So, the new season is upon us - and while it did not get off to the best start on Saturday, a highly encouraging off-season means the glossy optimism of August is yet to be eroded.

From strong showings in pre-season friendlies to astute acquisitions in the summer months, there are plenty of reasons to be cheerful.

At the start of July, many were worried that we'd struggle to get our transfer business done at all, let alone in time for the start of the season, with Jon Meades the only addition to the squad at that point.

But such concerns proved to be ill-founded, as Ardley got number of reputable players (including League One talents like Karleigh Osborne and Lyle Taylor, and Portsmouth captain Paul Robinson) to sign on the dotted line.

Another notable change from previous seasons is the lack of loan players in our squad.

Osborne's year-long loan from Bristol City is the only exception, and the fact that his contract expires at the end of that time suggests he doesn't have much of a future at Ashton Gate, so his spell at Kingsmeadow is unlikely to be cut short.

This lack of loan players is significant because of the rule change that limits opportunities for the short-term loans that so many League Two teams are reliant upon.

The lack of quality loan players in our side compared to others in the division may hinder us early on, but we'll certainly reap the rewards of our squad depth later on in the campaign.

And speaking of squad depth, this season looks set to be another big one for our burgeoning youth academy.

Tom Beere, Christian Toonga, and Will Nightingale (now the proud owner of our number five shirt) all featured regularly in pre-season, while several others were also given the chance to stake their claims for a place in the side.

A secondary advantage of bringing through youth players is the money that can be made from selling them on; Dan Agyei's move to Burnley for an undisclosed fee could be seen as a watershed moment for the club.

Regrettable as it is to see home-grown players moving on, profiting from youth development is one of the only ways to keep the club financially competitive.

We had a tough game first up against a well-organised Plymouth side, and it won't get any easier against Cardiff on Tuesday - but there were signs of promise in the early stages on Saturday, and things will only get better as our players find their feet in a new season (and a new formation).

It would be foolish to suggest that a strong pre-season guarantees any kind of success in the games that matter, but we've got a stronger base to build on than we ever have before, and that can only mean good things for 2015/16.

Wandsworth Times:

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