The Clash of the New Towns

The Football Front’s Lower League expert Matt Bruce discusses the short history of Milton Keynes Dons and Stevenage.

On Tuesday night, Stevenage host Milton Keynes Dons for the first time in a league encounter. This won't be the first time the two sides have met, with MK Dons edging to a 1-0 victory at Stadium MK earlier this season and Stevenage emerging victorious on penalties in an FA Cup tie last season.

Nevertheless, there is little history of fixtures between these two – who are two of the youngest sides in the Football League.

Rather than any history or rivalry between these two clubs, what makes this fixture interesting is that MK Dons and Stevenage represent two 'new towns' which traditionally have had no Football League representation. Senior level football has had a faltering history in the new towns of Britain and these two clubs are the result of many false dawns and failed attempts. However, their respective paths to League One could not have been more different.

The towns of Stevenage and Milton Keynes both emerged as a direct result of the New Towns Act 1946. The purpose of the Act was to create satellite towns around London (and also other major war-struck cities) in order to ease housing pressure during post-war rebuilding and slum clearance schemes. Stevenage was the first such town to be built, in 1946, while Milton Keynes followed later, in 1967. As brand new conurbations, planners used the new towns to experiment with new urban planning methods and so these towns were pioneering when first settled, with Stevenage boasting the first pedestrianized town centre in the UK and Milton Keynes having its infamous grid system.

However, with the explosion of the local populace the pre-existing amateur teams experienced no upturn in fortunes or support. Stevenage Town, who pre-dated the new town's rapid expansion in the late 40s and 50s, struggled on unchanged until their dissolution in 1968, and Stevenage Athletic lasted just eight years before they also were forced to fold. Stevenage Borough continued much in the same vein as their failed predecessors from their formation in 1976 until the introduction of promotion to the Football League encouraged forward-thinking non-league clubs to become more professional (a subject I have touched upon before).

Milton Keynes has also seen more than its fair share of failed football clubs down the years. Wolverton AFC (Wolverton being one of the constituent towns of Milton Keynes) were able to boast a 105-year history before the club was wound up in 1992. Bletchley Town (who changed their name to Milton Keynes City in 1974) survived from 1956 until their closure in 1985, crippled by a lack of support and poor management from Ron Noades (chairman of Wimbledon FC). A second MK City moved into Wolverton's old ground in the 90s but again the club failed to gain any significant support and folded in 2003 after Wimbledon were relocated to Milton Keynes.

The problem faced by clubs representing these new satellite towns is that the newly imported population bring their footballing allegiances with them. With their large populations, towns such as Stevenage and Milton Keynes are expected to support larger clubs – and it has often been claimed that they have the potential to do so – but their proximity to the big London clubs, lack of interest from the local populace and the absence of a strong local identity has all hindered the development of local football clubs in the past.

However, just as the towns which these clubs represent were pioneering when they were first built, so have MK Dons and Stevenage been pioneering in the methods employed to firmly establish themselves on the landscape of the Football League.

Stevenage's remarkable rise up the leagues into League One is mainly due to the efforts of former manager Graham Westley and the ideology that was fostered at the club. While English football – and the non-league game in particular – has been slow to adopt sports science, Westley embraced it wholeheartedly. Under Westley's supervision Stevenage players had access to sports psychologists and dieticians, but most importantly were moulded into a super-fit team through a tough and rigorous training schedule.

Stevenage's approach was certainly not without its critics: fostering a winning mentality is one thing, but Boro's negative tactics and practice of feigning injury to gain drinks breaks and on-pitch team talks was not popular with some of the clubs they competed against. Last season, after numerous complaints from other clubs, the Football League ordered the club to desist with their unsporting behaviour, though Stevenage's approach to the game has changed little regardless.

