North Wales Crusaders head coach Carl Forster is raring to go as his side look ahead to the 2025 Betfred League One season following the release of the Betfred League One fixture list.
Forster’s Crusaders side open their campaign with three games on the road, the first of which falls by way of a trip to face Dewsbury Rams fresh off their relegation from the Championship last season.
Speaking to the media following the fixture release, Forster said: “I think this is the moment it all becomes real again isn’t it, both for fans but also for us as a playing group and coaching staff – we’ve got those dates to look forward to, and we just can’t wait to get going.
“The boys were back in for the start of pre-season last week, and I have to say that I’m impressed with what I’ve seen early doors.
“The attitude is spot on, and it feels like we’ve been together as a group for much longer than a week.”
Looking ahead to the league campaign, Forster added: “It’s a cliche that there’s no easy games, but when you look at League One this season, I think that’s never been more of the case.
“The fixtures come through and you think ‘that’s a tough start’, but in reality the further down you look through the list you realise that there really are no easy games.
“You’ve got three strong teams relegated into the division in Whitehaven, Dewsbury and Swinton, then Keighley who will have been disappointed to not get promoted last season and Goole who are promoted into League One but have recruited very strongly.
“You add into that the remaining sides who will all be looking to improve on 2024 and want to be in and around the play-offs.”
A new league structure shall see the four highest placed teams come the end of the season entered into the Super Eights series joined by the four lowest placed teams from the Betfred Championship to decide on promotion and relegation between the divisions for the 2026 season.
On the new format, Forster said: “It makes it harder, doesn’t it?
“You’re no longer looking at a top six finish for the play-offs, but finishing inside the top four, so, given the side which we’ve recruited, top four has to be our aim going into the season – however, that is no easy task given the strength of the division this season.”
