It really has been a very bizarre season. I don’t think I’ve ever known one where I’ve had such fluctuating opinions on where the team would end up. In early November, in 2nd, with January around the corner to fill some of the outstanding holes in the squad, I was convinced we were in a title race and comfortably on for the autos. Fast forward to the final whistle at Orient at home and I was resigned to dropping out of the playoffs, I couldn’t see where we were going with Des and was really pretty bummed about the season petering out. Same again after Shrewsbury away, I thought despite improving we had a habit of dropping too many easy points and was convinced we were out of the running.
Then 13 goals in 3 games and Murphy turning into prime Salah and I booked the time off work in preparation for the playoffs - and THEN dropping five points at home in four days and being resigned to Lincoln and Barnsley picking up three points each in their final games and keeping us out - to yesterday at 3 pm!
It still feels a little weird that, when all’s said and done, we’ve been the fifth best team in the league. But now we can look back at the season in the round, you have to say it is a hell of a turnaround from 22/23. From 19th with 47 points to 5th with 77 is pretty astonishing after two transfer windows’ work. 30 points more in the course of a year!
We’ve all had our grumbles about the men at the top, and I know many, myself included, have had doubts about Des (I’m sure many still do!) and whether he was the right appointment. But the proof is in the tasting of the pudding - our leadership have overseen huge strides in the playing side and in the development of our new stadium in the past 12 months, and I really do think deserve enormous credit.