The 2023–24 season was the 55th season in the history of Accrington Stanley and their first season back in League Two since the 2017–18 season following relegation from League One in the previous season. The club participated in League Two, 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 Toby Savin GK Southport Academy 1 July 2019 Trainee 30 June 2024 13 Liam Isherwood GK Clitheroe Academy 1 July 2020 Trainee 30 June 2024 21 Radek Vítek GK Vsetín Manchester United 25 January 2024 Loan 31 May 2024 41 Oliver Riva GK Academy 20 November 2023 Trainee 30 June 2024 61 Jack McIntyre GK Manchester Radcliffe 11 August 2023 Free 30 June 2024 Defenders 2 Lewis Shipley CB Cambridge Norwich City 22 July 2023 Loan 31 May 2024 3 Jay Rich-Baghuelou CB Sydney Crystal Palace 14 January 2022 Undisclosed 30 June 2025 4 Kelvin Mellor RB Crewe Crewe Alexandra 21 July 2023 Free 30 June 2024 5 Brad Hills CB Norwich Norwich City 17 July 2023 Loan 31 May 2024 14 Rosaire Longelo RB Kinshasa Newcastle United 7 January 2022 Undisclosed 30 June 2024 15 Baba Fernandes CB Bissau Nottingham Forest 8 August 2022 Free 30 June 2024 16 Joe Gubbins CB Oxford Queens Park Rangers 25 August 2023 Loan 31 May 2024 23 Bailey Sloane LB Bury Clitheroe 1 September 2022 Undisclosed 30 June 2024 25 Aaron Pickles CB Academy 20 July 2023 Trainee 30 June 2024 38 Connor O'Brien LB Accrington Academy 1 July 2023 Trainee 30 June 2024 Midfielders 6 Liam Coyle DM Liverpool Liverpool 5 July 2021 Free 30 June 2024 8 Ben Woods CM Wigan Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1 September 2023 Free 30 June 2024 10 Joe Pritchard CM Watford Bolton Wanderers 1 July 2019 Free 30 June 2024 11 Sean McConville LM Liverpool Chester 1 July 2015 Free 30 June 2024 12 Seb Quirk RM Liverpool Everton 19 January 2023 Undisclosed 30 June 2025 18 Tommy Leigh CM Portsmouth Bognor Regis Town 10 July 2021 Undisclosed 30 June 2024 20 Oliver Patrick CM Oldham Rochdale 9 July 2021 Free 30 June 2024 22 Dan Martin CM Academy 10 September 2020 Trainee 30 June 2024 27 Lewis Trickett RM Accrington Academy 20 July 2023 Trainee 30 June 2024 28 Seamus Conneely DM Lambeth Sligo Rovers 1 January 2015 Free 30 June 2024 30 Alex Henderson CM Academy 20 July 2023 Trainee 30 June 2024 Forwards 7 Shaun Whalley RW Prescot Shrewsbury Town 4 July 2022 Free 30 June 2024 9 Matt Lowe CF Warwick Brackley Town 1 July 2022 Free 30 June 2024 17 Jack Nolan LW Portsmouth Walsall 5 August 2021 Free 30 June 2024 19 Jake Bickerstaff CF Liverpool Wrexham 1 February 2024 Loan 31 May 2024 26 Leslie Adekoya CF Dublin Academy 26 July 2022 Trainee 30 June 2024 33 Angola Popoola CF Academy 8 August 2023 Trainee 30 June 2024 39 Josh Woods CF Clay Brow 30 July 2021 Free 30 June 2024 55 Korede Adedoyin RW Lagos Sheffield Wednesday 31 January 2022 Undisclosed 30 June 2024 Out on Loan 24 Emerich Poilly DM Stoke City 1 July 2021 Free 30 June 2024 32 Jack Massey LW Academy 20 July 2023 Trainee 30 June 2024
Transfers In DatePosPlayerTransferred fromFeeRef 21 July 2023 RB Kelvin Mellor Crewe Alexandra Free Transfer 11 August 2023 GK Jack McIntyre Radcliffe Free Transfer 1 September 2023 CM Ben Woods Inverness Caledonian Thistle Free Transfer
