The 2023–24 season was the 137th season in the history of Cheltenham Town and their third consecutive season in League One. The club participated in League One, the FA Cup, the EFL Cup, and the 2023–24 EFL Trophy.
Current squad
No. Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth (age) Previous club Date signed Fee Contract end Goalkeepers 1 Luke Southwood GK Oxford Reading 11 July 2023 Free 30 June 2024 21 Jamie Pardington GK Larne 1 July 2023 Free 30 June 2024 31 Jude Franks GK Academy 5 September 2023 Trainee 30 June 2024 Defenders 2 Sean Long RB Dublin Lincoln City 1 July 2018 Free 30 June 2024 3 Ben Williams LB Preston Barnsley 5 January 2022 Undisclosed 30 June 2024 4 Tom Bradbury CB Aylesbury FC Halifax Town 1 July 2022 Free 30 June 2024 5 Andy Smith CB Banbury Hull City 24 January 2024 Loan 31 May 2024 6 Lewis Freestone CB King's Lynn Brighton & Hove Albion 1 August 2020 Free 30 June 2025 14 Jack Shepherd CB Barnsley 1 February 2024 Loan 31 May 2024 24 Grant Horton CB Colchester Academy 5 August 2020 Trainee 30 June 2024 33 Curtis Davies CB Leytonstone Derby County 1 July 2023 Free 30 June 2024 40 Cameron Walters CB Academy 6 November 2023 Trainee 30 June 2024 Midfielders 7 Liam Kinsella DM Colchester Swindon Town 24 January 2024 Free 30 June 2025 8 Liam Sercombe CM Exeter Bristol Rovers 4 August 2020 Free 30 June 2024 15 Will Ferry LM Bury Southampton 9 August 2022 Undisclosed 30 June 2024 17 James Olayinka CM Lambeth Arsenal 1 September 2022 Undisclosed 30 June 2024 23 Elliot Bonds CM Brent Hull City 1 July 2021 Free 30 June 2025 25 Josh Harrop AM Stockport Northampton Town 22 January 2024 Free 30 June 2024 29 Tom King CM Academy 1 July 2023 Trainee 30 June 2026 30 Freddy Willcox CM Academy 5 September 2023 Trainee 30 June 2024 32 Greg Sloggett CM Gormanston Dundalk 2 February 2024 Free 30 June 2024 34 Tom Pett CM Potters Bar Port Vale 2 November 2023 Free 30 June 2024 35 Brandon Liggett CM Academy 6 November 2023 Trainee 30 June 2024 Forwards 9 Matty Taylor CF Kidlington Forest Green Rovers 1 February 2024 Free 30 June 2026 10 Aidan Keena CF Mullingar Sligo Rovers 29 January 2023 £80,000 30 June 2026 11 Rob Street CF Oxford Crystal Palace 1 July 2023 Free 30 June 2026 19 George Lloyd CF Gloucester Academy 1 July 2018 Trainee 30 June 2024 26 Joe Nuttall CF Bury Oldham Athletic 1 February 2024 Loan 31 May 2024 27 Jordan Thomas CF Bath City 1 February 2024 Undisclosed 30 June 2026 39 Sopuruchukwu Obieri CF Academy 6 November 2023 Trainee 30 June 2024 Out on Loan 16 Daniel Adshead CM Manchester Norwich City 1 July 2022 Undisclosed 30 June 2024 20 Max Harris GK Gloucester Oxford United 3 September 2020 Free 30 June 2024 22 Liam Smith RB Dalgety Bay Dundee United 20 July 2023 Free 30 June 2024 28 Adulai Sambu RB Lisbon Academy 1 July 2022 Trainee 30 June 2024
Transfers In DatePosPlayerTransferred fromFeeRef 1 July 2023 CB Free transfer 1 July 2023 GK Free transfer 1 July 2023 CF Free transfer 11 July 2023 GK Free transfer 20 July 2023 RB Free transfer 3 August 2023 CM Free transfer 2 November 2023 CM Free agent 22 January 2024 AM Free agent 24 January 2024 DM Free transfer 1 February 2024 CF Free transfer 1 February 2024 RW Undisclosed 2 February 2024 CM Free transfer
Out DatePosPlayerTransferred toFeeRef 16 May 2023 LB Undisclosed 30 June 2023 DM Released 30 June 2023 RM Free transfer 30 June 2023 CF Released 30 June 2023 CF Free agent Released 30 June 2023 CF Free agent Released 30 June 2023 RB Rejected Contract 30 June 2023 GK Released 30 June 2023 CF Free agent Released 30 June 2023 CB Mutual Consent 7 July 2023 CF Undisclosed 19 January 2024 CF Undisclosed 1 February 2024 CM Free transfer 14 February 2024 CB Free transfer 15 February 2024 CM Free transfer
Loaned in DatePosPlayerLoaned fromUntilRef 1 August 2023 CM 2 January 2024 18 August 2023 RB 2 January 2024 25 August 2023 CB 2 January 2024 29 August 2023 AM 2 January 2024 1 September 2023 CF 1 February 2024 1 September 2023 CF 2 January 2024 1 September 2023 RB 1 January 2024 24 January 2024 CB End of season 1 February 2024 CF End of season 1 February 2024 CB End of season
Loaned out DatePosPlayerLoaned toUntilRef 18 August 2023 GK 15 September 2023 12 September 2023 RB End of Season 1 December 2023 GK End of season 16 December 2023 CM End of Season 1 January 2024 CM 15 February 2024 1 February 2024 RB End of season
Pre-season and friendlies On 19 May, Cheltenham Town announced their first batch of pre-season friendlies, against Evesham United, Swindon Supermarine, Weston-super-Mare and Bristol City. A fifth friendly fixture was later added, against Birmingham City. The club announced a sixth friendly on June 12, against West Bromwich Albion.
Competitions Overall record
League One
League table
Results summary
Results by round
Matches On 22 June, the EFL League One fixtures were released.
Postponed matches
Abandoned match with Bolton Wanderers On 13 January 2024, during the away at home against Bolton Wanderers, Iain Purslow, a spectator supporting Bolton suffered a cardiac arrest. The match was suspended in the 29th minute resulting in the players leaving the pitch. The match was abandoned 30 minutes later. It was subsequently confirmed that Purslow died later in hospital. On 15 January 2024, it was announced the match would be replayed in full on 23 January 2024. This necessitated rearranging the Burton Albion v Cheltenham fixture, originally scheduled for 23 January 2024.
FA Cup
Town were drawn away to AFC Wimbledon in the first round.
EFL Cup
Cheltenham were drawn at home to Birmingham City in the first round.
EFL Trophy
In the group stage, Cheltenham Town were drawn into Southern Group H alongside Newport County, Bristol Rovers and West Ham United U21.
References