Brandon M

With injuries mounting Mark was forced into the transfer market bringing in another signing after an initial and successful trial period at the club.

Jean Michel Sigere was a footballing nomad but having seen him training Mark had offered him a short term deal. An ex-French under 21 international with a history of serious injuries affecting his eventual impact on the game he was all but finished. Convinced he could play for a couple of seasons he washed up on WSM shores.

Fisher - away
5:3

A make shift team of unfit and lesser known squad players featured on a damp and cold January afternoon. Whilst the scoreline at the end of the game described a lively afternoon's football the closeness of the game meant
a tough struggle until the final whistle.

A Marc Mcgregor hat trick, a lovely Herrod goal and a debut goal from Sigere polished the result.
But at three nil and playing some lovely football, Fisher had scored two goals putting extreme pressure on the WSM back line.
WSM wobbled in the wind but held on until the third Mcgregor goal finally killed off the spirited fightback and the game finished with a last minute goal from the Frenchman Sigere.

A close call but an away win against a decent team was most welcome.

January fixtures completed and the gap to Lewes still three points but WSM were now up into 2nd and there was clear water between them and 3rd placed Sutton.

Brandon M

Mark and Paul sat in the boardroom discussing the month ahead. February had two very difficult fixtures included amongst the four they were due to play.

Farnborough were mid table but their position false due to the 10 point deduction incurred for going into administration.
Farborough on a rich vein of form and without the penalty in place would have been close to the play off positions in the league.

However the home game to Lewes the league leaders was the most important game in the season for WSM.

Conversations moved from the games to the players and Mark finalised and commented on
the contracts to be offered to the players.
All of the first team contracts were up for renewal and there was a lively debate between the two men as each decision was reviewed.

New one year deals would be offered to all of
the regular first team.
Each of those players deserved an extension. The players brought in since November would have to wait until the season finale before any contracts discussions took place.

Of the remainder of the first team squad three players had yet to feature in a game.
Midfielder Loxton and strikers Hopkins and Law.

Hopkins had appeared as a late second half sub in one game but despite having 20 minutes on the pitch had earnt the nickname the ghost as he had been anonymous and according to the local paper hadn't touched the ball in that time.
Harsh comments but the nickname stuck.

Mark had decided that the three players had not shown enough to justify a new contract and after consideration and discussions with the coaching staff to confirm his stance they were all in agreement.
The option to release them immediately was available but Mark felt that going into the business end of the season working and perhaps utilising players known to the club might be to his advantage.
The three would be left to sweat until the end of the season.

Brandon M

Cambridge City - home
3:0

Cambridge would have thrown in the towel if the game had been a boxing match.
WSM were now providing the cutting edge to their dynamic football. Mcgregor and a fit again Newbold (2) gabbing 3 well taken goals between them making the last 30 minutes irrelevant.
Cambridge were pinned into their own half and wilted under the pressure of wave after wave of purposeful WSM forays into their goal area.
The midfield pairing of Rose and Kirk providing the perfect delivery for wide men to create mayhem in the Cambridge Box.

The Cambridge manager during his post match interview for local tv said in response to a-reporters comment 'that his team were lucky to conceed just the three goals - WSM were awesome and should have put 6 or 7 more past us.'
As WSM had been hammered 8:1 by Cambridge the season before there was some irony in his statement.

Brandon M

Training over the next few days had been a pleasure with everyone working hard and determined to make the most of the seasons opportunity. The heady heights of 2nd place in the league were giving WSM supporters nosebleeds.
Lewes who had been the best team in the league upto the midway point were faltering. With the clash of the top two 2 weeks away WSM were now level on points with Lewes on goal difference.
Excitement in the town was growing and belief that this year the team would at least be in amongst the final shout for promotion rather than the usual relegation dogfight.

Whilst everyone else was talking up the Lewes game Mark was still focussing on taking on Farnborough and getting his players right for the away fixture.

He was right to be concerned. On a crisp cold sunny day Farnborough showed their determination to win the game and keep their slim chances of promotion via the play off alive.

Farnborough - away
2:2
Farnborough took the game to WSM dominating a scoreless first half.
Chances fell for both teams after the break but despite the nail biting entertainment for the crowd the back of the net remained empty until Farnborough scored twice in quick succession on the 60th and 65th minutes.

