At the start of the season I expected both the teams that eventually won promotion to be in the mix along with Kidderminster, FGR & of course GTFC. I don't think anyone would have predicted Gateshead (booo) or Halifax to make the play offs or Nuneaton and Alfreton to challenge for the majority of the season.
At the bottom we lose Hyde, Dartford, Tamworth and Chester.
We can now look forward to a summer of mounting excitement before the new season kicks off in August. We welcome, from the football league: Torquay and Bristol Rovers and the promoted sides, Altrincham, AFC Telford, Dover and Eastleigh.
Its early days for predictions as we don't know the make up of any of the sides but at a guess I'd suggest Kidderminster, Barnet, FGR and The Mariners will be in the mix.
Mariners-wise, the (re)signing this week of player of the year James McKeown and skipper Craig Disley is a big boost and I hope we can get a pacy, powerful striker who can finish. I guess that is much easier to say than deliver and maybe someone raw released by clubs higher up the pyramid could be worth a gamble?
On the wings, with Alex Rodman moving on to pastures new and at the time of writing no news on Scott Neilson, I hope we can get some genuine pace into the side. Athleticism plays a big part in this league and maybe a pre-season with a strength and conditioning professional would also prove a sound investment.
Looking at the message boards it is interesting to see the suggestion about the possibility of bringing in a couple of season-long loans from Premiership/Championship. This would potentially add some quality but also may have drawbacks. It is unlikely anyone would be sent out on loan until the eve of the season starting at the earliest so no real time to bed in and Paul Hurst would need to be satisfied that the loanee would be physically strong enough. Personally i think this, in principle is a great idea, could be cheap too, but feel someone 21 or thereabouts rather than an 18 year old. It will be interesting to see how things pan out.
Roll on August!!! UTM!
(P.s. Enjoy the World Cup this summer! See this blog on the joy of sticker albums!! http://toogoodtogodown.wordpress.com/2014/05/16/you-stick-them-here-you-stick-them-there-my-obsession-with-paninis-new-world-cup-collection/ )