August 2007

Cheltenham Town were about to enjoy a second successive term in League One, but team boss John Ward had lost some influential players throughout the course of the summer.

Injuries had finally got the better of both Jamie Victory and Mickey Bell, forcing the pair to hang up their boots.

The clubs leading goal scorer during the 2006/07 campaign, striker Kayode Odejayi, had been signed up by Championship club Barnsley and influential names such as JJ Melligan, Craig Armstrong and Steve Guinan had also moved on.

With the resources available to him John Ward's hands were somewhat tied and, as far as the faithful were concerned, none of his summer recruits were household names. For this level of football the squad looked extremely limited and fragile. It was clear that another hard season lay ahead of the team and it's hardy followers.

Even before a ball had been kicked in earnest, Ward had committed himself to the loan market by bringing in pacey Bristol City youngster, Jennison Myrie-Williams. The player, surplus to requirements at Championship side City, came to Whaddon Road, initially for a month

Nevertheless, an opening day home win over Gillingham was gratefully received, albeit that it came at a price. Steven Gillespie grabbed the single winning goal, after just 24 minutes, but he also received his marching orders, somewhat controversially, from referee Paul Melin, 11 minutes before the end.

It may also have been Day 1 of the new term, but alarmingly injuries were already a major feature affecting the squad, in particular the defence. A fair share of knocks had been suffered throughout the summer months and Caines, Townsend and Wylde were all sidelined ahead of the game against Gillingham.

A real blessing though if your name is Andy Gallinagh, who made only his third first team start ever for the Robins and found himself thrown into the centre of the back four, alongside Shane Duff.

He took to the role like the proverbial 'duck to water' producing a magnificent display and repeated it time and time again over the course of the season.

Three days later at Southend the team spiritedly bowed out of the Carling Cup, going down 4-1 after extra time.

It could have been so very different had John Finnigan not had seen his last ditch penalty superbly saved by United's keeper, Steve Collis. During the additional 30 minutes of play Southend's superiority told and they comfortably took the tie, which included a Lee Bradbury hat-trick.

Things were not a lot better the following weekend and the side received short shrift at Millwall.

In a narrow defeat, the winning goal came from a real rarity, a Shane Higgs error. Just before halftime the Cheltenham keeper slipped up to allow Danny Spiller to take advantage of his mistake. It was a close fought contest and the Robins were denied late on when Shane Duff crashed a header against the bar.

The opening month concluded with a west country derby game, at Whaddon Road, against promoted side Swindon Town.

Swindon dominated the first period and led through a Blair Sturrock goal, but a wonderful strike by second half replacement Ashley Vincent, plus an outstanding display from Shane Higgs, which earnt the stopper the man of the match award, saved the day for John Wards side.