Mark made two quick changes bringing on Mckoy in midfield and Herrod in place of Mcgregor.
Determination to maintain their unbeaten record and keep up with Lewes was the key to the deserved comeback.
A dodgy penalty on 82 minutes, put away by Walker after Herrod had been pulled back in the box and a last gasp equaliser from Newbold.
The Farnborough side couldn't believe that they had only drawn the game and were angry that the leveller had not been ruled offside.
Mark knew that the both goals were fortunate for his team but when the you have the rub of the green these things happen.

Lewes could only draw in their game meaning that the 'big match' just one week ahead could see the winner go 3 points clear.

Brandon M

Lewes - home
3:0

The pre match build up and the hype that surrounded the club in those heady days of joint top of the league meant the game itself had a lot to live upto.

Winner takes all! was the Western Mercury headline on match day as much a reference to the result as the special guest - Jimmy Tarbuck.
Jimmy had replaced Mark in 'Strictly Come Dancing' only for himself to withdraw weeks later on health grounds.

Ticket sales had already meant the game was a sellout. With added local interest local radio in a first for WSM would commentate on the full match.

In the WSM changing rooms the final prepartions were completed. The players formed a huddle in the middle of the room and listened intently to Mark's final words.

The noise of the crowd as the teams appeared on the pitch was electric.
Winner takes all!

Mark sat in the dugout and watched with growing pride as his team dismantled the league leaders.
After just 30 minutes WSM had hammered Lewes emphatically playing them off the park and scoring 3 stunning goals on the way.

Newbold started the goal frenzy on 5 minutes dribbling past a static defence before slotting calmy past the advancing keeper. His wild west gun salute to the WSM fans blowing spoke away from his finger pistols a perfect picture for next day newspaper editors.
On 20 minutes a Scott Walker free kick cannoned into the top left corner and as the crowd calmed down from their jubilant celebrations Marc Mcgregor headed firmly in a third goal direct from a Walker delivered corner.
The Lewes keeper could only stare in disbelief at the ball in his net.

2nd half a recomposed Lewes began to play the football that had made them the long time league leaders. But the damage was done.
WSM were first to every loose ball, harrying their opponent like men possessed making sure that Lewes were shown no glimmer of hope.

The scenes at the final whistle were reminicent of a team winning the cup final. The fans didn't want to go home. The singing seemed to go on for hours after the game had finished and the town enjoyed the moment for days afterwards.
The team deserved the glory and the recognition.

But whilst WSM might be 3 points clear the hard work had only just begun. Going top in February meant nothing - Winner takes all in May!

Brandon M

The porshe pulled out into the fast lane as it joined the M5 heading southwards towards Taunton and Exeter.
After a brief and very chilly encounter to Wales to watch Newport play at home to Eastbourne mark drove home as quickly as the road conditions allowed.

The evening had been fruitful.
The host team had allowed him into the directors box to watch the match.
on the way upto the box he happily signed some autographs and then had his photo taken with some Newport fans.
Over recent years he found it amazing that wherever he went there were always Chelsea fans in the latest club colours.

Whilst many of these might well be new additions due to the Club's winning formula many were at least old enough to recall him actually playing and to gain his autograph.

His attraction to Chelsea had been firm from the age of 5. The Chelsea 70/71 cup finals, the song 'blue is the colour' and the first football strip purchased by his parents had locked him into their support from that early age.

To actually play for them for all but 18 years was a dream come true for any budding football star. Several clubs including Southampton, Exeter and Torquay had looked at him but once the overtures of Chelsea came into the equation there was only going to be one winner of his young signature.

Whilst he had been loaned out during his first few seasons playing for the likes of Bournemouth and Plymouth he had only ever played for one club.
Playing alongside his early hero Kerry Dixon in the mid-80's though to captaining the side in the late 90's was an incredible journey.

Brandon M

Closeted in the directors box Mark was able to watch the game without being disturbed.
There was only one reason for him being there.
Elliot Benyon.

Benyon was on a season long loan from Bristol City and making a name for himself in the non league world. Already hitting a dozen goals including two against WSM.

After 75 minutes Mark had seen enough.
Benyon whilst not scoring on the night created havoc in the Eastbourne defence. Whilst a slight figure he had pace and obvious talent.
A natural goalscorer.
The pairing of Benyon with Newbold would be a dream partnership one which could ensure that WSM should they be fortunate enough to be promoted could strive for more than conference league safety.

