Cheltenham Town manager Steve Cotterill is actively pursuing four or five additional signings to finalize his squad ahead of the new season.
Following Saturday’s commanding 3-0 friendly victory over Evesham United—where new signing Charlie McCann netted twice on his debut and Sopuruchukwu Obieri added the third—Cotterill expressed satisfaction with the six players brought in so far this summer.
Goalkeeper Wyll Stanway is the latest recruit, joining from Barrow for a modest five-figure fee which Cotterill described as “nominal.” Just a day earlier, midfielder Shaun McWilliams, formerly of Rotherham United and Northampton Town, completed his move to Whaddon Road.
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Stanway and McWilliams join earlier arrivals Charlie McCann, Jordan Shipley, Pierce Sweeney, and Joe Tomlinson, all of whom have already begun to impress during pre-season preparations.
Cotterill reflected positively on the progress made: “I think we’ve done really well with the six so far. Compared to where we were when I took charge—and no disrespect to the lads who performed well last season—we’re much better prepared for the season ahead than we were 12 months ago."
He also highlighted the importance of the team’s recent training trip to Spain for squad cohesion: “They are all good ages, and the trip helped the group bond. It was incredibly hard work, but we also had some fun along the way."
Looking ahead, Cotterill is keen to bring in a striker, two wingers, another midfielder, and a defensive reinforcement to strengthen the squad depth. He mentioned plans to finalize two loan deals soon, with progress expected within the next week.
“The budget is a bit bigger, but not significantly so. It’s about smart allocation," Cotterill explained. “I’ve shown Clive Gowing and Mike Garlick enough about how to get deals done. I know exactly where my budget is, as I have at every club, and I’m happy with our position now.”
Defender James Wilson, who captained Cheltenham last season, missed the friendly against Evesham due to a calf injury but is expected to return soon.
Cheltenham Town’s next pre-season match is away at Slimbridge, kicking off at 2pm next Saturday.