Milton Keynes gained its place in the Football League in rather different circumstances – the controversial franchising of Wimbledon FC. As numerous attempts at establishing a club to represent the city floundered through lack of support, efforts began to attract an existing Football League club to the area. Such talk began as early as 1979, when Sam Hammam attempted to merge Wimbledon with MK City, and throughout the 1980s and 1990s several clubs were at one point or another linked with a move to Milton Keynes, including Luton Town, Charlton Athletic, Barnet and Northampton Town. However, it was Wimbledon, with their long-running stadium issues that always appeared to be the most likely candidate for a move to Milton Keynes – and so it would prove to be, with the club eventually relocating in September 2003.

While it is usual in the Football League for matches to take place between two clubs who can often boast histories spanning over a century, and usually with a wealth of previous historical encounters, this fixture is intriguing because it is contested by two clubs – with fewer than 50 miles between them – which have no history of football at this level. Those new clubs who represent the new satellite towns have a unique set of pressures and, as Stevenage and MK Dons have demonstrated, they must innovate to be viable.

Rather like the places they represent.

This piece was written by Matt Bruce, you can follow him on his Twitter - @tbfuth, You can find Matt’s blog here too: theboysfromupthehill.

All of Matt's article on The Football Front can be found here.

Paul Sturrock: Miracle Worker

The Football Front's Lower League expert, Matt Bruce, writes a piece on the fantastic work Paul Sturrock’s has done at Southend United.

In the summer of 2010, Southend United dropped into League Two like a stone. More concerning than relegation from League One were the numerous winding up orders over unpaid tax, requiring a bail-out by supermarket chain Sainsbury's to the tune of £2.1million. And if this wasn't enough, the Southend board who had caused so many of these problems then chose to sack long-standing manager Steve Tilson, infuriating the Southend faithful.

Tilson had arrived at a club when the side were in serious danger of relegation from the Football League in 2003. But within three years he took them to the Championship within three years, via back-to-back promotions, as well as making three appearances in two years at the Millennium Stadium. He served the club loyally, bringing them several consecutive years of success against a backdrop of economic turmoil, and for him to be sacked so callously upon relegation to League Two was disgraceful.

At the moment, Southend is being poorly run. It's perhaps surprising that they made such a shrewd decision in appointing Paul Sturrock. Sturrock arrived with a good pedigree and plenty of experience at League Two level, having previously won promotion from the division with Plymouth and Swindon. However, he had a huge task on his hands. He took over a club with just five senior players on the books and very little money to bring in any players – a problem which even left them unable to raise a team for their first preseason friendly.

Sturrock was faced with the unenviable task of replacing one of the most popular and successful managers in Southend's history with a pitiful dearth of resources at his disposal. Quite what could have attracted Sturrock to the job at Southend is a huge mystery. WIth just five senior players on the books, Southend had been placed under a transfer embargo due to outstanding payments owed to the PFA. As a result, Southend faced a stunted preseason campaign and had to frantically register 17 new signings the day before the start of the season.

Against this backdrop it is perhaps unsurprising that Southend started the 2010/11 season slowly, having had such a disrupted preseason, with the Shrimpers picking up just one point from their first three matches (that one point coming at home to Stockport County, who were relegated at the end of the season, finishing bottom of League Two). However, despite being tipped for relegation by many. Sturrock led Southend to a respectable midtable position and even flirted with the playoffs for a while. This represents quite an achievement considering that off-field issues continued to dominate the headlines throughout the season, along with the revelation that Southend continued to lose £100,000 per month.

This season, with more stability at Roots Hall and a proper preseason in place, Southend have started like a train and look set to challenge for automatic promotion this season. The club has already posted impressive victories over Port Vale, Rotherham and Shrewsbury, and have built up an incredible head of steam with a nine-match unbeaten run.

Sturrock has built a successful side from a collection of relative unknowns and free transfers. In players like Bilel Mohsni, Ryan Hall and Sean Clohessy. Sturrock has expertly recognised and nurtured untapped potential and proven himself a master at pulling diamonds from the rough. With a young side there is further scope for many of Southend's important players to continue to develop, especially with older heads such as Neil Harris and Graham Coughlan around to mentor the younger squad members.

