Manager : Jim Gannon

Key Player : Adam Le Fondre

Tipped by many for : High Midtable, possible playoff push

Last Season : To say that Stockport didn’t adjust quickly to this division would be one of the biggest understatement in recent history. When they visited Sincil Bank at the end of September, they were one of the worst sides that I’d personally seen in a long time and it was no surprise to see that they’d won just 1 of their 10 games before that game and it didn’t improve for them as they only won once more in 2005, sitting them bottom of the table. However, Jim Gannon quickly improved the squad and they quickly pulled themselves off the bottom of the table and although they were still losing a few games, they were winning more often and they eventually finished 22^nd, not bad considering they looked dead certs for relegation.

This season : Stockport have lost Matt Hamshaw but they have managed to keep most of their squad together and if they can keep the form that they had under Gannon, then they’ll be fine and stay well clear of relegation. They’re certainly capable of having a good season but one thing that may prove vital is their relatively small squad size and that a lot have squads have more proven talent in their squad. One thing that’s almost certain is that they will have a muc better season than last year.

They’ll do better if: They can fill their squad with more talented players and improve on the form that saved them from relegation.

Prediction : 13^th, all in all, a satisfactory season given what’s happened to them in the last few years and they could well challenge for the playoffs until the end of the season but it could be a good foundation to challenge for promotion in the 2007/8 season.

View a Printer Friendly version of this Story.

Bookmark or share this story with:

• Digg
• Delicious
• Facebook
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon

SPORTNETWORK SPECIALS

Lincoln City Poll