The only way is up

It's been a busy winter at Gloucestershire after a less-than-successful 2012 season in which they finished bottom of Division Two in the Championship, third in their group after lacking consistency in the CB40, and were knocked out of the T20 quarterfinals in a high scoring game with Sussex. New faces have arrived at the club, and some familiar faces have declared their departure.

Shortly before Christmas, Gloucestershire announced the signing of Michael Klinger as both overseas player and the new captain. The South Australia batsman succeeds Alex Gidman, who stepped down as captain at the end of last season, no longer enjoying the role and feeling a negative impact to his personal game.

It's hoped that, at 32, Klinger has the experience needed to lead the Gladiators to success, and his previous role as captain at SA should stand him in good stead. One of the stars of this year's Australian Big Bash T20 tournament, Klinger will be available for all three formats of the game and joins us in April.

It is perhaps no coincidence that Klinger's South Australia team-mate, the 29 year-old allrounder Dan Christian, will also be joining Gloucestershire this season, playing in the Friends Life t20. Another regular in the Big Bash, Christian is no stranger to success in the English domestic competition as he was part of the Hampshire team who lifted the trophy in 2010.

Another new face in the first team squad will be young wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick, who was impressive in his games for the second XI last year, and will provide some competition for Richard Coughtrie behind the stumps following the retirement of Jonathan Batty at the end of the 2012. Other departures include David Wade, released in September last year.

Sadly, chief executive Tom Richardson has decided to leave at the end of the coming season, after 12 years in his role at the club. He is intent on leaving on a positive note however, describing promotion in the County Championship as "a minimum requirement" for this season. Richardson was instrumental in creating the academy at Gloucestershire in 2002, as well as initiating the current ground redevelopment that was so crucial to the future of the club. He will be sorely missed by staff, players and fans alike.

Richardson called his departure a logical break, with the redevelopments that he is currently overseeing due for completion shortly before his exit. Building work is in full swing at the ground, with the new pavilion taking shape. It will be exciting to see the developments in progress throughout this season, although hopefully it won't interfere too much with the playing and spectating. The club hope that the new facilities will bring an England v India fixture in 2014.

Back to this season, and there is great excitement within the club at the prospect of bringing FLt20 to the Cheltenham Cricket Festival for the first time this year, with fixtures against Warwickshire, Northants and Glamorgan. I'm very much looking forward to this part of the season, and providing the good old British weather treats us kindly, it promises to be a spectacular few days of cricket.

The Gladiators hope to impress in the limited-overs formats, as they capitalise on instruction over the winter by the ex-Hampshire player Julian Wood, who is now a specialist coach in power hitting. By all accounts, the likes of Dan Housego have taken to it well, so hopefully we'll be posting some bigger totals on the board this year.

Gloucestershire begin this season with an 'only way is up' attitude, after the disappointments of 2012. It will be interesting to watch the development of Gidman, free from the duties of captaincy. It is a key season for some of the younger players - time for them to step up from 'showing promise' to really making a name for themselves. In particular, Ed Young is coming back from his second winter in Australia and should become a key all-round performer in all competitions. Housego, at 24, should really be stepping up to become an established batsman. His 132 against South Africa in a one-day game last August showed his potential. It would be great to see him scoring runs consistently.

This season it's time to stop using youth as an excuse for failure. The talent is there, the consistency now needs to join it. It would be fantastic to be able to wave goodbye to such a terrific chief executive with some success on the pitch and a trophy or two in the cabinet.

Likely Championship side
Klinger (capt)
Marshall
Cockbain
Howell
Dent
A Gidman
Young
Roderick (wk)
Payne
Saxelby
Fuller

What I love The County Ground. So far it has retained its intimate nature and, although it's currently undergoing a major facelift, I'm excited to see that developing over the summer and the prospect of international cricket on my doorstep next year.

What I'd change It would be great if the warm, friendly atmosphere that you get every year at the Cheltenham Cricket Festival existed wherever the team played, especially at Bristol where the crowd can be quite negative at times.