FourFourTwo's Accrington Stanley season preview 2023/24 - can John Coleman continue to work miracles at Stanley?
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The Accrington Stanley season preview 2023/24 focuses on revitalising a squad coming down from League One.
Everest results with a Mariana Trench budget was never going to last forever, and Accrington Stanley suffered their first relegation of Coleman’s 22 seasons in charge.
This rebuild as they head into League Two looks tricky – with a bloated squad it’s been hard to recruit, but skipper Seamus Conneely’s new deal is a positive. An immediate return to the third tier is unlikely, but don't write them off too early.
Accrington Stanley season preview 2023/24, the fan's view: Adam Scarborough
Last season was very disappointing to suffer our first relegation since 1999, but five years in League One for a club of our size was a great achievement.
The big talking point is which of our best players we’ll hold on to. Rinse and repeat for Stanley fans.
This season will be different because surely we can’t have as many injuries and suspensions as last year. We had 19 out at one point!
I won’t be happy unless we make the Wham Stadium a fortress again, after just six league home wins last season.
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Our most underrated player is club captain Seamus Conneely. We miss his influence when he’s not playing.
Look out for local lad Connor O’Brien, a 19-year-old defender who broke into the first team at the end of last term.
I’m least looking forward toBarrow away, which is bound to be on a cold Tuesday night. [Close, it’s a Friday – Ed.]
The opposition player who grinds my gears is our former loanee goalkeeper James Trafford, after a collision in the EFL Trophy semi-final against Bolton which left our midfielder Liam Coyle’s cheekbone fractured in four places.
The active player I’d love to have back is Jordan Clark, if he fancies swapping top-flight Luton for us…
The pantomime villain will be our own Sean McConville, who has been known to wind the opposition up!
The thing my club really gets right is going out of their way to improve the matchday experience, so fans spend more time at the ground. We have drinks offers and live music to enjoy.
John Coleman has credit in the bank at Stanley (Image credit: Getty Images)
The one change I’d make would be to put a roof on the away end.
The fans’ opinion of the gaffer is mostly positive. John Coleman got some stick as we went down, but he’s been honest about mistakes made last summer regarding recruitment. He’s guided us to four promotions and deserves the chance to put things right.
If he left, he should be replaced by someone who understands the club and has Coleman’s rapport with the fans. Perhaps Leam Richardson to return after doing well at Wigan? But most of us would like Coleman to stay.
We’ll finish 7th. A good end-of-season run will sneak us into the play-offs…
Season previews for the Premier League, League One and League Two are all available HERE
Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.
