Football Season Guide

Drogheda managed to win back promotion to the Premier League at the first time of asking, but could not do so without drama, as they had to produce a superb comeback to beat Wexford in the Play-off final, beating them with a 3:0 scoreline in the return leg, after losing the first leg with a 2:0 scoreline. Pete Mahon, who was appointed near the end of the 2015 season with the task to guide them back up has certainly done a superb job but now faces a tough task, as he will need to try and keep his side up in a season where three sides will be relegated, instead of the usual two. The summer transfer activity was in line with the club's modest financial situation, with Aaron Ashe being the sole player of any note to have left, and the arrivals being almost exclusively players that can only be described as stabs in the dark, having little to no previous Premier League experience. The arrivals of Thomas Byrne and Jamie Hollywood should be noted, as both players sign from youth set-ups of their previous clubs and their arrivals are in line with what Drogheda are trying to do as a club, as they have a very young squad, with a vast majority of their players being 23 or younger. It has to be said that, given that they were not exactly imposing in First Division last season and that they did not significantly strengthen, nothing seems to suggest that they are capable of staying up with ease. However, such a young side could always see several players come of age at once and they will be optimistic, having just won promotion, so they certainly should not be written off just yet.