Benyon's showing that night made him Mark's number one target for the next season.

One or two slight problems.
WSM couldn't afford to buy him or even find the fee involved to bring him to the club.
However he was stalling on a new contract and dependant on his negotiations with Bristol which were not looking promising there was very small chance that he could be released.

And the small matter of having to get promoted.
Benyon was unlikely to sign permanetly for anyone less than conference league placed team.

Leaving before the crowd allowed him a trouble free exit and it wasn't long before his car joined the M4 and the one and half hour journey home.

Mark using his mobile phone called his scout Lee Houghton to request that Benyon was put under the microscope for the next few games.
Call completed he switched on the radio to catch the latest sports news from 5 Live as the signs for the M5 South West began to appear.

Brandon M

Three games played in February and two wins and a draw to show for the new conference south league leaders.

Training had been very easy for the coaching staff post the Lewes game. Moral at an all time high and with the players tails up and working hard.

Mark spent several days tieing up the last few loose ends with regards to players contracts. No major snags were encountered and with the team top of the league all of the first team squad were keen to extend their time at the club.
There were difficult conversations with the players not offered contracts.
Mark spent time with each of them and despite tears and the thought of footballing dreams ending Mark promised each of them that there was still time to change his mind.
He had seen more than his fair share of young players leaving the game after failing to make the grade. A tough day for the ex-Chelsea man and not one of his better days since he had joined WSM. He knew that all of over the world football managers were having similar conversations with young players and that it was all part of the job. Not something he would ever look forward to doing....

Basingstoke away
0:0

Basingstoke had snatched a draw at Woodspring Park.
A 90th minute goal denying WSM the three points.
A dire game short on chances and delivering zero in any real quality produced a similar result.
The only positive to come from the afternoon was that Lewes had lost again and the gap between 1st and 2nd had widened. Sutton and newport took full advantage of the Lewes slip up closing to within striking distance of 2nd spot.

Brandon M

A busy fixture period approached the new league leaders.

All six of the games in March were winable and this was the sentiment of the March review meeting.
Attitude and performance the key to success.

All of the fixtures were against mid table or lower teams and the month could provide WSM a real opportunity to break free from the chasing group and edge closer to promotion.

Paul Bliss took the opportunity to update Mark on financial matters which not suprisingly with healthy league crowds at every home game had significantly improved the clubs fortunes.

With all of the positive news on both the on and off field activities confirmation by Paul that he couldn't release any funds and therefore there would be no transfer kitty even if WSM were promoted.

Not the news that Mark wanted to hear.
He couldn't deny to Paul that he was disappointed.
But as he had re-signed the current first team sqaud and felt that they should be given the opportunity to further the clubs ambitions the blow was cushioned.
Mark and his scout Lee Houghton had already trawled several targets spreading the net widely with the hope of catching one or two players who could add to the current team.
Wasted hours and wasted trips....
No wholesale changes were being suggested just some added options to the make up of the squad.

Mark knew that these potential targets were now lost.
For the players Mark had wanted the fees involved in the very low thousands.

The killer blow for Mark however was that Elliot Benyon the player he coveted most might end up going for a ridiculously low fee to future opposition.

Mark updated the coaches later the same day and between them a plan to bring a select group released players to the club for trials was hatched.
Not ideal for the direction Mark wanted to take the club but ultimately the only option available to him right now.

Brandon M

Thurrock away
0:0

Thurrock had flirted with the play off places early in the season but were now on a steady slide down the table. Whilst not yet looking over their shoulder there were signs that the relegation door was ajar and they might yet go through it.

Thurrock fielding a five man midfield and were set up to make life difficult for the league leaders. Hopeful of catching WSM on the break.

Despite some lovely build up play prior to the final third both teams couldn't hit a barn door from two feet.
By the end of the game neither keeper had been called into action.
All in all a miserable game.

Changes made by Mark were cancelled out by a clever Thurrock management team desperate to cling onto at least a point to stop the losing trot.
WSM not lacking effort but on could not find the pass that would create a break through.
Matters for Mark got worse as the game drew to a close. Scott Walker certainly WSM's star player for the season to date picked up a hamstring injury that would rule him out for 3 -4 weeks.

An awful result for WSM but with Lewes scrapeing a draw the gap at the topped was at status quo.