Robins manager Gary Johnson admitted that the rebuild for next season starts now after Cheltenham Town finished the 2017/18 season with a 2-1 defeat at Crewe Alexandra.
Two goals from Shaun Miller either side of George Lloyd’s second Football League goal of the season handed the Railwaymen victory at Gresty Road.
“I thought it was quite a good football match actually,” said Johnson. “But it was disappointing that we went 1-0 down, which is the story of our season really.”
“In the 46th game we made a couple of mistakes and couldn’t quite tap in to the good quality we had going across the goal.
“There were a couple of things I was pleased with, but we’ve said it’s time to rebuild now.
“We can’t be 17th and not rebuild our squad, we have got to see who we’ve got left and we have been doing a lot of work already, so we aren’t going to leave ourselves short at the last minute.”
With the season now over, the futures of players either staying or leaving is being decided and the gaffer confirmed that the retained list will be decided next week.
“There are some lads that know what is happening to them and some don’t, so I’ll talk to the ones that don’t know next week,” he added.
“It just gives you the opportunity to make the right decision at the end of the year because there were a couple of players who we had decisions to make on, so they played today."
Lloyd scored for the second time in three starts, and Johnson was pleased with his impact and that of fellow Academy graduate Matt Bower off the bench.
He continued: “It was good for Lloydy to come in at the back stick and score his goal, I thought he had a very good first half.
“He definitely affected the game and in the second half as well, I just thought he faded a little bit.
“Matt Bower did very well when he came on, we could have started with him but he knows that when I start him for good he’ll know that I think he’s ready.
“I had a good chat with him yesterday and I’m pleased that he thinks he’s ready because that’s a step in the right direction for him and he looked quite assured there for 15 minutes.
“Lloydy proved he was ready as he affected the game and scored a couple, I just think at the minute I have to leave Matty champing at the bit.
“We have always got high hopes for him but he’s character is a little bit nervous.
“It’s nothing I haven’t told him, and he didn’t have a great week leading up to this one, so I thought he might be a little bit worried about the game.
“He knows, and he trusts me, I trust him, and we’ll get it right when we need to. Matty is one for the long-term future, he will be one of our centre halves in time.”