How do.
This season got a bit stressful.
Remember that two-month period talked about in the last post?
Yeah, we need to make sure we don’t revert back to that in the last four games of the season.
Promotion was on the table but I didn’t feel overly confident, I have to say.
Let’s cut to the chase – what happened? No need to create suspense around here. No big build-ups.
Yeah, we did it.
The Basford game (they were 2nd) was a classic – 1-1 with ten minutes to go and then we found a way to get another. The third came on the break as they chased an equaliser.
We needed a point at Shifnal to secure the title and we got it – it was a tough, nervy game.
But that’s three promotions on the spin now, boom!
Amazingly, the lowest-rated player in our squad ended up with the highest average rating!
Unfortunately, moments after the final whistle went against Shifnal…
Yep, the only other member of staff decided he wanted to break free from our success and see what he could do for himself. Yes, I am a bit bitter.
His replacement is the ex-Tottenham youngster Andy Turner who is well known in these parts.
Just some stats with no context for you to enjoy.
Promotion means the Unibond (after a brief rumour that we would be playing in the Southern Central).
And that means it is DERBY TIME!
Finally, we get to play a league game against our neighbours. Let’s hope it goes better than the pre-season friendly where they stuffed us 4-0. I played a slightly weaker side so not to show our hand too much but that was a wake-up call, admittedly.
Heading into the 2026/27 season, I can’t really tell where we are at.
Obviously, we are being written off completely.
Oh, no – that was last season. Ha. Shows what they know.
This is this season’s.
Bottom!
We’ll see.
As I write, we are moments away from kicking off the first league match of the season vs Bamber Bridge away.
We’ve not lost any players (that’s good for the budgets as I’ve not had to replace loads on higher appearance fees) but I have added a couple of players into the mix.
Back end of the season, we brought in these four.
Evans will be a squad midfielder. Abraham is a striker I’ll convert into an attacking midfielder. Rhys Morrish might actually become the first-choice RCB straight off and James Walsh is a tall, fast, strong LWB that I want to turn into our back-up LCB this season. He’ll get thrown in way too early in the opener as Kieran Cooney is suspended.
I can’t see too many immediate changes to the side for the second season running, which might be risky – I am hoping team cohesion is a real thing and that helps us settle quickly.
Finances continue to be excellent.
I do wonder when signings will move from non-contract to part-time deals, however. That will have an impact.
Let’s have a quick fly around some of the significant teams in Staffs (sorry much lower clubs, I think we’ve outgrown following you now).
In the Northern Prem D1W (the same level as we’ve been promoted from), Leek Town were relegated. I was surprised at this, they were a club I saw as a logical first move for me but no. Hednesford finished mid-table and Hanley finished 4th but didn’t go up in the playoffs.
In the EvoStick, Stafford Rangers finished runners-up but missed out on promotion. They lost the playoff final.
Tamworth narrowly avoided relegation from the National League North (one division above us now).
Port Vale (still not interested in reading my applications correctly) were relegated to League Two. Burton finished a comfortable 9th.
And Stoke fell a little – 17th in the Championship.
Realistically, I think Burton or Port Vale are jobs I should be in the running for if they come up again this season. That said, to get to that point I think we’d need to be impressing in the EvoStick (Div 7) and Port Vale would have to be right at the bottom of League Two. And if that scenario was in play, would I want to give up a promotion to the National League North to take on a team that could get relegated out of the Football League?
All ifs buts and maybes, really. First of all, I need to make sure we stay in this division!
