# 2008–09 Cheltenham Town F.C. season

During the 2008–09 English football season, Cheltenham Town F.C. competed in Football League One.

## Season summary

A 4–1 defeat at Hartlepool United saw manager Keith Downing depart by mutual consent in September. His replacement was Martin Allen, the son of former Robins manager Dennis. Allen was unable to improve results enough for Cheltenham to escape the drop.

## Kit

Italian company Erreà continued as Cheltenham's kit manufacturers, while Cheltenham-based plumbing company Mira Showers began sponsoring the kits. For the first time in 15 years, Cheltenham wore kits with no stripes, with Erreà instead opting for a plain red design with asymmetric white trim. The away kit was yellow with red piping.

## First-team squad

    Squad at end of season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | ENG | Shane Higgs |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Alan Wright |
| 4 | DF | NIR | Shane Duff |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Gavin Caines |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Michael Townsend |
| 7 | MF | WAL | Josh Low |
| 8 | MF | ENG | John Finnigan |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Paul Connor |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Damian Spencer |
| 12 | GK | ENG | Scott Brown |
| 14 | MF | ENG | Dave Bird |
| 16 | MF | ENG | Alex Russell |
| 17 | DF | ENG | Andy Lindegaard |
| 18 | FW | ENG | Ashley Vincent |
| 19 | DF | ENG | Lee Ridley |
| 20 | DF | ENG | Andy Gallinagh |
| 21 | GK | ENG | Will Puddy |
| 22 | MF | HKG | Aaron Ledgister |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 28 | MF | ENG | Marley Watkins |
| 29 | DF | GUI | Drissa Diallo (on loan from Milton Keynes Dons) |
| 25 | DF | ENG | Kyle Haynes |
| 26 | DF | ENG | Jake Lee |
| 27 | FW | GHA | Lloyd Owusu |
| 30 | MF | ENG | Josh Emery |
| 32 | MF | ENG | Theo Lewis |
| 33 | MF | ENG | Frankie Artus (on loan from Bristol City) |
| 36 | GK | WAL | Joe Perry |
| 37 | MF | ENG | Lewis Fathers |
| 38 | MF | ENG | Ian Westlake |
| 39 | FW | GHA | Elvis Hammond |
| 40 | DF | ENG | Jack Durrant |
| 42 | FW | ENG | Dean Maynard |
| 43 | MF | ENG | Michail Antonio (on loan from Reading) |
| 45 | DF | ESP | Yuri Berchiche (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur) |
| 46 | MF | IRL | David Hutton |
| 47 | MF | NIR | Cathal Tosh |

### Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | ENG | Shane Higgs (on loan to Wolverhampton Wanderers) |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Jerry Gill (on loan to Forest Green Rovers) |
| 7 | MF | WAL | Josh Low (on loan to Forest Green Rovers) |
| 11 | MF | ENG | Scott Brown (on loan to Port Vale) |
| 13 | DF | ENG | Craig Armstrong (on loan to Burton Albion) |
| 15 | DF | ENG | Ben Gill (to Crawley Town) |
| 23/24 | FW | JAM | Barry Hayles (on loan from Leicester City) |
| 23 | MF | IRL | Jonny Hayes (on loan from Leicester City) |
| 24 | MF | ENG | Jennison Myrie-Williams (on loan from Bristol City) |
| 24 | DF | ENG | Lathaniel Rowe-Turner (on loan from Leicester City) |
| 25 | MF | ENG | Dean Sinclair (on loan from Charlton Athletic) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 25 | FW | WAL | Stuart Fleetwood (on loan from Charlton Athletic) |
| 25 | DF | ENG | Chris Westwood (on loan from Peterborough United) |
| 26 | MF | SCO | Scott Murray (on loan from Bristol City) |
| 31 | MF | ENG | Josh Payne (on loan from West Ham United) |
| 33 | MF | ENG | Lewis Montrose (on loan from Wigan Athletic) |
| 34 | MF | AUS | James Wesolowski (on loan from Leicester City) |
| 35 | MF | ENG | Darren Kenton (released) |
| 35 | FW | ENG | Leon Constantine (on loan from Northampton Town) |
| 41 | FW | ENG | Nicholas Bignall (on loan from Reading) |
| 44 | FW | ENG | Ashley Hemmings (on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers) |