Accrington Manager Remains Defiant

Despite the League Two prices making Accrington Stanley one of the favourites for the drop, manager John Coleman is confident that his squad can defy the odds and continue to enjoy Football League status.

Following a summer of frustration after the club were left with a transfer embargo, Coleman has agreed a deal to bring two trialists to the club once the embargo is lifted. Although the club enjoyed a successful run in the FA Cup last season, reaching the fourth round, Accrington were left facing a winding up order, with current chairman Ilyas Khan saving the cash strapped League Two club.

However, with Khan set to step down after the club's next board meeting, Coleman is aware of the financial implications that relegation to non-league football would bring. You can bet on League One football being the club's dream, but it's a very distant one at the moment.

In order to defy the bookmakers once again, Coleman has been determined in his ambition to have a large squad in place before the season starts, and is currently pursuing several options. However, at the forefront of negotiations is the attempt to persuade out-of-contract defender Leam Richardson to sign a new deal, something that Coleman is confident will occur sooner rather than later.

Though doom-mongers may be tipping the club for a tough season, Accrington Stanley have so far enjoyed a solid pre-season, experiencing defeat only once at the hands of Premiership new boys Blackpool.

Whatever the new season brings, many Accrington fans will be delighted just to have the opportunity for the club to take part, following the winding up order and the previous dissolution and rebirth of the club.

That said, if they want to keep enjoying football at the Crown Ground, Stanley will need to repeat the determination of last year when they successfully defied the odds.