Football Season Guide

It has been a summer of change for Barrow following the surprise departure of manager Pete Wild in May. Wild had turned a side struggling to stay in the EFL into one challenging for the play-offs. Ultimately both of those challenges fell short, and the Bluebirds really should have finished in the top seven last season. Clearly there were issues behind the season and the denouement to a disappointing conclusion came when the club announced Wild would be leaving the club. A subsequent statement claimed Wild was not sacked, hinting at a less-than-amicable parting of the ways. Whatever the reasons the club acted swiftly in appointing Stephen Clemence as his successor. It came less than a month after the former Tottenham Hotspur had been sacked having spent barely six months in charge of Gillingham. Clemence therefore has a lot to prove with his brief time in Kent seen as a failure and taking over from a popular man in Wild. He inherits a strong and competitive squad, albeit with some key players having left this summer. Centre-backs George Ray and James Chester and midfielders Ben Whitfield and Tom White were regulars under Wild, whilst striker Cole Stockton made a real impact during his loan spell and there were hopes of making it a permanent move. Winger Connor Mahoney is perhaps the standout signing so far, having performed well for Clemence whilst on loan at Gillingham. Centre-back Theo Vassell is another arrival, having been in demand after leaving Salford City. A couple of shrewd additions, perhaps on loan, would give Bluebirds fans a little more optimism heading into the new season.