Though nothing has yet been achieved, Paul Sturrock has managed to get a 'crisis club' challenging for promotion, with little resources and very little fanfare. It should not go unnoticed, Sturrock deserves praise for the great job he is doing at Southend and while plenty of other clubs overspend and under-achieve, Sturrock and his band of misfits are defying the odds to achieve success in difficult circumstances.

Should they win promotion this season, Paul Sturrock will have worked a true miracle at Southend.

This piece was written by Matt Bruce, you can follow him on his Twitter - @tbfuth, You can find Matt’s blog here too: theboysfromupthehill

Lincoln City: Victims of Progress

The Football Front's Lower League expert, Matt Bruce, writes an article on the life and times of Lincoln City.

On the final day of last season, scenes of ecstatic celebration were beamed across the nation from Barnet's Underhill Stadium as the Bees remarkably escaped relegation from the Football League, with an unlikely victory over Port Vale. The jubilant celebrations in Barnet were accompanied by desolate scenes 120 miles north in Lincoln. Lincoln City were the victims of Barnet's great escape. Despite spending most of the season above the relegation zone, Lincoln slipped through the trap door on the final day.

The pain of relegation was particularly intense for Lincoln fans because they've suffered this fate before, in similar circumstances. The Imps were the first club to suffer the ignominy of automatic relegation from the Football League back in 1987. A catastrophic collapse in the latter part of the season saw Lincoln slide to the bottom of the table on...you guessed it, the last day of the season.

Prior to the introduction of automatic promotion and relegation between the Conference and the bottom tier of the Football League, the Fourth Division was stagnant. The league was populated by unambitious clubs content to tread water, safe in the knowledge that they were always likely to be re-elected if they suffered another poor season. Only six new clubs were elected into the Football League between 1961 and 1986. Automatic promotion and relegation was introduced to shake up the stale Fourth Division, to clear the 'dead wood' from the league and motivate clubs who had been treading water at the bottom to up their game. Lincoln City were not a club that had spent years struggling at the bottom of the Football League, but were suffering from the shock of the events at Valley Parade in 1985, when fire killed 56 people, two of whom were Lincoln supporters. They were relegated from the Third Division the following season and despite being among the favourites to win promotion straight back the club had failed to recover and suffered a second successive relegation, this time out of the Football League entirely.

Lincoln entered the Conference with all the trappings of a Football League club. They were a full-time professional club in a division of part-timers. As a result, it was perhaps unsurprising that they won promotion back to the Football League at the first attempt. The season was not, however, without its ups and downs and Lincoln were chased hard by an expensively-assembled Barnet side, who beat the Imps 4-2 on the opening day of the season. The events of last season could be seen as Barnet's revenge for what happened in 1987-88, as that year Lincoln snatched the title (and, with it, promotion) from Barnet right at the death, replacing them at the top of the table in the penultimate match of the season.

Fast-forward 24 years and Lincoln can only dream of making such a quick return to the Football League. They currently lie 22nd in the Conference and have won just once so far this season, amongst growing unrest from the club's supporters. Targets of their fury include manager Steve Tilson, chairman Bob Dorrian and captain Josh Gowling. Rumblings of discontent turned into paroxysms of anger from Lincoln's fans following defeat at Braintree, but a gutless 2-0 home defeat to fellow strugglers Kettering proved too much for the Sincil Bank faithful to stomach. Calls for Tilson's head have grown louder and more forceful, with fans venting their anger at the board after the final whistle. Meanwhile, crowds are down by almost a thousand on last season and relegation to the Conference deprives the club of approximately £500,000 for every season they spend outside the Football League. A summer clearout of the players who had failed them last season appeared to be a positive move, but the new players have not yet found form.

