Foundations being laid for Stratford Town’s promotion push
By Alex Raeburn
CAPTAIN Paul McCone is confident Stratford Town’s summer signings will enhance their prospects to push for promotion in 2024-2025. Having endured the agony of missing out on play-off places through goal difference last term, the Bards have added to their ranks to challenge in the Southern League Premier Central next season.
And defender McCone insists that’s a big plus.
When asked about the new signings, McCone said: “I think it will impact the team in a good way. Competition is always good and there’s competition in all places – it can only improve us.”
The 32-year-old defender, who signed a new contract in the summer, has played an influential part in Stratford’s success over the past two seasons and wants to push on again.
“I think in the season just gone, people underestimated us. Hopefully this year they can see what we’re about,” said McCone.
“Last season was generally good, there were plenty of positives to come out of it. Unfortunately, we just missed out on the play-offs by the narrowest of margins, for whatever reason, so now we are determined to go one better and from what I have seen already, there’s no reason why we can’t do that.”
It’s a point echoed by midfielder Tom Solanke, who has recently come back from an injury.
“With the players we’ve got coming in and the players that we’ve kept, I really see us pushing to go up this year,” he added.
From a personal point of view, Solanke wants to stake his claim during the busy friendly programme.
“Pre-season is a major key fact for any player especially when you’re picking up an injury and I feel like I can use this time just to build up fitness and get sharpness over the duration of the games,” he added.
Despite interest from higher level clubs, last term’s top scorer Callum Ebanks will again be starring for Town, with the 24-goal striker turning his loan from Cheltenham Town into a permanent deal.
When asked about the motivation behind staying, Ebanks said: “I’d say the changing room plays a big part in it and how the fans made me feel all last season – it felt like home straight away.
“Obviously, I’d like to get back into the League but right now it’s getting Stratford promoted.”
