Clubs are rebuilding their squads, keynote signings are being made and the fans can dream of a great season of football ahead.
The debate can also begin as to where teams might finish, with Spireites fans daring to dream of another great promotion season ahead along with the lure of huge games against stronger opponents week in week out.
Spireites – one of the early season favourites with the bookies – clearly have the budget in place and the kudos to attract the big-name players needed for a promotion push, as shown by the recent signing of Paddy Madden from Stockport.
The National League title-winning squad already has plenty of players more than capable of performing at League Two level – Will Grigg, Tom Naylor, Jamie Grimes, Liam Mandeville and Madden to name a few, as well as a manager who has been there and done it.
But, as Paul Cook knows only too well, any hopes of another promotion-winning season could well depend on his ability to shore up a defence that wasn’t the tighest of ships last season.
It is something Notts County found out to their cost following their elevation to the hallowed turf of the EFL the previous season. County began the season in impressive fashion, but plummeted down the table as their continued failure to keep the ball out of the net bit them hard. In fact, they went on to concede a shocking 86 goals – the worst in League Two last time out.
In this writer’s view it is hard to write off Doncaster Rovers, who gate-crashed this season’s play-off party after hitting the turbo boosters early in the new year.
It saw Rovers win their last ten games in a row – an impressive feat in any division – before falling to Crewe in the play-off semi-finals.
A summer to lick their wounds and reboot will no doubt see Rovers fine-tune and come back stronger. If they keep that momentum going at the start of the season, then they will take some stopping.
Chesterfield can also expect some tough competitition from beaten play-off semi-finalists MK Dons. The Dons, like Rovers, started the season slowly, though not as poorly before they eventually came good.
But it was a little too late for MK, who were guilty of shooting themselves in the foot somewhat by losing key games at the wrong time – never more so than when they were battered by Mansfield to see an end to their automatic promotion hopes. But they are also another side with quality in the ranks and a side that will benefit from the experience of last time out. Watch out for Dan Kemp.
Gillingham and Bradford City should also have strong seasons with their bigger budgets telling in the transfer window over the summer, while Crewe, if they lose at Wembley on Sunday as I expect them to do, will be another squad that have the foundations to build on for another push at the play-offs.
At the other end Barrow had an amazing season with Pete Wild steering them to what seemed a certain play-off place. It ended cruelly with a final day draw not enough to secure a top seven finish. It will be extremely difficult for Barrow to repeat that achievement again, with a hangover from this season and a league packed with quality standing in their way.
It is a scenario Harrogate Town are likely to experience after a season of punching well above their weight on the way to a final 13th place finish.
Out with the old and in with the new could be the theme and I expect both Grimsby and Colchester to have much-improved seasons. Dave Artell is a promotion-winner with Crewe and is someone who clearly knows what he is doing – what he hasn’t had just yet is the time-needed to change the playing staff and mentality and Blundell Park into a winning team.
Colchester will be expecting much better things than looking over their shoulder on the last day of the season. Danny Cowley is certainly the manager to make that happen.
As for Bromley? What an achievement to have won promotion, but it’s a big step up for Andy Woodman’s men. The Ravens will need to invest wisely in a squad with some experienced campaigners as they look to avoid any swift return to the National League.
They are certainly going to have to fight for every point and to show plenty of character and fight when the chips are down, It will be a very different goal and season this time around – but whatever happens, they will enjoy the ride.
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