Lincoln’s struggles so far this season demonstrate just how much the Conference has changed since their last stint in the division. During Lincoln's temporary stay during the 1987-88 season, being full-time gave them a genuine competitive advantage over their part-time opponents, who were unable to compete with a club of Lincoln's size. In 2011 the Conference is a rather different beast and part-time clubs are now in the minority. Lincoln are far from being the league's big name club, as around half the clubs in this year's Conference are former League clubs. 24 years ago, clubs that were relegated from the Football League rarely struggled to win promotion back, and both Lincoln City and Darlington (another club who have now found themselves sucked back into the Conference) were promoted at the first attempt. Things are not so simple for relegated teams now, and the Conference currently resembles a graveyard for former Football League clubs. One bad season in the Football League is far more costly now, and relegated clubs can no longer expect to win promotion back at the first attempt, as supporters of Luton (now in their third season), Wrexham (fourth season), Cambridge (seventh season) and York (eighth season) can testify.

These clubs, many of which find themselves in the Conference as a result of financial mismanagement during their Football League years, have now been leapfrogged by a new breed of forward-thinking, professional and well-run club, such as Morecambe, Burton Albion and Stevenage. In the years since automatic promotion and relegation was introduced, the Conference has been transformed from a sleepy footballing backwater to a bottleneck of competitive teams fighting for that elusive place in the Football League. Traditionally, non-league clubs with ambition have caught up with (and surpassed) many poorly-run clubs who have lost their place in the Football League. Contrary to what their history and fanbase would suggest, clubs like Lincoln are in danger of being left behind by 'the likes of' Gateshead and Braintree. As clubs at the top of the non-league game get stronger, Lincoln may find themselves the victims of progress, as the line between the bottom of the Football League and the top of the non-league pyramid becomes more blurred each season.

This piece was written by Matt Bruce, you can follow him on his Twitter - @tbfuth, You can find Matt’s blog here too: theboysfromupthehill

All of Matt's work can be found here.

Sussex - You've Never Had It So Good

The Football Front’s Matt Bruce takes a look at Sussex, and the recent growth and development of the Sussex’s clubs.

It's a good time for professional football in Sussex right now, Brighton appear to be going from strength to strength at their new Amex Stadium. While Crawley begin their first season in the Football League and are even favourites for promotion. Both clubs have been through significant and well-publicised difficulties over the years, but the Sussex clubs now appear to be on the up and there is little doubt that all eyes are focused on Sussex this season.

It's been a long journey for Brighton. They were evicted from the Goldstone Ground in 1997. Since then, supporters have had to endure a period of exile in Gillingham and the utterly soul-destroying experience of watching their football from the wrong side of a running track at the Withdean. After enduring 14 years of struggle, it's as if the club is now awakening from a long sleep, with promotion back to the Championship coinciding with the move to the new, £105 million stadium. Brighton's average attendance at the Withdean was below 6000. But for their first season in their shiny new home, the stadium will be full to its 20,000+ capacity every week, with season ticket sales going through the roof.

The man responsible for this south coast renaissance is professional gambler, Tony Bloom. He is the third generation of his family to be involved in the club (both his uncle and grandfather have previously been on the board at Brighton) and the sheer scale of his investment – 'injecting' £80million when he took over – suggests he is less a businessman investor, more a supporter and benefactor. In funding the construction of the Amex he has not simply built another identikit modern stadium, but has created the much-needed new home for the club and its supporters, which for so long the club has lacked.

But it is not simply off the field where Brighton have made great strides. Manager Gus Poyet guided the Seagulls to the League One title at a canter last season, sealing promotion to the championship in mid-April. They begin their first campaign in the Championship as quite highly fancied to follow in the footsteps of Norwich in winning a second consecutive promotion to reach the Premier League. This summer Poyet has added to his title-winning squad by spending some serious money. The club smashed Brighton's previous record transfer fee by paying out £2.5million for Peterborough striker Craig Mackail-Smith and spending a total amount of £4million on transfer fees alone over the summer. For a club who have traditionally been cash-strapped, this is megabucks.

