Blog: The new season is nearly upon us and Town fans have got a lot to be optimistic about, writes Shrewsbury Town blogger James Pugh.

A lot of re-building work has taken place over the summer, including recruiting new management, coaching staff and players. And if our impressive pre-season is anything to go by we could be set for a successful season.

What has been noticeable in the friendlies is that we look solid defensively and the players have tried to get the ball down and pass the ball, which is different to how we played under Simpson when we seemed to favour an ugly style of football.

Whatever happens this season we should be more exciting to watch.

With so many players leaving at the end of the season Turner has been forced to make a lot of changes to the playing staff and early signs suggest he has done a very good job.

Ben Smith has looked very solid in the friendlies and will provide good competition for Neal. However, I must just warn Town fans that on a Lincoln City fan website they dubbed him ‘butter fingers’ following a poor loan spell there in the 2007-08 season.

David Raven, Ian Sharps, and Mat Sadler look very solid defenders and have plenty of experience.

Mark Wright starred for MK Dons when they got promoted from League Two a couple of seasons ago and I expect him to do the same for us.

Sean McAllister is a young man with plenty of energy who should complement McIntyre and Disley in the heart of the midfield. A lot of Sheffield Wednesday fans were disappointed to see him released.

I had my doubts about Matt Harrold when we signed him, but he has impressed me with his performances so far. I don’t think he will score bag fulls of goals, but will prove to be an excellent target man who will unsettle defenders.

The manager has said he still wants to add to his squad before Saturday and if we are to believe rumours Lionel Ainsworth could be on his way.

He is a good player but do we really need another wide man? And who is the player within our squad who will score 20+ goals? That’s what we are missing.

The team that will take to the field on Saturday will certainly be a very different one to the team that started last year’s campaign.

What do fans think will be the starting XI on Saturday? Here’s my attempt which may change if we sign some new players before then:

Neal, Raven, Sharps, Cansdell-Sherriff, Sadler, McIntyre, Disley, Wright, Neal, Robinson, Harrold.

Looking ahead to Town’s first game of the season, I am sure Bradford will provide stiff opposition.

They are a club that have gone through many changes during pre-season and will be looking to start well and improve on a disappointing campaign last year. They are still regarded as a big club in the division and it is hard to forget it wasn’t all that long ago when they were playing in the Premier League.

All in all Town look in good shape and I am certainly more optimistic about this season compared to last year’s campaign when we lost Ben Davies and Grant Holt and didn’t replace them.

With our current squad I predict us to challenge for promotion and go up through the play-offs. If we can sign a goalscorer then I think we can get promoted automatically.

I think we won’t concede many goals this season and will create plenty of chances with Turner’s style of football of getting the ball down and using the wide men.

What are fans’ predictions for the new season?