The 92. League Two. Flashcards
Colchester United
Nickname - The U’s.
Location - South of Ipswich, North of Southend, NE of London.
Ground - Colchester Community Stadium 4-sided uniform L1 / L2 stadium. 28% of 10,105.
Manager - Danny and Nicky Cowley.
Owner - Robbie Cowling. JobServe Internet recruitment. ‘It’s my club!” “Fucking C’@@t!”
Last years - Last 5 L2, Six before L1, 2006 Championship.
“Colchester United will be busy in the transfer window.”
“Colchester revolution starts now”
NTT20 12th. Cowley’s got to work. Good replacements. Good all through and individually. A very different team this time round.
Grimbsy Town
Nickname - The Mariners.
Location - NE Lincolnshire, S Hull, Far east of Sheffield and Hull.
Ground - Blundell Park. 2 tier Aberdeen-style stand. Quirky and impressive. 64% of 9,052.
Manager - David Artell. Crewe promotion as Manager and Player. Didn’t delegate enough and wants to change perception.
Owner - Jason Stockwood & Andrew Pettit. ‘Part of community’. 90 years of support. Lastminute.com and Venture capital.
Last years - Last 2 L2, One before NL (22), Then split back between L2 and NL.
“Pressure on now to take next step after a tough year.”
NTT20 15th. Artell a strong appointment. Return to expansive football. Fabian Fandawsian, chance. consolidation and provide platform to kick on.
Salford City
Nickname - The Ammies.
Location - City of Manchester.
Ground - Peninsula Stadium. 4 x even small sides. L2 stadium, Tidy. 42% of 5,128.
Manager - Karl Robinson / Alex Bruce. Mk Dons and Oxford. Podcast.
Owner - Class of 1992 + Peter Lim. Dismissing managers / Losing money.
Last years - Last 6 years L2. NL prior to this.
“Class of 1992 still fully invested. Looking at promotion in 24/25.”
NTT20 8th. Manager better fit for club and needs this to work for his career.
Swindon Town
Nickname - The Robins.
Location - Halfway between Reading and Bristol.
Ground - County Ground. 2 x 2-tier stands, 1 x small medium covered, 1 x open terrace. 61% of 15,728.
Manager - Mark Kennedy (Ireland).
Owner - Clem Morfuni. Australian. “You can have your club back.” “Journey with you.” Call to sell club despite owning ground and 50% / 50% arrangement. 5 managers in 3 years.
Last years - L1 three years, Yo-Yo between L1 - L2 over previous seven.
“There is no way I would have come if there was not financial support.”
NTT20 - 19th. Quality of manager leads to over or underachievement re prediction. Strong and tall team. Huge churn with unhappiness off field.
Newport County
Nickname - The Exiles.
Location - 15 miles NE of Cardiff, 20 miles NW of Bristol.
Ground - Rodney Parade. Small Bobby Cox stand one side, L1/L2 other. Open terrace and unusual building. Shared with rugby team and ground can look dwarfed. 56% of 9,186.
Manager - Graham Coughlin (Ireland). Player Bray, Livingston, Plymouth. Manager - Bristol Rovers, Mansfield Town.
Owner - Huw Jenkins. Ex-Swansea Chairman. £2m losses last 2 years. Takeover £500,000. Ground share problematic for football club.
Last years - L2 since emergence from NL in 2013.
“New financial model required.”
“Not easy to back a manager who has not won.”
NTT20 - 22nd. Portuguese manager. Jenkins knows. 7 of 10 signings have never kicked a ball in EFL. Huge risks may not pay off.
Accrington Stanley
Nickname - Stanley.
Location - Next to Blackburn. 20m N or Manchester.
Ground - Crown Ground. Very tidy, small ground. L2. Three small stands and an open terrace. 53% of 5,450.
Manager - John Doolin. Everton and Liverpool academies. Staff since 2018.
Owner - Andy Holt. Flat cap and bottled glasses. Successful in plastics. 2015 buy-in, save and turnaround.
Last years - L2 23/24. L1 prior 4 years, L2 prior to this. NL 1962 - 2006.
“Too loyal to ex-boss John Coleman.”
“Creation of u23 team a disaster for club.”
NTT20 23rd - Ended poorly Coleman / Holt. Ended season poorly and lost best players. Non-league next couple of years.
Tranmere Rovers
Nickname - Super White Army.
Location - South bank of the Mersey.
Ground - Prenton Park. 1 x Large (Aberdeen) stand, 1 x 2 level stand and 1 x small stand. 56% of 9,186.
Manager - Nigel Atkins.
Owner - Mark Palios / Nicola Palios - Former FA CEO, Accountant. Well-run. Not always appreciated.
Last years - L2 L1 last 10 years.
“Atkins loving life back at Tranmere as season ends.”
“The Wirrel on the cusp of transformative regeneration.”
NTT20 17th. Loss of key player. Rest intact. Lack the x factor not seeing the jump.
Morcambe
Nickname - The Shrimps.
Location - Even with Barrow, S of Penrith, N of Preston, N of Fleetwood and Blackpool.
Ground - Mazuma Stadium. 3-sided with Brechin terrace on 4th side! Large stand with modern glass and red/white seating. Medium and smaller covered behind both goals. 67% of 6,476.
Manager - Derek Adams. Back for 3rd spell as manager June 24.
Owner - Jason Whittingham / Colin Goldring. 2 southern based businessmen. Why not? Numbers worked. Owners of Worcester Warriors also. CG barred from legal profession.
