Secure in mid-table, certain to finish as Gloucestershire’s number one club and with just four League Two games remaining; you could be forgiven for thinking that Gary Johnson and his team have already got one eye on their deserved summer break.

Not a bit of it. How could they with near neighbours Forest Green Rovers rolling into town on Saturday?

And even though 16th-placed Cheltenham are comfortably placed – six places and 11 points better off than Rovers – they will be fired up and ready for a real battle this weekend.

Rovers, of course, still have plenty to play for as they look to extend their stay in the Football League to a second season.

But while Johnson has already started looking ahead to next season, he insists that his team are still very much in the here and now as far as Saturday and the remaining fixtures of this season are concerned.

“It may not be a matter of promotion or relegation for us but Saturday is a game that still really matters,” the 62-year-old said.

“Any game against Forest Green does. Our players may not all be from around here but they know it’s a derby game and they know how much it matters to the supporters.”

And if that wasn’t enough, Johnson added: “Quite a lot of the players are still playing for new contracts and they want a bit more money!”

And on the subject of money a quick look at the stats suggests that anyone making a trip down the bookies may want to splash the cash on a few goals being scored on Saturday.

Only four teams in the division have scored more than Cheltenham’s 62 this season while only one club – bottom side Chesterfield – have conceded more than Rovers’ 70.

Cheltenham are the only team below 11th-placed Colchester to boast a positive goal difference and after the struggles of the last campaign following the previous season’s promotion, 2017/18 represents a pretty successful season.

“Yes, we have done quite well,” said Johnson, “but we can always do better. There’s certainly be an improvement and I’m quite confident there will be another improvement next season.

“We have to keep on building. We had to do quite a lot of work to compete at this level and we’ve certainly had a lot more decent results this season.

“And it helps if you’ve got a 20-goal-a-season striker.”

That forward is Mo Eisa, of course, the 23-year-old scoring sensation who is in his first season with the club after joining in the summer from Greenwich Borough, initially on a one-year deal.

That contract was quickly extended to three years but that hasn’t stopped the speculation swirling around the Sudan-born hot-shot.

“Yes, there has been a lot of interest in him,” said Johnson. “He’s had a fantastic season and he’s a great lad.

“He knew when he came here that he needed to learn about the game. He’s coming up 24 – he’s not an 18 or 19-year-old – so he is a late developer.

“But he’s added mental and physical strength to his goalscoring prowess.”

So just how good is he in the eyes of Johnson, a manager who has seen it all and done it all over 25 years as the main man?

“He’s very good, at least good enough for the Championship,” said Johnson. “He doesn’t need to look at anyone in our division or the first division.

“He needs to go to a good Championship club, he’ll score goals at any level.”

The extra two years on his contract mean that Cheltenham are guaranteed a sizeable fee should Eisa move on but Johnson added: “I don’t think we have to sell him for financial reasons.

“If someone offers us value for the money we’ll all look at it; we’re very close to the player.”

For now Eisa is very much a Cheltenham player and he’ll certainly be the main danger man to a Forest Green side looking over their shoulders at the two clubs beneath them in the table.

So what sort of game can we expect on Saturday?

“When you’re a bit inconsistent like we’ve been this season, you’re not always sure which team are going to turn up on the day,” admitted Johnson.

“But I think we’re sixth in the current form table so we’re in a good period. Hopefully we can perform.”

They have certainly performed more often than not this season and that is in no small part down to Johnson.

So what about Johnson himself, what does the future hold for him?

“I’ve got another year on my contract, I’d like to see my contract out,” before adding with a laugh,” unless Man Utd come in for me!

“I’m still as keen as ever. I’m enjoying my role at the club. I like the club, I like the way the club are run and I like the people. It’s a nice place to play my trade.

“But the one thing I have learned is never to look too far ahead.”

Very wise, Gary! And more immediately the only thing he’s looking forward to is hopefully picking up three points at the expense of Forest Green Rovers on Saturday.