Adver Sport looks at Swindon Town's League Two opposition through the reporters who cover each club, with Colchester United through to Forest Green Rovers
NAME/NEWSPAPER – Jon Waldron/Colchester Daily Gazette
CLUB COVERED – Colchester United
CLUB MANAGER – John McGreal
GROUND – Weston Homes Community Stadium
SUMMER SIGNINGS: Ryan Jackson (Gillingham, Free), Rene Gilmartin (Watford, Free), Cole Kpekawa (Barnsley, Undisclosed), Mikael Mandron (Wigan, Undisclosed)
SUMMER DEPARTURES: Chris Porter (Crewe, Free), George Elokobi (Leyton Orient, Free), Richard Brindley (Barnet, Free), Dean Brill (Released), Matt Briggs (Released), Lloyd Doyley (Released), Macauley Bonne (Leyton Orient, Free)
FANS’ EXPECTATIONS: I think most Colchester fans would regard a top-seven finish as a minimum requirement this season, especially after they finished just a point off the play-offs last time around.
ONE TO WATCH: CRAIG SLATER
The Scottish midfielder is highly regarded and tipped for big things after enjoying a productive first season in the EFL last year.
RANDOM FACT ABOUT YOUR CLUB: Colchester are celebrating their 80th birthday, this season.
PREDICTIONS –
UP: Mansfield Town, Luton Town, Notts County, Coventry City
DOWN: Accrington Stanley, Cheltenham Town
NAME/NEWSPAPER – Andy Turner/Coventry Telegraph
CLUB COVERED – Coventry City
CLUB MANAGER – Mark Robins
GROUND – Ricoh Arena
SUMMER SIGNINGS: Liam O'Brien (Portsmouth, Free), Rod McDonald (Northampton, Undisclosed), Dominic Hyam (Reading, Free), Jack Grimmer (Fulham, Free), Michael Doyle (Portsmouth, Free), Liam Kelly (Leyton Orient, Free), Peter Vincenti (Rochdale, Free), Marc McNulty (Sheffield United, Free), Maxime Biamou (Sutton United, Undisclosed).
SUMMER DEPARTURES: Cian Harries (Swansea City, Undisclosed), Gael Bigirimana (Motherwell, Free), Andy Rose (Motherwell, Free), Nathan Clarke (Grimsby, Free), Ruben Lameiras (Plymouth, Free), Vlad Gadzhev (Released), Marcus Tudgay (Released), Kevin Foley (Released), Jack Finch (Released), Jordan Turnbull (Partick Thistle, Loan)
FANS’ EXPECTATIONS: Promotion
ONE TO WATCH: MAX BIAMOU
He is a competitive and athletic striker who is hungry to succeed after getting his big chance in full-time football.
RANDOM FACT ABOUT YOUR CLUB: The Sky Blues have not finished in the top six of any division since 1969/70.
PREDICTIONS –
UP: Mansfield Town, Luton Town, Coventry City, Lincoln City
DOWN: Cheltenham Town, Forest Green
NAME/NEWSPAPER – Graham Carter/Crawley Observer
CLUB COVERED – Crawley Town CLUB
HEAD COACH – Harry Kewell
GROUND – The Checkatrade Stadium
SUMMER SIGNINGS: Dannie Bulman (AFC Wimbledon, Free), Moussa Sanoh (RKC Waalwijk, Free), Cedric Evina (Doncaster Rovers, Loan), Panutche Camara (Dulwich Hamlet, Free), Mark Randall (Newport County, Free), Thomas Verheydt (MVV Maastricht, Undisclosed), Dennon Lewis (Watford, Loan)
SUMMER DEPARTURES: James Collins (Luton Town, Undisclosed), Jason Banton (Woking, Free), Bobson Bawling (Woking, Free), Rhys Murphy (End of loan), Conor Henderson (Released)
FANS’ EXPECTATIONS: Optimistic following appointment in May of former Liverpool and Leeds star Harry Kewell as head coach. Lively showing in pre-season with wins against East Grinstead, Oakwood, Dulwich Hamlet and Bognor Regis Town plus an encouraging draw with strong Chelsea U23s team. Only defeats came against Premier League new boys Brighton plus Portsmouth after having led in the first half.
ONE TO WATCH: PANUTCHE CAMARA
Striker Panutche Camara is a former Barnsley trainee and has impressed with his speed, trickery and goalscoring during pre-season, having netted four times.
RANDOM FACT ABOUT YOUR CLUB: Crawley Town are beginning their seventh season in the Football League after winning the Conference in 2011 under Steve Evans with a record points total.
