the club started preparations for the new season immediately and ushered in the new era post-stronach with the appointment of former player and team captain gavin love as the new head coach of the raiders' first team, stepping up from his previous position of stronach's assistant coach. love's first signing as head coach came in the form of dual-national american guard cody toppert from germany. his wife brittany, a professional football player and united states international, followed him to plymouth and signed for local team plymouth argyle ladies. love continued to build the new-look raiders roster with the signings of england international taner adu from essex pirates and american import players otis polk and brian mckenzie, straight out of college. british youngsters matt guymon and sam cricelli were also drafted in soon after however england international guymon left within weeks of the season opener for personal reasons. with the announced returns of marriott, czynienik and anthony rowe from the previous season the roster was starting to take shape, but love was dealt a further blow when fan-favourite allister gall announced he would not be renewing his contract for the upcoming campaign.