Inevitably, all eyes were on Brighton last weekend. They opened their new stadium on the opening day of the season against Doncaster Rovers –ironically, they were also Albion's final opponents at the Goldstone Ground in 1997. Brighton certainly didn't disappoint. The players arrived on the pitch to a sea of white and blue flags waving from three sides of the ground, but Doncaster came to spoil the party and took advantage of Brighton's nervousness by taking the lead in the 39th minute. Brighton appeared edgy for much of the match and were uncharacteristically uncomfortable in possession, but they did enough to win the game. However, they left it late. The equalising goal came in the 83rd minute as debutant Will Buckley's beautiful strike found its way through the bodies in the area and into the bottom corner. While the winning goal came deep into injury time and it was Buckley again who, with practically the last kick of the game, broke free and slotted past the Doncaster goalkeeper.

Now the club have their first win in their new stadium, everything is surely in place for the club to step up to the next level. With the scale of investment in the club, along with the level of support that has emerged locally, it may not be long before Brighton are playing top-flight football for the first time since 1983.

Moving northwards, Crawley Town are another Sussex club that is making waves at the moment. Like Brighton, they've been through their fair share of trouble off the field and have become quite familiar with winding up orders and points deductions. Even as recently as February 2010 the club found themselves in court to fend off a winding up petition from HMRC. However, following the takeover of the club by millionaire and lifelong fan, Bruce Winfield - backed by some extremely wealthy mystery financiers - the club paid off its sizeable debts over the summer of 2010 and began a spending spree never seen before in non-league football.

Crawley signed Matt Tubbs (£70,000), Sergio Torres (£100,000), Richard Brodie (£150,000) and a host of others as manager Steve Evans set about creating a league-winning side for 'Project Promotion'. Crawley's big-spending ways led them to be dubbed 'the Manchester City of non-league' by their detractors, but their incredible FA Cup run, which culminated in a trip to Old Trafford to play the other Manchester side, more than paid for the previous summer's spending. Crawley's expensively-assembled squad delivered in style as they coasted to the Conference title a week before their Sussex neighbours were confirmed as League One champions.

Crawley money still hasn't dried up. In fact, they have added more quality to their side, bringing in Wes Thomas, Tyrone Barnett and John Akinde. It comes as no surprise that Crawley start the season as favourites once again for the title. Of course, a late Port Vale equaliser denied them an opening day victory. But a point away at Vale is a very solid start to the season and something positive to build on.

Similar to the Brighton scenario, Winfield's interest in the club was not concerned with monetary gain, he just wanted to see his local club play in the Football League. Tragically, Bruce Winfield did not live to see Crawley kick off for the first time in the Football League last weekend. Just weeks before Crawley sealed their promotion Winfield succumbed to cancer. Without him, Crawley would not have made it into the Football League and their incredible rise from the depths is his legacy to his hometown club.

The legacy left by Winfield is far more than just a team that has had a year of success. Crawley's success has led to a major rise in attendances, with last season's average being more than double that of the previous year and season ticket sales have more than quadrupled for this season. As well as a solid local backing, the club is improving facilities and infrastructure enables Crawley to sustain their Football League status in the long long-term. The club are even creating a new seating stand bringing the seated capacity up to the 2000 seats. This is something which is required for League One.

In little over a year Crawley Town have been transformed from a poorly-supported non-league team, who were constantly beset by financial problems to favourites for promotion to League One – a position which, if achieved, would have been unthinkable to Crawley supporters not so long ago. Despite lacking the fairytale magic of Brighton's rise to prominence, Crawley's ascent is no less remarkable and with the financial backing they have, along with the incredible momentum from their Conference-winning season, Crawley look a very good bet to win another promotion in their debut Football League season.

A special mention should also go to Lewes FC of the Conference South, who are yet another Sussex club with a chequered past. Having spent years struggling just to stay in existence, they have made the unique decision to opt for community ownership. Under this model, the club is wholly owned by its members and with annual membership costing just £30, club ownership is essentially open to all. Those responsible for instituting this unique community share scheme should be applauded for literally giving the club back to the local people of Lewes. In the year that has followed since the scheme was announced, the club has made significant moves towards engaging with the community, through various events and offers. Many non-league clubs are facing a real struggle in these uncertain times to bring in the fans and stay solvent, a move to community ownership, has raised more than £100,000 at Lewes and increased attendances. It could possibly be the way forward.

