2023-2024 Skybet League Two
Fixtures
| Date | Opponents | Score | Att | Scorers | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug | 5 | H | Newport County | W | 3-0 | 2416 | Nolan, Whalley, Adedoyin |
| 8 | H | Bradford City (Carabao Cup 1st Round) | D | 1-1 | 2368 | Andrews | |
| 12 | A | Gillingham | L | 0-1 | 6489 | ||
| 15 | H | Barrow | D | 1-1 | 2204 | McConville, | |
| 19 | H | Harrogate Town | W | 2-1 | 1950 | McConville, Nolan | |
| 26 | A | Salford City | W | 2-1 | 2520 | Whalley, Andrews | |
| Sept | 2 | A | Notts County | L | 1-3 | 9846 | Andrews |
| 5 | H | Carlisle United (EFL Trophy Group) | W | 1-0 | 888 | Whelan OG | |
| 9 | H | Mansfield Town | L | 0-3 | 3094 | ||
| 16 | H | Sutton United | W | 4-1 | 2036 | Leigh (2), Longelo, Pritchard | |
| 23 | A | Tranmere Rovers | L | 0-2 | 5980 | ||
| 30 | H | Stockport County | L | 1-3 | 3913 | Nolan | |
| Oct | 3 | A | Morecambe | D | 1-1 | 3458 | Leigh |
| 7 | H | Forest Green Rovers | W | 2-1 | 2222 | Andrews (2) | |
| 10 | A | Harrogate Town (EFL Trophy Group) | W | 5-3 | 959 | Trickett (2), Adedoyin (3) | |
| 14 | A | Grimsby Town | W | 2-0 | 6335 | Whalley, Andrews | |
| 21 | H | MK Dons | W | 1-0 | 1995 | Whalley | |
| 24 | A | AFC Wimbledon | W | 4-2 | 7108 | Pritchard (2), Leigh, Hills | |
| 28 | H | Colchester United | L | 0-1 | 2107 | ||
| Nov | 4 | A | Doncaster Rovers (FA Cup 1st Round) | D | 2-2 | 3226 | Whalley, Conneely |
| 11 | A | Crawley Town | L | 1-3 | 2887 | Nolan | |
| 14 | H | Doncaster Rovers (FA Cup 1st Round replay) | L | 1-2 | 1136 | Pritchard | |
| 18 | H | Wrexham | W | 2-0 | 5261 | Leigh, Longelo | |
| 25 | A | Bradford City | L | 0-1 | 16548 | ||
| 28 | H | Swindon Town | L | 3-4 | 1997 | Adedoyin, Hills (2) | |
| Dec | 9 | H | Doncaster Rovers | D | 0-0 | 2501 | |
| 12 | H | Lincoln City (EFL Trophy 2nd Round) | W | 1-0 | 1159 | Longelo | |
| 16 | A | Crewe Alexandra | D | 3-3 | 4012 | Nolan, B Woods, J Woods | |
| 23 | H | Walsall | W | 2-1 | 2386 | Leigh, Pritchard | |
| 26 | A | Harrogate Town | L | 1-2 | 3515 | Nolan | |
| 29 | A | Barrow | D | 1-1 | 3549 | Pritchard | |
| Jan | 1 | H | Salford City | W | 3-0 | 2735 | Whalley, Nolan (2) |
| 10 | H | Bolton Wanderers (EFL Trophy 3rd Round) | L | 1-3 | 3441 | Henderson | |
| 13 | H | Gillingham | L | 1-2 | 2383 | Henderson | |
| 27 | A | Forest Green Rovers | W | 1-0 | 2338 | Nolan | |
| Feb | 3 | H | Grimsby Town | D | 0-0 | 2745 | |
| 10 | A | MK Dons | L | 1-2 | 5508 | Nolan | |
| 13 | H | AFC Wimbledon | W | 2-0 | 2032 | Nolan, B Woods | |
| 17 | A | Colchester United | D | 1-1 | 3436 | Harbottle OG | |
| 24 | H | Crawley Town | L | 0-1 | 2216 | ||
| 27 | A | Walsall | L | 1-2 | 5013 | Nolan | |
| Mar | 2 | A | Wrexham | L | 0-4 | 12209 | |
| 9 | H | Bradford City | L | 0-3 | 4099 | ||
| 12 | A | Swindon Town | W | 2-1 | 2224 | Nolan, Henderson | |
| 16 | H | Notts County | D | 2-2 | 2499 | Whalley, Nolan | |
| 23 | A | Sutton United | L | 1-3 | 3265 | Bickerstaffe | |
| 29 | H | Morecambe | L | 1-2 | 3420 | Shipley | |
| Apr | 6 | H | Crewe Alexandra | D | 0-0 | 2658 | |
| 9 | A | Newport County | W | 3-1 | 3201 | Henderson, Leigh, Pritchard | |
| 13 | A | Doncaster Rovers | L | 0-4 | 6990 | ||
| 16 | A | Mansfield Town | L | 1-2 | 7942 | Leigh | |
| 20 | A | Stockport County | L | 2-4 | 10180 | Whalley, Nolan | |
| 27 | H | Tranmere Rovers | W | 4-1 | 3361 | Shipley, Henderson, Nolan (2) |
Appearances and Goals
| LEAGUE | FA CUP | LEAGUE CUP | OTHER | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APPS | GOALS | APPS | GOALS | APPS | GOALS | APPS | GOALS | |
| Korede Adedoyin (F) | 8 (8) | 2 | 1 (1) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 | 3 (0) | 4 |
| Leslie Adekoya (F) | 0 (7) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (2) | 0 |
| Josh Andrews (F) | 19 (1) | 5 | 1 (0) | 0 | 0 (1) | 1 | 0 (0) | 0 |