PREDICTIONS –
UP: Luton Town, Swindon Town, Exeter City, Mansfield Town
DOWN: Cheltenham Town, Yeovil Town
NAME/NEWSPAPER – Peter Morse/Crewe Chronicle
CLUB COVERED – Crewe Alexandra
CLUB MANAGER – David Artell
GROUND – Gresty Road
SUMMER SIGNINGS: Chris Porter (Colchester, Free), Jordan Bowery (Leyton Orient, Free), Eddie Nolan (Blackpool, Free), Brad Walker (Hartlepool United, Undisclosed), Michael Raynes (Carlisle United, Free).
SUMMER DEPARTURES: Ben Nugent (Released), Oliver Turton (Released), John Guthrie (Walsall, Free), Harry Davis (Released) Billy Bingham (Gillingham, Free), Danny Hollands (Eastleigh, Free), Callum Saunders (Released).
FANS’ EXPECTATIONS: Play-offs. After four consecutive seasons of disappointment, a change of manager and impressive-looking summer recruitment has raised hopes and boosted season ticket sales by 10%.
ONE TO WATCH: CALLUM AINLEY
The homegrown 19-year-old midfielder already has nearly 50 appearances under his belt and now looks ready to play a significant role as playmaker and creator.
RANDOM FACT ABOUT YOUR CLUB: Since 2012 away supporters at Gresty Road have taken their seats in the Ice Cream Van Stand - sponsored by local firm Whitby Morrison, the world's leading manufacturer of ice cream vans.
PREDICTIONS –
UP: Mansfield Town, Lincoln City, Notts County, Luton Town
DOWN: Newport County, Morecambe
NAME/NEWSPAPER – Jamie Hawkins/ Express & Echo/Devonlive
CLUB COVERED – Exeter City
CLUB MANAGER – Paul Tisdale
GROUND – St James Park
SUMMER SIGNINGS: Dean Moxey (Bolton Wanderers, Free), Luke Croll (Crystal Palace, Free)
SUMMER DEPARTURES: Ollie Watkins (Brentford, Undisclosed), Ethan Ampadu (Chelsea, Undisclosed), Bobby Olejnik (Mansfield, Free), Joel Grant (Plymouth Argyle, Free), Connor Riley-Lowe (Released), Tom McCready (Released)
FANS’ EXPECTATIONS: After narrowly missing out on promotion last season in the play-off final, many are hopeful Tisdale’s side can go one better next campaign. Losing Watkins and Ampadu will be big losses, but there is still a strong squad that can challenge for at least the play-offs next year.
ONE TO WATCH: DAVID WHEELER
He was City’s top scorer last season, with 21 goals, and also set a new club record, where he scored in seven consecutive league matches.
RANDOM FACT ABOUT YOUR CLUB: The Grecians were the first ever team to play five-time World Champions Brazil in 1914.
PREDICTIONS –
UP: Mansfield Town, Luton Town, Coventry City, Exeter City
DOWN: Newport County, Morecambe
NAME/NEWSPAPER – Ashley Loveridge/ Stroud News and Journal
CLUB COVERED – Forest Green Rovers
CLUB MANAGER – Mark Cooper
GROUND – New Lawn
SUMMER SIGNINGS: Jack Fitzwater (West Brom, Free) Scott Laird (Scunthorpe, Free), Lee Collins (Mansfield, Free), Reece Brown (Birmingham City, Free), Charlie Cooper (Birmingham City, Free), Luke James (Peterborough, Free), Brad Collins (Chelsea, Loan), Jordan Simpson ( Swindon Town, Free), Rhys Evans (Barnsley), Harry Pickering (Port Vale, Free), Tom Anderson (Forest Green Academy), Jordan Morris (Forest Green Academy)
SUMMER DEPARTURES: Ethan Pinnock (Barnsley, Undisclosed), Sam Wedgbury (Wrexham, Free), Marcus Kelly (Wrexham, Free), Simon Lefebvre (Released), Curtis Tilt (Released)
FANS’ EXPECTATIONS: Play-offs
ONE TO WATCH: CHRISTIAN DOIDGE
Despite protracted interest from Oxford United and Rotherham in the summer, Forest Green appear to have kept hold of their crown jewel. Prolific in the National League with 28 goals last season, including a worldie at Wembley, Doidge scored 10 times in the Dagenham side that dropped out of League Two in 2015, so the former Bristol Rovers trainee will return to the Football League expecting to replicate his form that helped his side gain Football League status for the first time in their history.
RANDOM FACT ABOUT YOUR CLUB: The pitch is cut by a solar powered robot.
PREDICTIONS –
UP: Luton Town, Coventry City, Mansfield Town, Forest Green Rovers
DOWN: Cheltenham Town, Newport County
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