Whether reaching for the heights of the Premier League, or beginning their new life as a Football League club, or even creating a new, community-focused blueprint for running a non-league club. Football in Sussex is healthier than it has been for a very long time. The county's football clubs have suffered an unusual amount of hardship.

But now Sussex clubs at all levels of the ladder are leading the way as some of the most progressive and forward-thinking Football clubs in English football at the moment.

This piece was written by Matt Bruce, you can follow him on his Twitter - @tbfuth, You can find Matt’s blog here too: theboysfromupthehill

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Matt Bruce’s npower League Two 2011/12 Preview - Part Two

In his debut article for The Football Front, Matt Bruce in a two part feature assesses the npower League Two teams ahead of the big kick off this Saturday.

This is part two. Part one can be found here

For two of the league's smallest clubs, Accrington and Dagenham, the off-season has presented a familiar scenario of having to replace last season's better performers, who have moved to bigger clubs. Accrington, who defied the odds last season to reach the playoffs, have a complete rebuilding job on their hands. They lost the services of Jimmy Ryan, Phil Edwards, Terry Gornell, Alex Cisek and Sean McConville. While relegated last season from League One, Dagenham also find themselves looking for cheap replacements once again after losing Romain Vincelot and Danny Green, both of whom have stayed in the league above, while veteran goalkeeper Tony Roberts has retired. Losing so many important players may seem like a body blow to these two clubs, but in John Coleman and John Still these clubs have shrewd managers who have repeatedly managed to find previously unheard-of players out of non-league or from Academy scraps and turn them into quality, consistent performers. The fortunes of both clubs depend on the ability of their managers to again work miracles and haul up some rough diamonds.

Like Accrington and Dagenham, Macclesfield are often hotly tipped for relegation. Yet every year they exceed expectations and usually survive comfortably and I expect the same this season. They have also lost a couple of important players in Barnett and Bencherif, so their fortunes this season will be defined by how well they can cope without them and whether anyone can step up to replace two important figures, otherwise they may flirt with relegation.

Having mentioned Crawley in part one of this feature, we now come to the Football League's other new boys, AFC Wimbledon. The Dons have lost Danny Kedwell and technically gifted midfielder Steven Gregory. This will leave a huge hole in the squad, and with limited resources they will be relying on making some shrewd signings to replace them. They have targeted young, hungry players with raw talent and if this tactic works as well for them as it has for Dagenham and Accrington they could be quite successful at this level, but as ever it represents a gamble which could cost them their place in the Football League. They have so far known only success, next season will be tough but a well-run club such as this should be absolutely fine.

After a dramatic season that saw Barnet escape relegation to the Conference by the narrowest of margins, it may be reasonable to expect that new manager Lawrie Sanchez would seek to make drastic changes. However, he has clearly seen potential in a squad that underachieved massively last season and this season he will set about nurturing that potential, while the permanent signings of Sam Deering and Mark Byrne (both of whom were on loan late in the season and were instrumental in Barnet's great escape) will no doubt add some flair to their midfield. Like Barnet, Hereford started last season disastrously, but new manager Jamie Pitman was able to steer the Bulls from relegation certainties, to safety. Their squad is not much stronger this season than last time out, but they performed much better under Pitman in the second half of the season and if that continues they should avoid the drop. Cheltenham have good cause to be disappointed with their 17th place finish last season, especially considering the presence of the talented Wes Thomas in their team. This season they will be without him, and manager Mark Yates faces the unenviable task of improving on last year's disappointment with limited resources and apparently no funds for transfers. Despite this, they have pulled off some decent signings, such as Marlon Pack and Darryl Duffy, but it is doubtful that they will be enough to significantly improve the team.

