview from the
racing post:
ACCRINGTON STANLEY
Manager: John Coleman
Last season: 10th
In: Matt O’Neill (Burnley), Andy Tretton (Hereford), Stuart Jones (Doncaster).
Out: RoryPrendergast (Blackpool), Lee McEvilly (Wrexham), Matt Doughty (Halifax), Steve Halford, Paul Howarth, Steve Flitcroft, Jon Kennedy (all released).
Verdict: Gains and losses are about even, which could leave inconsistent Stanley in no-man’s land again.
ALDERSHOT TOWN
Manager: Terry Brown
Last season: 4th
In: John Brough (Cheltenham).
Out: Will Antwi (Wycombe), Jon Challinor (Exeter), Tyron Smith (Farnborough), Chris Giles (Crawley), Brett Johnson (Northampton, Undisc), Roscoe D’Sane, Phil Warner, Dwain Clarke, Ray Warburton (all released).
Verdict: Brown is leaving his signings late and repeating play-off runs of last two years looks a touch ambitious.
ALTRINCHAM
Manager: Graham Heathcote
Last season: 5th in Conference North
In: James Olsen (Vauxhall Motors), Peter Band (Northwich), Karl Munroe (Northwich), Lutel James (free agent).
Out: Richard Acton (TNS), Andy Duncan, Gavin Salmon, Paul Tilley, Wes Wilkinson (all released).
Verdict: Only fifth in Conference North last year and small budget suggests drop is on the agenda.
BURTON ALBION
Manager: Nigel Clough
Last season: 16th
In: Shaun Harrad (Notts Co), Andy Todd (Hucknall).
Out: Laurie Wilson (Kidderminster), Sam Shilton (Hinckley), Michael Alexis, Glenn Kirkwood (both released).
Verdict: Young Nigel was under fire last year but mid-table progress seems likely at their new Pirelli Stadium.
CAMBRIDGE UNITED
Manager: Rob Newman
Last season: 24th in League Two
In: None
Out: John Ruddy (Everton, £250,000), Daniel Chillingworth (Rushden), Justin Walker (Chester), Shane Tudor (Orient), Tom Newey (Grimsby), Adam Tann, Matt Somner (both released)
Verdict: Squad is being thrown together after club’s survival was secured. Staying up would suit fine.
CANVEY ISLAND
Manager: Jeff King
Last season: 18th
In: Nathan Bunce (Gravesend).
Out: Ollie Berquez (Stevenage), Junior McDougald, Neil Midgley, Peter Smith, Tom Williamson (all released).
Verdict: Made heavy weather of first season in Conference and a bottom-third finish beckons once more.
CRAWLEY TOWN
Manager: Francis Vines
Last season: 12th
In: Lee Elam (Morecambe), Richard Hodgson (Cambridge), Chris Giles (Aldershot), Danny Brown (Oxford).
Out: Scott Gooding (Gravesend), Andy Little (AFC Wimbledon), Sean Hankin (Lewes), Charlie Mapes (Yeading).
Verdict: Faded after surprising start last term but could threaten play-offs if they discover a regular goalscorer.
DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE
Manager: John Still
Last season: 11th
In: Tresor Kandol (Thurrock, nominal), Sam Saunders (Carshalton), Rambir Marwa (St Albans).
Out: Jack Midson (Bishop’s Stortford), Tony Boot, Mark Janney (released).
Verdict: Young side improved throughout last season and another top-half finish is not beyond them.
EXETER
Manager: Alex Inglethorpe
Last season: 6th
In: Paul Jones (Orient), Jon Challinor (Aldershot), Billy Jones (Kidderminster).
Out: Gareth Sheldon (Kidderminster), Sean Devine (NZ Knights), Kwame Ampadu, Sean Canham (released).
Verdict: FA Cup exploits will count for nothing this year and it’s hard to justify their cramped odds.
FOREST GREEN ROVERS
Manager: Gary Owers
Last season: 20th
In: Alex Meechan (Halifax), Abdou Sall (Kidderminster), Sekani Simpson (Bristol C), Paul Wanless (Oxford).
Out: Stuart Roberts (Aberystwyth), Julian Alsop (Tamworth), Jimmy Turner, Hugh McAuley (all Tamworth).
Verdict: Saved by Northwich’s demise last time but another battle at the bottom seems a near certainty.
GRAVESEND & NORTHFLEET
Manager: Liam Daish
Last season: 14th
In: Bobby Bowry (Colchester), James Smith & Danny Slatter (Welling), Scott Gooding (Crawley), Charlie MacDonald (Weymouth).
Out: LeeGledhill & Jamie Pinnock (Welling), Jean-Michel Sigere, Roy Essandoh, Paul Wilkerson (released).
Verdict: Solid side unlikely to get involved for any length of time at either end of the table.
GRAYS ATHLETIC
Manager: Mark Stimson
Last season: 1st in Conference South
In: Jamie Slabber & Nicolas Eyre (Spurs), Andy Sambrook (Rushden).
