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A more realistic assessment by the Fylde Guy?:
16th: Scunthorpe United
A week ago I had Scunthorpe a couple of places higher, but on reflection I think I may have been slightly overrating their squad.
Looking at the Iron’s squad there are plenty of players that are very capable of holding their own at National League level. The likes of Mark Beck and Danny Whitehall are proven goalscorers at this level previously and elsewhere they have a good amount of experience of the National League calling on players like Joe Rowley, Callum Roberts, Will Evans and Andrew Boyce. Mixed with promising youngsters like loanee Dubem Eze and Oli Ewing signed permanently from Leicester City there’s definitely potential there, but they’re also a way off being able to compete towards the top just yet. It will be interesting to see if Declan Howe can manage the step up after scoring almost 40 goals for Gainsborough Trinity at step three last season. Billy Chadwick returning once again on loan from York City is also a huge boost.
In managing their way through a tricky play-off campaign manager Andy Butler has shown that he’s capable of preparing his players well both physically and tactically for important games and I do see them being able to pick up more than enough wins to comfortably survive. Unfortunately though I think there are still limitations to their squad which will probably mean they aren’t challenging the top ten or play-off spot, but in their first season back the primary objective for the club is to ensure their survival in the National League as quickly and as stress free as possible. They’re certainly a club with big potential to get back into the EFL over the coming years, but it’s not going to be any time in the near future.