Burton could be in trouble this season. For much of the second half of last season they seemed to be in a death spiral, going on a horrendous run of form that saw them finish worryingly close to the relegation zone. The club still also haven't found adequate replacements for Shaun Harrad or Adam Legzdins. The return of Cleveland Taylor from St Johnstone was one piece of good news for Burton fans. But this summer has proven to be a frustrating one and they will have real fears of relegation. Morecambe also look set to struggle, after a disappointing campaign last season they have replaced the long-serving Sammy McIlroy with rookie manager Jim Bentley and they have failed to attract any real quality to the Globe Arena. Morecambe could find themselves filling one of the relegation spots come the end of the season.

This should set out the obvious candidates for promotion and relegation, but League Two seems to throw up surprise packages every year and undoubtedly this season will be the same. There is every chance that one of the sides I have written off may make a surprising challenge, while there is always at least one of the league's big hitters who fail to live up to the hype. The truth is, until the season gets underway it's very difficult to judge who this season's surprise packages will be, but I have little doubt that some of the clubs in this league will have some very big surprises in store for us this season.

Part One is available here

This piece was written by Matt Bruce, you can follow him on his Twitter - @tbfuth, You can find Matt’s blog here too: theboysfromupthehill

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Matt Bruce’s npower League Two 2011/12 Preview - Part One

In his debut article for The Football Front, Matt Bruce in a two part feature assesses the Npower League Two teams ahead of the big kick off this Saturday.

With the new season almost upon us, this is the time when bloggers and journalists start to publish their season previews. Not wanting to feel left out, I have jumped on the bandwagon and, as a supporter of Oxford United, it seems right that I should preview League Two ahead of the season opener on Saturday.

Within the flurry of transfer activity around over the past weeks some clubs have been spending big whilst others are cutting back. Some are looking to make minor improvements while others rebuild from scratch and while some clubs grab headlines others go about their business quietly.

So who looks set to challenge and who is in for a season of struggle?

A few clubs have made serious moves in the transfer market and it is with those that I begin with. What better place to start with the league new boys Crawley Town. Last year's controversial Conference champions, who having assembled something of a non-league Galacticos last season, appear to have continued their expensive revolution by getting their hands dirty in the transfer market. After releasing a host of solid Conference players, they have shrewdly strengthened their squad with the acquisition of numerous proven league talents. They have brought in players from the higher leagues (Bristol City's John Akinde) as well as poaching some of last year's better performers in League Two (Cheltenham's Wes Thomas and Macclesfield's Tyrone Barnett). They have again assembled a strong squad capable of challenging, but much will depend on how quickly they can adjust to life in the Football League.

Other big movers include Northampton and Bristol Rovers, both of whom have seen huge player turnover as their new managers attempt to assert their identity on the squad. Northampton fans are overjoyed with the return of cult hero Adebayo Akinfenwa, as well as strengthening their midfield with Stockport's Paul Turnbull and Peterborough's Arron Davies. New Bristol Rovers boss, Paul Buckle, has been given a large budget to play around with and has used it wisely, bringing Chris Zebroski and Scott Bevan with him from Torquay. He has also brought in Matt Harrold from Shrewsbury, Adam Virgo from Yeovil and Lincoln's Mustapha Carayol. With the backing they have had, fans of both clubs will expect to challenge for promotion this year, but success will depend on how quickly the new arrivals will settle.

Swindon are another club who have undergone major surgery this summer, following their relegation from League One, and they have been the subject of much publicity after the controversial appointment of Paolo Di Canio as manager. A host of exotic names have since signed up to the Swindon cause giving the squad a rather international feel, however Di Canio appears to have put together a team designed to play physical, English football. With their high-profile manager and the high expectations of the fans the pressure will really be on for Swindon’s gamble to work immediately.

