Altrincham’s 2023/24 season ended way above expectations, as the club reached fourth place overall in the National League before a narrow defeat to eventual winners Bromley in the play-off semi-final.
Phil Parkinson was appointed on the eve of the last game of the 2016/17 season in which his side had been relegated to the Northern Premier League. Since then he has been able to completely turn their fortunes around.
In the seasons that would follow, the Robins would enjoy promotion from the Northern Premier League immediately as champions in his first season and eventually win promotion to the National League via the play-offs in 2020. Following on from his success, the club would also prosper in the National League. The club would become full-time and reach the semi-final of the FA Trophy, along with a Cheshire Senior Cup final appearance and the play-offs last season.
This clearly suggests that Parkinson is the right man to lead Altrincham into an important campaign. Further evidence to show his qualities is he was linked with the Notts County job in 2022.
The signings made by the Cheshire-based club have led some fans to suggest they are ready to make the step up and compete for promotion.
First through the door was Lucas Weaver from Colne FC. The young attacker managed to find the net 42 times in all competitions last season. However, in a recent interview, his manager has talked about a potential loan move amid the step-up in leagues. Therefore, his role in the upcoming season may be limited.
Alongside Weaver, The Robins would also bolster their options with Tom Crawford and Joe Nuttall from National League rivals Hartlepool United and Oldham Athletic respectively.
Crawford was signed on a free transfer as he was released at the end of the season prior. This was despite his influence throughout the previous campaign as he appeared over 35 times. He has impressed during his preparations for the upcoming season as he has come close to scoring many times.
We think the crossbar is probably still rattling, @T_Crawford0 💥 pic.twitter.com/jFt6rQ5u8O
— Altrincham FC (@altrinchamfc) July 13, 2024
In addition, forward Nuttall also joined on loan after a season with Cheltenham in League One. Despite, the target-man’s impressive resume in English football, he offers a different playstyle than current Robins’ striker Reagan Linney. Therefore, it could take some time for the team to adapt, but the 27-year-old has already proved his qualities with a pre-season goal against Lancaster City.
Alongside these reinforcements, Max Haygarth also joined. He began his career at Manchester United as part of their academy and is targeting to replace the departing Chris Conn Clarke. With big ambition, it may be tough for the midfielder to emulate his predecessor’s success.
To further improve their squad, Tylor Golden has completed his move from Halifax Town. The full-back featured 42 times last season and has been named ‘a real gem’ by his new manager, as he looks to compete with Lewis Banks to complete the Robins backline.
On the other hand, Phil Parkinson has also lost some pivotal players to last season’s brilliance, most notably Conn Clarke to Peterborough United. The 22-year-old was named National League Player Of The Season as a result of his exceptional stats of 23 goals and 12 assists in 47 appearances. Therefore, it will be tough to replace his influence.
Despite losing their star player, Altrincham still has a strong squad that is able to cause problems for any team. The likes of Reagan Linney and Justin Amaluzor are coming off the back of impressive season’s and look to be piking up where they left off as Linney has scored three goals so far during pre-season.
⚽ @ReganLinney1 off the mark in pre-season 🎯 pic.twitter.com/k8rWbCSQy5
— Altrincham FC (@altrinchamfc) July 16, 2024
It also isn’t just their attack that makes the Robins a tough team to defeat. Their defence also played a major part in the fourth-placed finish, especially towards the end of the campaign. Former Stockport County goalkeeper Ethan Ross excelled last season as he reached 10 clean sheets in the league and his crucial saves led to narrow victories against the likes of Oldham, Boreham Wood and Dorking Wanderers.
Pivotal figures in the Robins’ defence also improved through retaining James Jones. The 27-year-old has signed a new contract and has gathered momentum through recent friendlies as he has looked to bulk up after a lengthy injury last season. Furthermore, the northern side will also see returning figures from injuries after time out. Isaac Marriott and Ollie Crankshaw will be back after a lengthy time out and will look to add their qualities to the already well-equipped team.
The non-league side have begun their pre-season well with three wins and two draws. This decent form has been epitomised by the draw against League Two side Salford City in an end-to-end affair, showing they can be a threat regardless of opposition.
In conclusion, this a great opportunity for the Robins to reach the English Football League for the first time. There have been constant improvements around the club in recent years and all the hard work deserves to be rewarded by promotion, especially considering their low budget compared to competitors.
In addition, the National League looks to be more competitive this season. In the past few seasons, the league has been dominated by clubs with much more finances such as Wrexham, Notts County and Chesterfield. Therefore, with no immediate frontrunner could this be Altrincham’s year?
