It's been tough, but Peterborough Sports have been busy re-building a squad capable of matching the successful class of 2024-25 and a key signing has been made

The city side delivered their best ever finish at National League North level (12th) and their highest step two points tally (63) in the 2024-25 campaign, but it’s still been tough trying to build another squad capable of matching or even bettering one that has now partly been broken up.

Gash has described the amount on money sloshing about in non-league football as ‘incredible’ and Sports are handicapped by being among the smallest clubs in the National League set-up

First-team regulars from last season, top scorer Michael Gyasi, ex-Posh midfielder Will Van Leir, playmaker Hugh Alban-Jones and defender Eliot Putman have all moved on.

But Sports have now re-signed athletic midfielder Sam Straughan-Brown on a season-long loan from Doncaster Rovers. He joins fellow newcomers striker Luca Miller, goalkeeper Sam Edwards, former Posh left-back Aaron Powell and midfielder Sam McLintock as new arrivals.

“We still need four new players,” Gash said. “We certainly need a striker and a centre midfielder, but it’s been really tough for us this summer, and mainly because of the amount of money in non-league. It’s incredible how much some clubs can offer players, even clubs who play at a lower level than us.

"You would hope some players would be keen to play at the highest level of football available, but I guess if you’re 29-31 the money can also be important. It’s been hard for us to compete because we are one of the smallest, if not the smallest, club in our division.

"But we have been working hard on players and we will keep working hard. We know our place in the pecking order and it’s not something we haven’t dealt with before.

"We are very pleased with the players we have picked up and with the condition of the lads who have stayed with us. We trained for the first time on Saturday and the lads looked good.

"Sam Straughan-Brown is an excellent signing so we are pleased to now have that done. He came to us last season and he’s such a slightly built lad we were a bit worried he wouldn’t be able to cope with the physical part of National League football, but he adapted impressively quickly.

"Sam puts himself about and he gets up and down the field easily. He is also composed on the ball so I’m excited to see him play again. Sam Edwards is another we like. He knows he will start as number two goalkeeper to Peter Crook, but he trained with us last season and he looked very good.

"We don’t want to sign too many loans too early this season. They can always leave mid-season if that happens and it hurt us when Bayley McCann and Jonathan Bland left us on the same day last season. We look after the players while they are here though and we have great relationships with some professional clubs which helps.

"We did hope Will Van Lier would stay with us. We felt another year at our level would help him on his way, but he is training with another club now and his intention is to go to a full-time club. We gave him 30-odd games last year so he would have played regularly again this season, but good luck to him.”

McCann, a player Sports would love to see return and the son of former Posh star Grant McCann, is currently training with League One Barnsley’s first-team.

Among those who have agreed to stay at Sports for at least another season are goalkeeper Peter Crook, forwards Kaine Felix, Max Booth and Mark Jones, midfielder Dan Jarvis and centre-back Ryan Fryatt.

Gash has re-signed as a player at the age of 38. He and Steele have yet to formally sign new managerial contracts, but it’s not likely to become an issue.

Edwards is the goalkeeper for the England Deaf team.

Sports start their pre-season programme at United Counties Premier Division Deeping Rangers on Tuesday July 8 (7.45pm) before home games against League One clubs Doncaster Rovers (Saturday, July 12, 3pm) and Peterborough United (Tuesday, July 12. 7.45pm).

Grant McCann’s Doncaster are also at Stamford AFC on July 12 (noon) and are expected to send a mix of first-team and fringe players to both fixtures.

Ground improvements have taken place at PIMS Park this season including the introduction of water sprinklers.

NEW KIT

Sports have launched two new strips for the 2025-26 season.

The home strip stays faithful to the club’s traditional orange shirt, while the away strip is a jazzy purple-based design.

Shirts are available from the club store at PIMS Park and online at https://psfc.ktckts.com/brand/club-shop. They are available for £15 upwards. Other merchandise is also available.

The club also offer many commercial opportunities including perimeter advertising boards and match ball sponsorship. Further details are available from https://psfc.co.uk/commercial.