Other clubs have opted for evolution instead of revolution. Clubs such as Oxford, Gillingham and Southend have built on the foundations of last season's solid but unspectacular showings. Oxford have added experience and strength to last year's young and inconsistent side, bringing in Michael Duberry in defence and Peter Leven in midfield. Gillingham lost two important players in Cody McDonald and Adebayo Akinfenwa but have replaced those with local boy (and Gills fan) Danny Kedwell and with Dover Athletic's 45-goal Adam Birchall, but this places quite a burden of pressure onto the shoulders of two strikers with little Football League experience to spearhead a promotion charge. Southend boss Paul Sturrock knows what is required to get out of this league and has made some canny acquisitions to add to the firm base he established last season. However, most notable of these signings is Millwall legend Neil Harris, a gamble at the age of 33 (especially as he's been given a three year contract) but if it pays off he could emulate Bury's Ryan Lowe, who scored 22 League Two goals last year at the tender age of 32. Aldershot manager Dean Holdsworth has kept the core of last season's squad together and supplemented it with solid signings from non-league clubs, such as York City's creative striker Michael Rankine and Bradley Bubb from neighbours Farnborough. Bubb scored 22 goals in the Conference South last season. Holdsworth clearly feels he can get more out of these players and if he shows traces of the brilliance he hinted at while at Newport then Aldershot could be dark horses for the playoffs.

Meanwhile, the likes of Shrewsbury, Port Vale and Rotherham have been left licking their wounds this summer. After challenging closely for promotion for most of last season only to see late downturns in form cost them at the death. Shrewsbury can feel especially aggrieved at still being in the division. They were denied an automatic promotion place by a truly awful refereeing decision after Wycombe earned a point at the New Meadow when they were awarded a goal that clearly never crossed the line. Despite this, they were strong last year and are clearly of the opinion that a few tweaks here and they should be strong enough to go one better this time. Shrewsbury have signed Reuben Hazell. The midfielder will provide some much needed leadership into to the team.

Port Vale's preparations have been hampered by boardroom conflicts which left them unable to sign any new players for several weeks. Returning manager Mickey Adams has not made many additions to the side, instead placing much faith in the players that were challenging for automatic promotion when he left to take over at Sheffield United last season. But his buys, such as Ryan Burge and Ben Williamson from the Glenn Hoddle Academy are prospects for the future.

Rotherham's preseason has been much more stable, though they have lost two important players in Nicky Law and Ryan Taylor. They have, however, kept hold of goal machine Adam Le Fondre (so far), while the signings of Chris Holroyd and particularly Danny Schofield are impressive.

Plymouth, meanwhile, have had little time to concentrate on footballing matters at all, with the club still blighted by financial difficulties, and their inability to pay their players, it doesn't make the club a particularly attractive prospect for new signings. Both Liam Dickinson and Anthony Elding have signed for the Pilgrims over the summer, before making a quick exit when the full horror of the situation became apparent. Plymouth fans will be desperately hoping for some stability this season and, rather than dreaming of glories on the pitch, they will just be happy to still have a team to support this time next year.

Last season's playoff finalists Torquay have lost some of their more important players, as well as their manager, to Bristol Rovers. New manager Martin Ling is left to try and repeat last season's success on a tight budget, bringing in a mix of strong Conference players and young cast-offs from higher leagues. However, without their stronger performers from last season, one should expect them to be considerably weaker this time around. Crewe have been rocked by the not-unexpected departure of last season's top scorer Clayton Donaldson and have been unable to replace him, turning once again to their much-vaunted youth system for replacements. After falling short last year, Alex fans will be disappointed to see that this looks set to be a rebuilding season, but the style of football they play means that they create a lot of chances, so they are not likely to go without goals this season. However, goals alone do not make a successful season.

Another club who seem to be making youth a priority is Bradford. The club’s well-publicised financial problems have severely hampered their ability to compete for big names in the transfer market and so, instead of buying stars, they've chosen to grow their own and have begun assembling a separate developmental squad for the future. But back in the present, they're still struggling to bring in the quality signings they desperately need, especially in the striker department. They have, however, brought in Guy Branston, who will be sure to get them organised at the back, which should be enough to prevent them from struggling too much this season.

Part Two will be available on Friday 5th August

This piece was written by Matt Bruce, you can follow him on his Twitter - @tbfuth, You can find Matt’s blog here too: theboysfromupthehill

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