| Baba Fernandes (D) | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 |
| Jake Bickerstaff (F) | 8 (2) | 1 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 |
| Seamus Conneely (M) | 20 (7) | 0 | 1 (1) | 1 | 0 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 |
| Liam Coyle (M) | 11 (1) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 |
| Owen Devonport (M) | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 |
| Joseph Gubbins (D) | 31 (6) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 4 (0) | 0 |
| Alex Henderson (M) | 8 (12) | 4 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 2 (2) | 1 |
| Brad Hills (D) | 41 (0) | 3 | 1 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 | 4 (1) | 0 |
| Liam Isherwood (G) | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 |
| Tommy Leigh (M) | 37 (2) | 8 | 2 (0) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 |
| Rosaire Longelo (M) | 19 (3) | 2 | 2 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 | 2 (0) | 1 |
| Matt Lowe (F) | 9 (14) | 0 | 0 (2) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 |
| Dan Martin (M) | 24 (8) | 0 | 1 (1) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 | 5 (0) | 0 |
| Sean McConville (M) | 4 (1) | 2 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 |
| Jon McCracken (G) | 11 (0) | 0 | 2 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 |
| Jack McIntyre (G) | 1 (2) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 3 (0) | 0 |
| Kelvin Mellor (D) | 22 (1) | 0 | 2 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 |
| Jack Nolan (M) | 39 (6) | 17 | 1 (1) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 5 (0) | 0 |
| Connor O'Brien (D) | 24 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 | 3 (2) | 0 |
| Oliver Patrick (M) | 1 (2) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 1 (1) | 0 |
| Aaron Pickles (D) | 3 (9) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 | 1 (1) | 0 |
| Anjola Popoola (F) | 0 (2) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 |
| Joe Pritchard (M) | 17 (9) | 6 | 2 (0) | 1 | 0 (0) | 0 | 1 (1) | 0 |
| Sebastian Quirk (M) | 4 (8) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 |
| Jay Rich-Baghuelou (D) | 16 (2) | 0 | 2 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 |
| Oliver Riva (G) | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 |
| Toby Savin (G) | 9 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 |
| Lewis Shipley (D) | 24 (2) | 2 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 4 (0) | 0 |
| Bailey Sloane (D) | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 |
| Lewis Trickett (F) | 1 (4) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 2 |
| Radek Vitek (G) | 18 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 |
| Joe Walsh (G) | 7 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 2 (0) | 0 |
| Shaun Whalley (M) | 29 (7) | 7 | 2 (0) | 1 | 1 (0) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 |
| Ben Woods (M) | 27 (7) | 2 | 1 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 3 (1) | 0 |
| Josh Woods (F) | 14 (18) | 1 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 5 (0) | 0 |
Team Group Photo
Top Row: Bailey Sloane, Seb Quirk, Kelvin Mellor, Matt Lowe, Brad Hills, Jay Rich-Baghuelou, Lewis Shipley, Korede Adedoyin, Josh Andrews, Aaron Pickles, Leslie Adekoya, and Owen Devonport.
Middle Row: Chris Scholes, George Quigley, Baba Fernandes, Alex Henderson, Oliver Patrick, Toby Savin, Andy Dibble, Liam Isherwood, Connor O’Brien, Lewis Trickett, Emerich Poilly, James Wignall, and Luke Livesey.
Bottom Row: Rosaire Longelo, Josh Woods, Shaun Whalley, Liam Coyle, Seamus Conneely, John Doolan, John Coleman, Jimmy Bell, Sean McConville, Tommy Leigh, Joe Pritchard, Jack Nolan, and Dan Martin.
