Stevenage were back in training this week ahead of the 2015/16 campaign.

The club will be pleased to have kept some of their best performers from last season such as Dean Parrett and Charlie Lee, while teenage star Ben Kennedy remains despite rumours of interest from Peterborough United in the summer. The club said last week that no bid had been forthcoming.

Yet the club did shed 14 players in the summer and they are still lacking in some departments, especially in defence.

Jon Ashton, Harry Worley, Darius Charles and Bira Dembele all left in the summer, with the last of these joining Boro’s League Two rivals Barnet last week. At the back, only Mark Hughes has so far come in the other way.

Ryan Johnson, the young defender, is expected to feature this season.

Speaking recently about the teenager, who made four substitute appearances last season, Boro coach Darren Sarll said: “He’s driven by a good attitude and determination.

“He suffered a lot of disappointment last year before Christmas. When a young man goes into the first team squad he automatically dreams of the trappings of the life of a pro footballer. For it not to have gone so well he had to get his head around it.

“He wants to get better, he knows what his faults are and he is prepared to put in the work and develop. That’s the sort of attitude we want.”

Brett Williams, a striker from Aldershot Town, and Steven Schumacher, a midfielder from Fleetwood, are Boro’s other acquisitions so far.