Our playing budget had been cut from £1.6 million to £800,000 that season in 2014-2015 and we ended up selling Sam Clucas early on to the Spireites. Micky Moore describes it as his finest achievement helping that team stay in League 2 although we were helped by Cheltenham and Tranmere being absolutely awful or self destructing.
Several of our squad were seriously injured or clearly coming to the end of their league careers such as Liam Hearn, Luke Jones, Matty Blair, Lee Beevers, John Dempster, Adam Murray etc. Martin Riley was not good enough for League 2.
When you look at the squad, there was some quality in there and many players who have gone on to play higher or become well established in League 2 but the players particularly the forwards were mainly on the young side who were finding their feet in the EFL. Ollie Palmer and Alex Fisher became established League 2 strikers with Ollie now in League 1. Vadaine Oliver has won promotion with Northampton and is now in League 1. Rakish Bingham played for Donny Rovers in League 1 last season. Billy Kee could have been a brilliant signing if we could have sorted his head out. He won promotion to League 1 with Accrington. Matt Rhead proved what a great asset he was at Lincoln City and won two promotions.
Ryan Tafazolli was an excellent young defender. Richie Sutton was our Player of the Season. Jamie McGuire provided the experience and grit in midfield. Reggie Lambe and Chris Clements are well established League 2 players. Michael Raynes helped us stay up and then nearly got promoted with Carlisle.
A lot of the loan players went on to play at a higher level. Kieron Freeman and Callum Elder were good young loan signings who have played in the Championship. Luke Waterfall and Junior Brown played in League 1 with Shrewsbury Town. Terry Hawkridge did well at Lincoln City and Notts County. Jamie Sendles-White did not work out but he did help us win a vital three points in Adam Murray's first home game against Plymouth.
The young players like Jack Thomas and Liam Marsden did not kick on but we still had high hopes of Jack.
Robert Taylor looked a good signing but it did not work out. He left to help Tranmere get relegated.
........as for Fergus Bell, Simon Heslop, Ricky Ravenhill, Sascha Studer