A Great Season for all!!!!!

[Grassroots]

Its been a great season this year! 3rd place in the league is an excellent achievement as we though at the start of the season top 5 would be brilliant! Also adding to that, another county cup final for the second season running and who can forget a brilliant FA Cup run, the best in Newport Pagnell Football Clubs history.

This season is something to build on and at least the club is progressing and is going in the right direction.

Nice one and well done to every one at the Football club, the players at all levels to the coaches and staff etc…

[swansong]

Yes a great season indeed, and a major step forward in the development of the club.

I think it would be appropriate to look at Terrys achievements in his four seasons at the club.

The previous 3 seasons had been volatile, from the runners up spot the club had dropped to 13th, then 18th. Newport were by no means established as a Premier Division club and the threat of relegation was very real. It was important to appoint a manager who could stabilise the club on the pitch but with little to spend to do it.

The season preceding Terry's first had been one dogged by indiscipline, how is it possible to maintain form when key players are frequently missing through suspension?

First the statistics of Terry's era;
P W D L F A Pts Pos
42 14 8 20 48 66 50 15
40 19 7 14 63 67 64 7
40 15 6 19 60 73 51 15
40 24 10 6 84 40 82 3

The first two season stabilised the clubs status as a Premier Division club, and also dealt with the indiscipline of previous seasons. At first sight the third looked like a step back put the problem here was that Newport were finding good players but losing them to other clubs once they made an impact. It was also a season in which Newport reached a Cup Final, so a better one than league position suggests. There was certainly never any danger of slipping in to the relegation zone! That fear was certainly in the past.
The season just ended takes the club on further, we were looking for top 5, we got it. We also got another Cup Final and of course that marvellous FA Cup run. I used to believe that Cup runs were distractions from the league merely risking injuries to players. Having seen the effect on the morale and confidence of the squad I no longer believe that.
Not only that but Newport are now being noticed, respect is rising amongst other fans, players want to come and stay.
Although we will always respect players wishing to leave the club if they can further their career elsewhere, and say thanks for their contribution, now we really can hope to keep the bulk of this squad together and maybe even build on it.
As Terry rightly says in the Citizen the players, once short term disappointment has faded should remember the season just gone with pride and treasure the good memories and look forward to the next season with belief in their ability to do as least as well.
Terry will all ways speak up for the players, but let's make sure that his achievement is fully appreciated too!

[swansong]

Just read the piece on the presentations and Geoffs comments, totally endorse them of course. Wayne and I are looking forward to playing our part in the future development of the club when we take on the programme, we hope to do a professional job and produce a matchday programme that is also readable.

Here are my own player awards:

In a season of so many good performances it was not easy to choose but I came up with these;

Most valuable Player; John Thorpe (A good season personally but he has also acted as mentor to two players learning the important left back position, captained the side and martialled the defence).

Young Player of the year; Alex Phillips (fitted into the squad quickly and his performances at right back made this the best balanced Newport defence I've seen).

Defining moment of the season: watching the lads walk off at Long Buckby; disappointment maybe, exhaustion definitely. It said everything about the tremendous effort put in through a long season.

Best moment of the season: on the coach back from Fleet Town. Sure we'd just lost but it was the fourth FA Cup game of the season! We knew we must go out sooner or later so made sure we enjoyed it all!

Worst moment of the season: Final whistle at Abingdon. I think we all believed that trophy was going to be ours but everything seemed to go wrong, no Rich, Darren putting his back out, and some eccentric refereeing. Still next year guys!

Best team performances: some good ones but I will go for the first half at home to S&L and the second half away to the same team. If it was not going to be our title great we gave the Champs a football lesson!

Worst performances: Northampton Spencer (H), Blackstones (A)

Best individual moments: James save at home to Deeping, (the Deeping goalkeeper applauded it!), Scotti's volley at home to Wellingborough, (pick that out of the net!)

I know I've missed out a lot but I could fill up the message board with this seasons memories!

As supporters though it has been great this season to see the profile of the club raised over the season.