Out DatePosPlayerTransferred toFeeRef 26 June 2023 CM Mo Sangare Livingston Undisclosed 30 June 2023 RB Mitch Clark Port Vale Released 30 June 2023 GK Max Clayton Free agent Released 30 June 2023 RM Rhys-James Fenlon Chorley Released 30 June 2023 DM Brandon Gough Colne Released 30 June 2023 CF Joe Hardy Bootle Released 30 June 2023 CF Calvin Harper Hyde United Released 30 June 2023 CF Enock Lusiama Atherton Collieries Released 30 June 2023 CB Harvey Monk Clitheroe Released 30 June 2023 CM Dylan Moonan Atherton Collieries Released 30 June 2023 CM Anthony Mancini Hartlepool United Released 30 June 2023 RB Jasper Newton West Liberty Hilltoppers Released 30 June 2023 CB Michael Nottingham Livingston End of Contract 30 June 2023 CB Harvey Rodgers Grimsby Town Free Transfer 5 July 2023 CF Alhagi Touray Sisay UE Vilassar de Mar Mutual Consent 31 July 2023 CM David Morgan Southport Released 1 August 2023 CM Ethan Hamilton Lincoln City Undisclosed 5 January 2024 RM Owen Devonport Fleetwood Town Released
Loaned in DatePosPlayerLoaned fromUntilRef 17 July 2023 CB Brad Hills Norwich City End of Season 22 July 2023 CF Josh Andrews Birmingham City 1 February 2024 22 July 2023 CB Lewis Shipley Norwich City End of Season 25 August 2023 CB Joe Gubbins Queens Park Rangers End of Season 29 September 2023 GK Jon McCracken Norwich City 14 October 2023 7 December 2023 GK Joe Walsh Queens Park Rangers 22 December 2023 25 January 2024 GK Radek Vítek Manchester United End of Season 1 February 2024 CF Jake Bickerstaff Wrexham End of Season
Loaned out DatePosPlayerLoaned toUntilRef 10 August 2023 CM Alex Henderson Clitheroe 4 October 2023 12 August 2023 GK Jack McIntyre Dartford 9 September 2023 8 September 2023 CM Owen Devonport Clitheroe 6 October 2023 23 September 2023 CF Jack Massey Stafford Rangers 21 October 2023 6 October 2023 CM Oliver Patrick Atherton Collieries 4 November 2023 7 December 2023 CF Jack Massey Widnes 4 January 2024 5 January 2024 CF Jack Massey Clitheroe End of Season 19 January 2024 CM Will Procter Nelson 17 February 2024 15 February 2024 DM Emerich Poilly Clitheroe 14 March 2024 16 March 2024 CB Bradley Kelly Colne 13 April 2024 16 March 2024 CB Josh Smith Newcastle Town 13 April 2024 23 March 2024 CB Jake Young Bradford (Park Avenue) 30 April 2024 27 March 2024 CM Will Procter Barnoldswick Town 30 April 2024 28 March 2024 CF Harley Lawton Bradford (Park Avenue) 30 April 2024
Pre-season and friendlies On 26 May, Accrington Stanley announced their first two pre-season friendlies, against Blackburn Rovers and Cliterhoe. Four days later, a trip to face Warrington Town was confirmed. On 9 June, a fourth friendly was confirmed, against Chesterfield. Ten days later, a fifth friendly was booked, against York City.
Competitions Overall record
League Two
League table
Results summary
Results by round
Matches On 22 June, the EFL League Two fixtures were released.
August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
FA Cup
Accrington were drawn away to Doncaster Rovers in the first round.
EFL Cup
Stanley were drawn at home to Bradford City in the first round.
EFL Trophy
In the group stage, Accrington were drawn into Northern Group C alongside Carlisle United, Harrogate Town and Nottingham Forest U21. After topping their group, they were drawn at home to Lincoln City in the second round and to Bolton Wanderers in the third round.
References