Have Cheltenham Town Fallen in the League Two Vacuum?

Have Cheltenham Town Fallen in the League Two Vacuum?

Cheltenham Town - rock bottom in League Two after 12 games, just less than 18 months after occupying a spot in the division aloft.

However, it is certainly not the first rodeo. The English fourth tier has recently become a sinking pot for regurgitated League One clubs and the Robins may just be descending in it.

‘Marathon not a sprint’ could be the only blessing for Cheltenham at this moment in time, but it’s not as if the Gloucestershire outfit didn’t receive any warning signs last year. Their 15th place position should have been enough to alert the imminent danger.

How Has Their Season Looked so Far?

What has gone wrong in the South West? Whilst we are only 12 games in, Cheltenham have won just two of them, drawn two and lost the eight others.

Their eight points came in way of wins against Accrington Stanley and Fleetwood and draws against Salford and Gillingham in their last game. However, their duo of relieving victories certainly wasn’t enough to rectify the 18 conceded goals, as well as the 7-1 and 5-0 scorelines they have faced this term.

Full-time.#ctfc♦️ pic.twitter.com/QDmY1sY3dN

— Cheltenham Town (@CTFCofficial) September 27, 2025

There is a quadrant of teams suffering near the bottom, with just one point separating 20th and 24th. Fortunately for the Robins, only two of them could face the drop, giving Steve Cotterill’s men quite a bit of leverage.

Speaking of the devil, the former Bristol City man only joined a month ago and already has heavy labour on his hands. Since arriving, he has given Cheltenham a shoulder to cry on, after winning one and drawing one from the three games he’s been in charge for.

However, the fixtures do get slightly easier; Newport County is up next for the Robins, who currently stand level on points and just one place above on goal difference. But there is always a catch and that is league leaders Salford City in their following game.

Were the Warning Signs Made Clear?

Following Cheltenham’s League One relegation in 2024, the Gloucestershire side have been riding a downward spiral. Last season epitomised that, as their rebound year ended with a demoralising 15th place finish.

Although the Robins were just 10 points off a playoff position, the fourth tier was incredibly competitive and Cheltenham were never really in the promotion mix. They conceded more than they scored and lost more than they won, which was certainly not worthy for a top six honour.

Michael Flynn was in charge for the length of the campaign, after taking over on the back of the dreaded relegation. Flynn operated on an average of 1.3 points per game, with just a 36% win record.

Whilst the troubled season wasn’t quite over the threshold to warrant a sacking, his fate was sealed not long after. After taking seven league games to register Cheltenham’s first win this term, Flynn was relieved of his duties last month.

Cheltenham Town manager Steve Cotterill's post-match message to his predecessor Michael Flynn #ctfc pic.twitter.com/yqLbyNE8NB

— Jon Palmer (@JonPalmerSport) October 4, 2025

Sometimes you can’t help but think the Robins may have evaded such a bad start had they orchestrated a managerial switch up earlier than they did.

Can Cotterill Steer Them Forwards?

There is no way to downplay Steve Cotterill’s career in management. The Cheltenham-born man has managed some colossal teams and achieved success with many of them.

The likes of Nottingham Forest, Birmingham City, Portsmouth and Bristol City to reel off a few, it was the latter where Cotterill was most successful, with his League One promotion in 2015.

In recent years, the leader has coached Shrewsbury Town, where he underperformed in League Two, as well as Forest Green Rovers last season, as he finished 3rd in the National League with the Green.

Nevertheless, he is a man with plenty of experience and pride for his hometown club. Having been a previous player and manager for the Robins, alongside his respectable form so far, Cheltenham’s safety could be looking more plausible with their new commander.