The Kickers came into 2023 fresh off a Players' Shield and one of the most successful seasons in its modern era. Richmond's fifth season in League One, though, didn't quite live up to expectations as the Kickers recorded the worst season for a Players' Shield holder in league history and ended the season with their longest winless streak (16) in their modern era. 2023 marked just the third campaign across Richmond's 31 consecutive seasons in which it averaged less than a point per match. Heading into 2024, the Kickers will look to Head Coach and Chief Sporting Officer Darren Sawatzky - now the longest-tenured coach in the league - and a large collection of returning talent to start their 32nd season on a positive note.

The Kickers did enjoy a nice start to the 2023 season, recording just two losses across their first 11 league matches to move into third place in the table. Things went sideways in a hurry for Richmond - the Kickers' July 1 victory over Chattanooga would be their last of the season. Even with the highest average possession across the league (53%), the Kickers scored the third-fewest goals (42) and were plagued by an inability to hang on to leads; Richmond's 22 points dropped from winning positions a season ago were the most in a single season in league history and would have comfortably placed them in a playoff position if the results went the other way.

Richmond will return over 83% of its goalscoring production and over 77% of its minutes contributors from a season ago, most notably in the form of three-time League One Player of the Year and all-time leading scorer Emiliano Terzaghi, All-League First Team midfielder Nil Vinyals, Brazilian midfielder João Gomiero and collection of reliable defenders and midfielders in Nathan Aune, Simon Fitch, Zacarías Morán, Justin Sukow and Dakota Barnathan, among others.

The most impactful departure will surely be goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald as he returns to North Carolina FC in the USL Championship. Losing pacey wingers Kharlton Belmar and Omar Gordon and productive defender Michael Horsnby will be difficult to navigate, too. Richmond will largely rely on what they have but did bring in a few key pieces over the offseason including 2022 USL League One Comeback Player of the Year Adrian Billhardt, veteran USL forward Arthur Bosua and South Georgia legend Pablo Jara to fill the shoes of Fitzgerald in goal.

PLAYERS TO WATCH