Viva la evolution!

With Cheltenham looking set to finish in the bottom quarter of League Two it would be easy for the casual observer to suggest most of the squad should be sent packing come the season’s end. But, if we are to look at recent performances and the actions of past managers, putting faith in the majority of the current crop of players could well see the Robins enjoying a much more successful campaign next season.

Mathematically Cheltenham could be safe by this time tomorrow and if not then Tuesday night will provide an ideal opportunity to rubberstamp the club’s place in the Football League. The issue of contracts can then be fully addressed and Mark Yates can shape things for his first full season. Given the team’s current good form a number of players have played themselves into contention for next season (namely the likes of Josh Low and Justin Richards). Fans could still argue for getting rid of many of the current squad, but is this necessarily the best course of action?

Recent history would suggest that Yates’s best tactic would be to retain much of the first team squad. Cheltenham aren’t a club that respond well to drastic overhauls of playing staff, the reigns of Bobby Gould and particularly Martin Allen are testament to that. The other end of the spectrum is to take the attitude of John Ward and Steve Cotterill (two of Yates’s former bosses). Both managers kept faith in a core of players after promotions and tweaked their squad where needed. Both were also frugal and spent money wisely. Given the current financial climate this is surely the best option for next season.

Recent showings have demonstrated that the present squad are capable of matching any team in this division. People may argue that the league is of poor quality, but it can also equally be viewed as a very tight division. If Yates does keep most of the current players at his disposal and add quality in the required areas then the coming years could well match the achievements of the recent past.