Sutton United may have left it late to seal their final summer signing, but the club can be pleased with their transfer business alongside an encouraging start to the new campaign.
The Deadline Day arrival of goalkeeper Lewis Ward brought the Us total number of signings to eleven, adding much-needed strength in depth.
Head Coach Matt Gray’s main priority was to ensure there was competition for places across the entire squad with Ward expected to challenge fellow new recruit Jack Rose for the number one shirt.
The Us have also had to contend with an injury crisis in the opening month of the campaign – the worst being Ben Goodliffe’s long-term lay-off after sustaining a ruptured posterior cruciate ligament in the opening day draw at home to Newport.
To offset that damage, free agent Aaron Pierre has joined after his contract ended at League One Shrewsbury Town and brings a wealth of league experience to Gander Green Lane.
On Pierre’s arrival, Gray said: “Aaron still needs to get up to speed, but he will bring real competition for Coby (Rowe) and Louis (John) while (Ben) Goodliffe is out.”
With Isaac Olaofe returning to parent club Millwall after a successful two-year loan stint at Sutton and David Ajiboye’s move to Peterborough United, Gray has also moved to bolster his attacking options.
Incoming have been Charley Kendall on a season-long loan from Lincoln City, Wrexham’s Kwame Thomas and Tope Fadahunsi from Loughborough University.
With his pace and power, Kendall offers Sutton something different late on in games while Thomas has immediately slotted into the starting line-up as the Us main target man in place of the injured Omar Bugiel.
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Yet neither has managed to score in the league so far – that accolade falling to Fadahunsi who has found the net three times across six appearances while Academy graduate Kylian Kouassi came off the bench to score the winner against Harrogate.
Gray admits the duo’s exploits have been a welcome headache, saying: “These two young lads (Kouassi and Fadahunsi) are really posing me problems as I was thinking about loaning them out.
“They keep coming on and scoring goals – making my life a little bit harder but that is a good problem to have.”
However, two summer recruits that have been sent on loan to gain invaluable first-team experience are young defenders Tobi Ogundega and Matt Ridley who have joined Kingstonian and Chesham United respectively.
Of the other new signings, Luton loanee Josh Neufville has made the right-wing his own while Sam Hart has been one of Sutton’s recent injury casualties and Luke Gambin consigned to Papa John’s Trophy duty.
The key to this window was not only to strengthen but also to keep much of the nucleus intact of the side that defied the odds last season and, with only Ajiboye and goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis the notable departures, it is very much a case of mission accomplished.
And with a full season of EFL experience behind them alongside the new recruits, Sutton have already improved on last season’s start.
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They may sit 11th having earned three wins and two draws from their opening seven games but they already have three more points than they did at the same stage last season with their impressive home form coming to the fore once again.
With back-to-back away games coming up, it is becoming increasingly clear that Sutton’s prospects this season will once again hinge on posing a threat on the road if they are to mount a serious Play-Off charge.
One thing is certain so far – there are no signs they will suffer a case of ‘second-season syndrome’ and are very much in League Two to stay…
Images of Tope Fadahunsi and Josh Neufville provided with thanks to Paul Loughlin/Sutton United FC.