Promotion to League One was always going to bring a broad brush to the Stevenage squad as manager Steve Evans looks to build on last season's success.

He retained just seven initially but one of them, Danny Rose, would then be sold to Grimsby Town.

However, four of the five maybes firmed things up by signing new contracts - Terence Vancooten, Luther James-Wildin, Jake Forster-Caskey and Josh March

That led into the new signings, which seemed to revolve around whether your surname was Thompson.

Nathan Thompson was the first to arrive from Peterborough United, then his brother Louis joining from Portsmouth.

Ben was the third to arrive, also from Peterborough but no relation to the others.

Harry Anderson arrived from Bristol Rovers, Alex MacDonald from Gillingham and Nick Freeman from Wycombe Wanderers.

The big signing for Boro was the permanent capture of goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond, having impressed hugely in a loan deal from Fulham last season.

That leaves 17 ready for next year but the likely is Evans will want to boost that up to around the 22 or 23 mark again.

And there are still positions to fill.

 

Stevenage's current squad (17)

Goalkeeper (1): Taye Ashby-Hammond

Defence (6): Terence Vancooten, Luther James-Wildin, Kane Smith, Dan Sweeney, Carl Piergianni, Nathan Thompson

Midfield (6): Jake Forster-Caskey, Ben Thompson, Louis Thompson, Harry Anderson, Alex MacDonald, Nick Freeman

Attack (4): Elliott List, Josh March, Jamie Reid, Jordan Roberts

 

Where do I think they will go next?

There are still obvious holes to fill although some of that will be dealt with by the loan system.

A second-choice goalkeeper is needed, but will clubs want to send a youngster to warm the bench? Possibly but it will have to be the right deal for both player and club.

The alternative, like a few other positions, is to blood some of the youngsters who started to emerge at the end of last season. Whether that is the right thing for their own development is up for debate.

A left-back or two is still required. Nathan Thompson can play there but you feel a specialist is needed.

Saxon Earley is the name being bandied around, mostly because of his time last season, and while the interest is probably real, there are still many question marks about whether Plymouth would be OK with the deal, or whether Saxon will want to come back to League One.

That could be a last-minute deal if it ever happens.

Another central midfielder seems to be needed. There are three already with Evans liking between two or three a game, four would be far better.

Another wide man might be a lesser priority. Three are already there with Roberts another option if needed but again four, allowing for at least one back-up each side, would be desirable.

Another striker wouldn't go amiss either. There are four there at the moment but there isn't really one you could label an out-and-out target man, someone to hold the ball up the way Luke Norris did, or to win it in the air like Danny Rose.

It also puts a lot of pressure on List's shoulders to be the main source of goals. He looked sharp last summer but injury robbed Boro, and him, of 12 months of his career.

And there are no guarantees he will return in the same manner.

Whatever happens though, Stevenage are not done yet and with two months to go until the deadline, expect much more news.