Last years - 23-24 L2, 21-22 L1, Prior L2.
“Morecambe’s board of directors have written an open letter to owner Jason Whittingham calling for him to sell the club. The League Two club have no manager, no chief executive and are left with just five first-team players on the books. They were also deducted three points during the season for failing to pay the club’s players on time last August. The directors have urged the Shrimps to be sold to avoid what they describe as a “catastrophic outcome”.
NTT20 - 21st. Off-field issues. Sanctions and more sanctions. Best possible manager for situation in place. Signed whole new squad.
Bradford City
Nickname - The Bantams.
Location - Next to Leeds, W Yorkshire, N of Sheffield, NE of Manchester.
Ground - Valley Parade. 2 huge stands at side and behind making stadium appear uneven. 2 x small tier set backs. 61% of 25,136.
Manager - Graham Alexander. 11th manager in 7 years.
Owner - Stefan Rupp. German, bought club in 2015 for £5.5m. Manages investment from overseas. Refused NFA investment in 2022.
Last years L2 5 years, L1 before, PL in 1999.
“One of the least successful clubs in country given size of city. Time to stop underperforming!”
NTT20 3rd. Like what we see. Good fit for him and for club. David Sharp operations side. Added promotion experience. Young players. Always get in their own way. Well set to make it this year.
Notts County
Nickname - The Magpies.
Location - Nottingham, S and E of Sheffield, N and E of Birmingham.
Ground - Meadow Lane. Solid L1 / Championship stadium, 4 impressive stands. 50% of 20,300.
Manager - Stuart Maynard. Wealdstone success. One of the most exciting managers outside of the EFL. Worked as a BT engineer for 19 years prior to county post. Luke Williams poached in January.
Owners - Chris and Alex Reedtz. Danish brothers / Consortium. Football Radar. A. I. Algorithm.
Last years - 2024 L2, NL 3 years before, L2 4 years before and L1 before. (2015)
“Brothers want to implement a strategy and a focus.”
NTT20 10th. What can Maynard do with a full season? Still has some star names. Volatile.
Harrowgate Town
Nickname - The Sulphurites.
Location - Just north of Leeds. North Yorkshire.
Ground - Wetherby Road. 4-sided non league ground in yellow. 41% of 5,000.
Manager - Simon Weaver, EFL’s longest serving boss. Lower league player.
Owner - Irving Weaver. Father to manager. Housebuilder and land.
Last years - L2 4 years. Prior NL.
“Mid-way through campaign plenty of promise but finished season winning1 of 5 games and finishing in safe mid-table.”
“A season of sizeable progress.”
NTT20 20th. Streaks last season. Rely on moments of inspiration. Able to continue defying the odds and generating points.
Gillingham
Nickname - The Gills.
Location - E of London, S across the Thames from Southend.
Ground - Priestfield. 1 x medium 2-tier stand, 1 Cantilever, 1 small stand, 1 x open terrace, well aligned.
45% of 11,852.
Manager - Mark Bonner. Academies. Cambridge United L2 promotion 2022 before sacked. Stephen Clemence sacked after 6 months winning 12 of 34.
Owner - Brad Galinson. USA! Experience, Ground, 1 or 2 promotions, Custodians, Fringe.
Last years - L2 last 2 years, L1 prior 8 years.
“With our budget and club size we need and expect to get out of this division.”
NTT20 6th. Big owner engagement. Needs to be more holistic. Bonnar under Jackett. Culture massively improves. How does he get on away from Cambridge? Manager should be able to deliver on the ambition present.
Walsall
Nickname - The Saddlers.
Location - 9 miles NW of Birmingham.
Ground - Bescot Stadium - One large Aberdeen-like stand with 3 x neat and tidy sides. 55% of 11,300.
Manager - Mat Sadler. Ex player, 39, took over from Michael Flynn on interim basis. 26 April 2024 signed new contract.
Owner - Trivera Group LLC. 51% Leigh Pomlett, American sports investment, multi-club ownership aspired to.
Last years - L2 5 years, prior to that L1.
“In addition to seeing some positive strides on the field Matt is setting the pace off the field too.”
NTT20 14th. All Sadliers! Stack up against other managers?
Barrow FC
Nickname - The Bluebirds
Location - Barrow on Furness, Cumbria.
Ground - Holker Street. Montrose with extra smaller stand on other side. 64% of 5,042.
Manager - Stephen Clemence (From Gillingham). Replaced Peter Wild after 24 season review. missing playoffs by 1 point.
Owner - Paul Hornby. Local consortium.
Last years - Last 4 years L2, Prior in NL.
“Where do Barrow go from here?”
NTT20 11th. Success due to Wild. But middleweights and do run the club properly. Quietly ambitious.
Bromley
Nickname - The Ravens.
Location - Greater London. South of Thames. Bromley was once in Kent!
Ground - Hayes Lane Ground. Full length Montrose stand. Full length terrace, 2 x tidy stands. 30% of 5,000.
Manager - Andy Woodman. Goalkeeper lower leagues. Array of clubs as goalkeeping coach. From Arsenal. First management job saved, now promotion in second. Approach from Gillingham.
Owner - Robin Stanton Givens. Bromley-born CEO print.
Last years - NL. 132 year history.
“First time in 132 year history.
NTT20 18th. Attrition, route one, set pieces. Continuity manager and players key.
