National League 2017/18 Season Review

[The_Boss]

Where's the official Team of the Year that we normally do. Admin round here stinks.

I were thinking that myself, I might do it as a leaving present to you all. Or I might not if someone else wants to take this as a hint.

 

[The_Boss]

Where's the official Team of the Year that we normally do. Admin round here stinks.

Can't wait to do one with Lady Vale again next year!!!

 

[Master D]

I were thinking that myself, I might do it as a leaving present to you all. Or I might not if someone else wants to take this as a hint.

It's these Non League moderators that I blame.

 

[DarkSithLord]

It's these Non League moderators that I blame.

Haha. Just dont have the time now I am afraid. Anyone is welcome to organise one if they want though.

 

[Master D]

You can work on that paper mache model of R2-D2 or whatever some other time. Chop chop.

 

[DontBringBertie]

Kenny End is STILL fuming that Andre Gray didn't get in the team of the year.

 

[Master D]

Kenny End is STILL fuming that Andre Gray didn't get in the team of the year.

It'll be the Tranmere fans this year, bank on it. It'll be all that "well seeing as I can't vote for our own player I'm not going to bother because Steve McNulty is clearly the best" etc.

 

[Tranmerewhite]

It'll be the Tranmere fans this year, bank on it. It'll be all that "well seeing as I can't vote for our own player I'm not going to bother because Steve McNulty is clearly the best" etc.

Is this where you attempt to say Pearson is better than McNulty?

 

[DontBringBertie]

THERE IT IS

 

[Boz]

It'll be the Tranmere fans this year, bank on it. It'll be all that "well seeing as I can't vote for our own player I'm not going to bother because Steve McNulty is clearly the best" etc.

But we could vote for Andy Cook as Wrecsam bought him last summer

 

[Lenny Baryea]

Your personal player of the season: Harry Pritchard - stepped up following the departure of Tarpey and scored some great goals. After Tarpey left we spent the whole of the rest of the season without a forward good enough for this level, and we'd have been in big trouble if he hadn't provided goals from midfield. Looks like he will move on though, most likely to Aldershot.

Your teams best prospect: Max Kilman - 20 year old left back who can also fill in on the wing. Composed, strong and a good decision maker.

Biggest Flop: Moses Emmanuel - after months without a recognised striker he was an important loan signing on paper, but proved to be no better than the winger and centre mid we were playing out of position up front. Constantly offside and too often in the pocket of defenders.

Top Scorer: Harry Pritchard (14 league, 2 Trophy)

Most Improved: Ryan Upward - not a guaranteed starter last year but really stepped up this year with 6 goals from midfield in the league. He's always been an okay defensive mid but has got forward a lot more this season and scored some vital goals.

Team strength: Workrate, fitness and organisation. Small, tight-knit squad who all know exactly what their roles are and all pull in the same direction. Much of the squad had never played at this level before but the starting XI was not significantly changed from our NL South win and it proved to be a decent call.

Team Weakness: Biggest is lack of firepower up front after Tarpey left. He scored 7 in 6 in August and nobody new was brought in until Emmanuel a few months later, who proved to be inadequate. Ignoring the goals from Pritchard on the wing, it took Adrian Clifton until April to match that tally. We need a 15 goal a season striker (minimum) for next year, especially with Pritchard likely to leave.

Being part-time there were also a few games where we simply didn't have the fitness to compete. 10-1 loss to Gateshead over two games plus an awful 4-0 loss at Torquay where the coach turned up 20 minutes before kick off were lowlights.

Season Rating out of 10: 8/10, I'd be shocked if we didn't have a bottom 4 budget and I think most fans would have been happy for us to finish 20th, so to finish in the top half was fantastic.

Manager rating out of 10: 8/10, Devonshire knows how to make a team worth more than the sum of its parts having done it for several years at this level with Braintree. Once the season started we largely ignored the transfer and loan market. I feel like we could have made better use of it but Devonshire likes a tight-knit squad and everything worked out fine in the end. It will be interesting to see if we lose a few more of our better players in the summer beyond Pritchard who I'm already resigned to losing, and what kind of signings Devonshire will make now that we are playing 451 going forward, having ditched 442 which was largely ineffective from Christmas time onwards.

If you could sign one player from another team in this league who would it be? Danny Rowe

Agree with much of this; good summary.