Final League Table
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stockport County | 46 | 27 | 11 | 8 | 96 | 48 | 92 |
| 2 | Wrexham | 46 | 26 | 10 | 10 | 89 | 52 | 88 |
| 3 | Mansfield Town | 46 | 24 | 14 | 8 | 90 | 47 | 86 |
| 4 | Milton Keynes Dons | 46 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 83 | 68 | 78 |
| 5 | Doncaster Rovers | 46 | 21 | 8 | 17 | 73 | 68 | 71 |
| 6 | Crewe Alexandra | 46 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 69 | 65 | 71 |
| 7 | Crawley Town | 46 | 21 | 7 | 18 | 73 | 67 | 70 |
| 8 | Barrow | 46 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 62 | 56 | 69 |
| 9 | Bradford City | 46 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 61 | 59 | 69 |
| 10 | AFC Wimbledon | 46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 64 | 51 | 65 |
| 11 | Walsall | 46 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 69 | 73 | 65 |
| 12 | Gillingham | 46 | 18 | 10 | 18 | 46 | 57 | 64 |
| 13 | Harrogate Town | 46 | 17 | 12 | 17 | 60 | 69 | 63 |
| 14 | Notts County | 46 | 18 | 7 | 21 | 89 | 86 | 61 |
| 15 | Morecambe | 46 | 17 | 10 | 19 | 67 | 81 | 58* |
| 16 | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 17 | 6 | 23 | 67 | 70 | 57 |
| 17 | Accrington Stanley | 46 | 16 | 9 | 21 | 63 | 71 | 57 |
| 18 | Newport County | 46 | 16 | 7 | 23 | 62 | 76 | 55 |
| 19 | Swindon Town | 46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 77 | 83 | 54 |
| 20 | Salford City | 46 | 13 | 12 | 21 | 66 | 82 | 51 |
| 21 | Grimsby Town | 46 | 11 | 16 | 19 | 57 | 74 | 49 |
| 22 | Colchester United | 46 | 11 | 12 | 23 | 59 | 80 | 45 |
| 23 | Sutton United | 46 | 9 | 15 | 22 | 59 | 84 | 42 |
| 24 | Forest Green Rovers | 46 | 11 | 9 | 26 | 44 | 78 | 42 |
*On 11 April 2024, Morecambe were deducted three points for failing to pay players and staff on time following previous EFL rules breaches in the 2023–24 season
2023–24 Season Review
The 2023–24 season was one of transition and frustration for Accrington Stanley, marked by inconsistency on the field and growing uncertainty behind the scenes. Following relegation from League One the previous year, hopes of an immediate return were dashed as Stanley finished mid-table in League Two—some distance from the promotion places.
League Performance
Stanley’s League Two campaign started brightly, with early-season form hinting at a potential push for the play-offs. However, a lack of goals and a tendency to drop points from winning positions soon became a recurring theme. The side faded badly in the second half of the season, eventually settling for a 17th-place finish.
A 12-match winless run between January and April proved decisive, with defensive frailties and a blunt attack undermining the early optimism. A brief upturn in form came too late to spark a late-season surge.
Cup Competitions
The cup campaigns were largely uneventful. Stanley exited the FA Cup in the Second Round and fell in the First Round of the EFL Cup. There was some success in the EFL Trophy group stage, but the run ended at the Round of 32.
The lack of a significant cup tie deprived the club of much-needed financial windfalls—an issue that would become more pressing in the months ahead.
Managerial Change
In March 2024, long-serving manager John Coleman departed the club after 25 years across two spells in charge. His contribution to the modern history of Accrington Stanley—rescuing the club from non-league football and establishing it in the Football League—was widely recognised.
His assistant, John Doolan, was appointed as head coach for the remainder of the season. While results remained mixed, Doolan was seen as a steadying influence and was retained for the 2024–25 campaign.
Finances & Academy Tensions
Though the club remained solvent thanks to continued support from owner Andy Holt, storm clouds were already gathering. The cost of maintaining a Category Three Academy was becoming a growing concern, with the EFL’s planned changes to youth development funding putting further strain on the club’s budget. Discussions around long-term sustainability began to dominate the conversation at board level.
⚽ Season at a Glance
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| League Finish | 17th (League Two) |
| FA Cup | Second Round exit |
| EFL Cup | First Round exit |
| EFL Trophy | Round of 32 |
| Top Scorers | Shaun Whalley (8), Josh Andrews (6) |
| Manager | John Coleman (until March), John Doolan (from March) |
| Key Issue | Inconsistent form and lack of goals |
| Off-Field Focus | Financial planning; Academy future uncertain |
Reflection
The 2023–24 season will be remembered as one of unfulfilled potential and the end of an era. With Coleman’s departure, a new chapter began—but with tighter budgets and bigger questions about the club’s direction, the road ahead looked anything but easy.