I for one was quite nervous going into the game as Polytechnic were a good side and had a good run recently climbing up the table. Nobody wanted to miss this game, and apart from Richard Clark (on holiday) we had a full squad available.

In the second half of last week's game, we played some brilliant football, and thankfully we carried on exactly where we left off, if anything we were better. Time after time we were splitting Polytechnic wide open with simple 1 or 2 touch passing football. This resulted in us being 4-0 up at half time, and it could have been a lot more, with Ryan Polley missing two chances that I reckon even I could have scored. Having said that he did make up for it with a belter from 25 yards.

Throughout the season we have been a second half team, scoring twice as many goals in the second 45 as in the first. If we carried on playing the same football the result could have got even more emphatic. For some reason we didn’t and decided to make the 2^nd half a lot harder than it should have been. Although the football was nowhere near as good, we battled well, and after a brilliant penalty save from Matt Gibb managed to keep a clean sheet, also adding 3 more goals to our tally on the brief occasions we got our passing right.

As usual, I can’t remember the order of the goals, but I can tell you that Andy Bitmead, Ryan Polley and Steve Hayes got two each with Jon Taylor getting the other. So after a cracking season we are division champions. I have to say that after losing the first two games quite badly, it wasn’t what was expected. But after those two, we only lost once more, and drew one, which is a superb season all round.

Well done lads, lets try and keep as much of us together next season and I’m sure we will handle the step up a league. We will find out who our player of the year is at the Club Dinner, but here is a little note on each member of the squad.

Matt Gibb
A few might have said Matt was a bit young to move up to the 4^th team, but he has grown with the team all season, and by the last quarter was probably our most consistent performer. This is confirmed by 4 clean sheets in last 4 games. There are however a few stories coming out of a club night a few weeks ago that may put this boy to shame, and hamper a promising career.

Chris French
A solid season from Frenchy in his last year before his summer transfer to Spain. Although his position was left back for most of the time, he showed his attacking skills by foraging forward with great results on many an occasions, and struggling to get back on even more. I am going to miss Frenchy's constant talking to his team mates throughout the game, although most of the time nobody had a clue what he was talking about. His best moment of the season was definitely the book stall he set up in the bar after one game, and even better was his astonishment when half his team told him that they didn’t read at home. Just what are the teachers of today teaching??

Tom Thoroughgood
Tom has had a solid season throughout and has been an integral part of a solid defence. He was only called up to the side from the 5s a few games into the season, which funnily enough coincided with our first win and improvement from then on. Tom swears that these two are related. Who knows what might have happened if I hadn’t called Tom up?? Maybe we would have won the cup as well?? Please don’t let me forget that Dave Jenvey owes me a fiver for not sending him back to the 5s.

Ebu Sarr
When Ebu was there he was outstanding, when he wasn’t he was rubbish. His mere presence would boost the team, and scare the sh*t out of opposition strikers. A few of the tackles he made would have stopped a lorry in its tracks.

Jon Taylor
Only joined the squad for the last 3 or 4 games, but worth a mention as he performed very well. These are the last games already mentioned above where we kept a clean sheet in each one. He summed up his determination in the last game when after screaming under a heavy challenge, lying face down in the mud for five minutes, being told to go off, he stood up and said “no way, I’m not letting them score”. That’s real guts for you, but I think I noticed he had tears rolling down his cheek which may explain why he lay face down in the mud. You make up your mind, is he more John Terry or Terri Hatcher??

Matthew Blake
New signing Matt told me at the beginning of the season that he was a central midfielder or a right back…………so I played him at centre half. This was adapted to one of a back three after a few weeks, and Matt’s form was one of the reasons we went on such a good run leading up to Christmas. Not available so often after Christmas but always played well when around. Also got himself on the scoresheet a few times after bullying Marlon to cover for him while he disappeared up field on numerous occasions. This obviously worried me a few times as 5ft Marlon dropped into centre back!!

Marlon Mittie
Apart from when dropping into centre back to cover Matt (see above) Marlon played the rest of the season at right wing back or right back. I would have to say that Marlon is definitely our most improved player of the season, and by the second half of the year was in top form. His ridiculous pace going past right backs resulted in many of our goals, and his never say die tackling often inspired the team into action. Marlon's nickname of “timeless” was also spot on, as he clearly can’t tell the time. It got to the point where I would give him a meeting time of 15 mins before everyone else, but he would still be the last one to arrive!!

Richard Clark
Unfortunately Richie spent a lot of the season coming back from injury, and then getting injured again, but whenever around never let the side down. This included a few super sub appearances in the second half of the season. Also formed a management dream team with Frenchy whenever I was away.

Andy Ferznolo
This is the 4^th season I have played with Ferz, and once again he has been a consistent performer. I think he has played in more positions than anybody else this year (right back, left back, right mid, centre mid and left mid). In previous seasons Ferz has been known to lose his head, and start ranting at opposition players and referees. This season was no different!! I believe he now wants to be known as Joe Bloggs ……I suggest you ask him why.

Steve Hayes
Another one who has struggled with injury after injury, and unfortunately missed most of the middle of the season, but when Steve did play you could clearly see the difference it made to the team. His timely return from injury for the last 4 or 5 games made a vast improvement on our form and helped take us on to the title. There are rumours that Steve is fact 35 years old and not the 20 odd he claims. Steve vigorously denies this while hiding his pipe and slippers.

Mike Baillie
Another player who was playing in his debut season at the club. Mike spent most of the season up front with Andy Bitmead and can take a lot of credit in Andy finishing top scorer. There were rumours early on in the season that Mike couldn’t hit a cows arse with a banjo, as quite a few chances went begging. Mike eventually did break his duck, and went on to score a few. It was soon realised later on in the season that the way to get more goals out of Mike was to get rid of Andy Bitmead. I’m sure that Mike would give a little smile when I would announce that Andy was playing for the 2’s this week, and would then go and get a hat trick.

Ryan Polley
I seem to spend half the season shouting at Polley for constantly trying the "Hollywood" pass, and the other half congratulating him on completing a brilliant "Hollywood" pass??? He spent the first 3^rd of the season dictating games as part of a central midfield 3, the middle 3^rd proving that he had clearly eaten and drunk to much at Christmas to play centre mid, and the final 3^rd in awesome form up front. Overall I would say a very good season, with some amazing goals scored as well. I’ve heard that the Polley shoulder charge is going to get special mention in the new FIFA rule book. They are still debating whether it is fair to throw 17 stone behind a shoulder to knock the opposition player on to the adjacent pitch!

Andy Bitmead
Having missed out on the Golden Boot last year, I know that Bits was desperate to get his crown back this season, and with over 30 goals it looks like he has. Everybody knows how vital Andy's goals have been this season, with many of them coming at important times, and I doubt if we would have won the league without him in the side. It would be good if I could say he has helped others score as well, but as Mike Baillie says behind his back, he is a selfish b*stard.

Ben Doherty (skipper)
I have to be honest and say that my form wasn’t that consistent this season, with a few good games, but also a few shockers. But what can you expect with the pressure of skippering / managing a top of the table side. Don’t worry, after a first full season I now know what it is all about and will win Player of the Year next season whilst also winning the league!!!

Well done again lads.     

Ben Doherty