That said, a case could be made for our best prospect being Josh Kelly, who bagged 40+ goals on loan at Walton Casuals last season and, like fellow Walton loanee Sean McCormack, has signed a contract at York Road for next year. McCormack might go out on loan again, but I suspect that Kelly will be involved in our first team, unless one of the Premier or Football League clubs, that have been looking at him extensively, make a mind blowing offer.

The other thing that I’d disagree with would be the ‘dream’ signing of Danny Rowe. He didn’t impress me in the two games vs Flyde. Word is that we’ve already agreed to sign a striker, who played for another National League club last season, with the deal to be announced in June. Rumoured names include Ryan Bird (a local lad; I once sat alongside him in a barbers in Windsor), Michael Cheek, and Louie Theophanous (I know that we were in for him when he signed for Chelmsford). Fingers crossed it’s not Moses!

As you say, it will be interesting to see who else follows Marks (*sob*) out of the exit door. I’m also resigned to Pritchard leaving. It is thought that Sam Barratt will move on as well. That would be a shame, as I think Pritchard’s departure would see us playing 4-3-3 – like in the final game of the season vs Bromley – more often, at least at home, and Barratt would be a handful in the wide forward position (with Nana Owusu, perhaps, on the other side).

Big summer coming up. It was absolutely the correct decision to keep faith with the players who won us the title - I have previously criticised Drax for needlessly breaking up our Southern League promotion-winning team - but I think that Dev will appreciate that next season could be a slog if the squad isn't strengthened in the coming months.

 

[B2TF]

Biggest flop: spent the rest of the season tweeting right-wing nonsense

Sorry chum but this sort of casual dismissal of any views not in tune with ones own as "right wing" - which is now, as wholly intended by those on the "Left", understood as a synonym for "racist" - is poisoning political debate and is in fact a lazy substitute for an argument.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Your personal player of the season: Luke James - signed on loan and scored seven goals, but contributed all over the pitch. If someone at this level signs him, it'll be a massive coup.
Your team's best prospect: Donovan Makoma - looked terrible and lightweight in his rare outings under Cox, came into his own late in the season, and showed some passing ability that is rarely seen in non-league.
Biggest Flop: Plenty of options, but probably has to be Grant Holt - legs are gone.
Top Scorer: Jordan White and Luke James
Most Improved: Makoma, from the start of the season to the end
Team strength: Able to play more footballer than in previous years
Team Weakness: Loads of mistakes in the back four and goalkeeper - both keepers are sticking around too
Season Rating out of 10: 3 out of 10 - not relegated and rarely thrashed, just something not working
Manager rating out of 10: Cox 2/10, Moore 1/10, Pennock 4/10
If you could sign one player from another team in this league who would it be? Andy Cook

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Sorry chum but this sort of casual dismissal of any views not in tune with ones own as "right wing" - which is now, as wholly intended by those on the "Left", understood as a synonym for "racist" - is poisoning political debate and is in fact a lazy substitute for an argument.

Back 2 the Fascism

 

[B2TF]

Back 2 the Fascism

All the fascists are on the left these days, as you well know.

 

[Seventyseven]

Your personal player of the season:
Vince Dorel, the only player who seemed to give a shit

Your teams best prospect:
Vince Dorel (be very surprised if he wants to stay with us in NLS)

Biggest Flop:
Too many to choose from

Top Scorer:
Rhys Healy with 6 (I’m not including Jamie Reid who also scored 6, he’s shite)

Most Improved:
I'll pass (if only they could)

Team strength:
The fans

Team Weakness:
See ‘Biggest Flop’

Season Rating out of 10:
0 (see League Table)

Manager rating out of 10:
0 (see League Table)

If you could sign one player from another team in this league who would it be?
Brett Williams from Bromley (oh, hold on, we did…. That worked well didn’t it)

Your team of the season. (players from any national league team)
Was too busy crying before, during and after games to even notice the opposition

Any other comments:
Goodbye Horse, Goodbye Horse, I'll be sa...........

 

[DontBringBertie]

Brett Williams is easily the biggest cock in the Conference. Still living off his one good season with Aldershot.

Last seen strutting around in front of Away fans thinking he’s hard, seemingly unaware his career has been reduced to a penalty taker in regional football.

 

[Pliny Harris]

All the fascists are on the left these days, as you well know.

Alright Alan Partridge.

Also, BTF2 complaining about "poisoning the debate"

 

[B2TF]

I'm just misunderstood.