End Of Season Review The profilee The info
Team: Stamford
League: Conference North
Year: 08/09
Prediction: 22nd
Position: 3rd, Promotion Via Playoffs
Season Records The Table The Graph The Season
What a season! I must start by thanking Peterborough who sent me all their reserves on loan (and half their youth team) and in doing so playing a major part in my promotion to the Conference National.
The season itself was an interesting affair with the team collecting a huge total which should have been enough to catch the top teams. Most of the results followed a familiar pattern: win at home, draw away and loose against the top 6 teams. At one point I was 3 points off the top however Burton were far, far too strong for any of us to compete with. Once the 6 horse race had been established it was a case of securing the playoff place, and despite some late season dip in form we made it through. My best run was a run of 12 games unbeaten in mid season cementing my team in the playoff places.
The playoffs were an interesting affair and were extremely strange games. The first game against Tamworth at home was a tightly contested affair, which only really opened up with the dismissal of one of their players in the 29th minute. From here I looked to push onward and in doing so scored a vital goal through Howe. From there we did our best impression of England and sat right back holding the lead only for my centerback to dawdle on the ball in the 90th minute allowing their player to pounce and leather it into the net from 6 yards out.
Playoff leg 1
And so that set up a match which was poised to go either way not really sure on the best policy I chose to attack taking an early lead through my striker. However my players let their foot off the gas and Tamworth hit back straight away through a good move. My striker who I fired up pre game went on to smash home the third goal of the game and ultimately the winner as I sat back and held on. The action didn't stop there though as two Tamworth players lost their discipline and set about breaking my players legs both ending up with red cards.
Playoff Leg Two
So along came the final and at huge odds against the Dutch Air Force (De Zeeuw) lead the club out (slowly) into the playoff final and his last game of his playing career. This also was a tightly contested affair which again could have gone either way. Both sides created plenty of chances in an open game and it was Nuneaton who struck first. Thankfully my players responded and hit back fast. From there it was close and it seems the gods were helping me out as they had a player sent off in the 87th minute. So in we went to extra time and despite peppering their goal from all angles, the ball would not go in.
And so it came to the time for players to keep their heads. A penalty shootout. Thankfully my players kept their heads and came out victorious to the delight of De Zeeuw who ended his career on a high note and went down in Stamford folklore!
The final (p) The Squad
- A high proportion of players were loans from peterborough including top goalscorer Howe and team mainstays Crook, Day and Blanchett.
- The rest were gathered by searching the country for released talent and offering out trials to anyone who would come. Several were FREDs without a club including Savage, Hindmarch, Mallon, Semple, Sproule, Rennie and the undoubted star Donaghy. Savage has attracted the attention of league one club (and parent club) Peterborough so I may have a fight on my hands keeping hold of him.
-Honorable mention to Parish and De Zeeuw whos defensive solidarity carried me across the finish line.
- In total I signed 27 players however I released 5 over the course of the season and several more have contracts which are expiring
- Looking forward I need to strengthen in every position and looking forward to July 1st so I can improve the team.
The Squad Dutch Air Force Creative Force Donaghy Savage Sproule Howe Hindmarch Aims for next season
- Stay up!
Thanks for reading
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