Out: Mitchell Cole (Southend, undisc), Steve Robinson (released).
Verdict: Potential to shock in their first year, but a promotion bid is surely asking toomuch.
HALIFAX TOWN
Manager: Chris Wilder
Last season: 9th
In: Peter Atherton & Wayne Jacobs (Bradford), Gary Brabin (Witton), Lee Butler (Alfreton).
Out: Sean McAuley, Chris Clarke, Steve Croudson, Dean Howell, Ryan Mallon, Alex Meechan, Neil Ross (released).
Verdict: Excellent manager had them flying high last season but Dad’s Army of summer signings don’t appeal.
HEREFORD UNITED
Manager: Graham Turner
Last season: 2nd
In: Dean Beckwith (Gillingham), Alex Jeannin (Exeter), Jon Brady (Stevenage), Wayne Brown (Chester, loan), Guy Ipoua (Doncaster), Stacy Coldicott (Grimsby).
Out: Andrew Tretton (Accrington), Mark Robinson (Stockport), Danny Williams (Stevenage), Graham Hyde, Lee Mills, Ben Scott (released).
Verdict: Bridesmaids for the past two seasons but there’s little value in their price to make it third time lucky.
KIDDERMINSTER
Manager: Stuart Watkiss
Last season: 23rd in League Two
In: Gavin Hurran, Martin O’Connor, Lee Thompson (Boston), Gareth Sheldon (Exeter), Michael Blackwood (Lincoln), Terry Fleming (Grimsby), Wayne Evans & Daryl Burgess (Rochdale), Laurie Wilson (Burton), Wayne Graves (Scunthorpe).
Out: Dean Keates (Lincoln).
Verdict: Boardroom wrangling seems to be over and Harriers look likely to fare best of the relegated pair.
MORECAMBE
Manager: Jim Harvey
Last season: 7th
In: None
Out: Lee Elam (Crawley), Iain Swain (Lancaster), Matthew Gregoire, Danny Mahoney, Adam Sollitt (released).
Verdict: Boss knows the league inside-out and the Shrimps could be standing tall at the end of the season.
SCARBOROUGH
Manager: Nick Henry
Last season: 13th
In: Mark Quayle (Northwich), Ian Clark & Chris Hughes (Darlington), Simon Weaver (Kidderminster), Mark Eccles & BrianWake (Gretna, loan), Dave Elebert (Preston, loan).
Out: Mark Hotte (York), Colin Cryan, Ty Thompson, Scott Kerr, Chris Senior, David Pounder, David Reeves (released).
Verdict: Have lost some decent players and a safe bottom-third finish may be the best they can hope for.
SOUTHPORT
Manager: Liam Watson
Last season: 1st in Conference North
In: Robbie Booth (Chester), Matty McGinn (Runcorn).
Out: Chris Price (Stalybridge).
Verdict: Making the step up is never easy and they could need every goal that star man Terry Fearns can muster.
STEVENAGE
Manager: Graham Westley
Last season: 5th
In: Shane Gore (Barnet), Danny Williams (Hereford), Ollie Berquez (Canvey Island).
Out: Mark Westhead (Hyde), Jon Brady (Hereford), Jo Flack (Havant), Craig McAllister (Woking).
Verdict: Actions have to back up their words at some stage and all-round quality suggests a high finish.
TAMWORTH
Manager: Mark Cooper
Last season: 15th
In: Julian Alsop (Forest Green), Hugh McAuley (Aldershot), Mark Gayle, Simon Hollis (Redditch), Graham Ward (Cheltenham).
Out: Dave Robinson (Alfreton), Marcus Ebdon, Ryan Price, Dave Morrison, Mark Turner (released).
Verdict: Solid side are likely to do far better than the relegation market indicates. Should be safe enough.
WOKING
Manager: Glenn Cockerill
Last season: 8th
In: Craig McAllister (Stevenage), Jimmy Aggrey (Bohemians), Lloyd Blackman (Farnborough), Mark Rawle (Kidderminster).
Out: Raphael Nade (Carlisle), Jon Boardman (Rochdale), Luke Oliver (Yeovil), Jefferson Louis (Bristol R), Amos Foyewa, Jamie Gosling (released).
Verdict: Oliver and Boardman are big losses but goal power should be boosted and play-offs are possible.
YORK CITY
Manager: Billy McEwan
Last season: 17th
In: Mark Convery (Darlington), Clayton Donaldson (Hull), James Dudgeon (Worksop), Mark Hotte (Scarborough).
Out: Steve Davis, Adam Arthur, Kane Ashcroft, Matthew Coad, Sean Davies, Kevin Donovan, Paul Groves, Paul Robinson, Shaun Smith (released).
Verdict: Embarrasing first season can be forgotten and McEwan should have few relegation fears this term [/quote]
from
www.racingpost.co.uk
Conference National 05/06
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