Post by tommyc on May 1, 2008 20:23:23 GMT 1
PNS Season Review - taken from pnsfc.com
Well my first season as manager of Peterborough Northern Star has come to a close and by and large it has been a very enjoyable experience.
Starting back last May, I tried to contact a number of the players who were at the club last season and whilst a few such as Lee Booker, Ben Cottingham & Dave Kilby came along to the initial sessions, it was clear that most were following Darren Young down the road to Huntingdon Town and that I would basically have to start from scratch.
I decided that I needed to get 1 or 2 big names to make people stand up and notice and help to entice 1 or 2 others. Paul Hill was an important signing as was Mark Baines. Unfortunately Mark decided he wanted to play with his friends at Stilton which was a massive disappointment, but probably worked out to both of our advantages in the long run.
The first friendly saw a comfortable 3-0 win over March, but it was the 2nd friendly which ended in a 2-0 defeat against Holbeach which strangely filled me with optimism, which was not dampened by good results against Bourne & Blackstones.
Our first game of the season was a really tight affair with a decent Rothwell side and we sneaked home with a late Steve Phillips penalty. Unfortunately Steve did not manage to score from us in open play in his 11 appearances and Ashley Favell who whilst playing ok, was also struggling to once again score freely at this level.
It was the lack of goals that cost us on numerous occasions in the first half of the season, no more so than in the away game at Whitworths when our approach play was truly outstanding. Unfortunately we lost that game, and also suffered heavy defeats away to a very special Daventry Town side and Huntingdon Town. In both games we gave up rather tamely and had managed to lose 3 of our first 7 games.
We got back on track after that, but then a combination of the Northants Cup, the fixtures list and the weather severely restricted our progress. Indeed we won just 2 league games from November through to the end of January as we picked up a number of draws. Some of these were not so bad, particularly the return at Rothwell when we had a depleted side.
A number of players came and went through the season (far too many). I was as disappointed as the players themselves who for a number of reasons just did not crack it with us, such as Ricky Speechley, Ian Fovargue, Dave Beeny, Ashley Fone, John Patten, Jason Doggett and Gary Gibbs – all good players and hope that a couple come back at some point to give it another go. My biggest regret was Steve Thompson who played in an area of such strength for us, but who did really well when he played. Steve missed a few games for different reasons, but when he went it was completely my fault and I let him down.
The turning point for the side was firstly the home game with Bugbrooke when we went with a 4-3-3 formation for the first time and won 3-0 and then followed that up the next week with a thumping 4-1 win at Olney who were 3rd at the time. This was made all the more remarkable by having a car load of players lost on route, forcing me to start Ali Nyang. Ali responded with a hat-trick and rarely looked back from there and neither did the side.
Our only defeat after Xmas was 3-0 away at Eynesbury when Chris Plummer was sent off for a foul not committed by him as early as the 20th minute. After that we won 8 out of our last 9 games, scoring 32 and conceding just 2, with the odd game out being the best result of the lot as we halted Daventry Town’s 22 match winning streak which was a UCL record with a 1-1 draw.
We finished in some style with a 9-0 thumping of a strangely depleted Daventry United side and passed the 60 point target I had set the side at the outset, and a 9 point cushion to Rothwell in 3rd.
The 9 goals meant we ended up 2nd top scorers, and the 16th clean sheet in 30 league games meant we had the joint best defensive record.
Not being able to go up is an obvious frustration, but we knew from a long way out that this was our fate and all credit to everyone for driving onto that 2nd place.
Having 19 players signed on already for next season is the icing on the cake for me and whilst I will look to add a couple of faces to the squad overall I have got to be pleased with what I have got: -
2 very good keepers in Marcin Lubniewski & Chris Benton
A formidable centre half partnership in Paul Hill & Chris Plummer both of whom have football league experience and in Chris’s case international experience.
In Nathan Horne, Phil Anderson & Mark Barry 3 good full backs who can also play a bit. Eddie Patten played practically every game last year and seems able to go anywhere across the back and I expect Carl Harper to push hard for a place next year as well.
In Midfield Darren Bradley gave us a steadying influence, though his injury gave Wayne Morris a chance to shine in there and have a really strong end to the season. Ali Nyang and Ronnie Fortune both have their boxes of tricks and Alan Haine’s driving runs and neat passing were a feature of the end of season run. Scott Quinney was unlucky with injuries and will no doubt be bursting to regain his place next year.
Karl Gibbs was a revelation once he settled into the new level and I believe that with another under his belt next season will be ready to take the step up (hopefully with PNS). Ryan Francis with his goal a game gave us that bit extra we were lacking, and whilst he has re-signed he is already attracting the attention of clubs 2 levels and more higher than us. Adam Scotcher gives us pace up top and in the last couple of games goals, whilst Mohammed Suhail’s 6 goals from the bench were invaluable and he will be aiming for more pitch time next season.
Well done to everyone at the club including Dave Eldridge for his help and Seamus Morgan for his work with the reserves who also took a major step forward this year.
Loved every minute of it and here’s to next year and hopefully promotion and a proper tilt at the Northants Cup!
Well my first season as manager of Peterborough Northern Star has come to a close and by and large it has been a very enjoyable experience.
Starting back last May, I tried to contact a number of the players who were at the club last season and whilst a few such as Lee Booker, Ben Cottingham & Dave Kilby came along to the initial sessions, it was clear that most were following Darren Young down the road to Huntingdon Town and that I would basically have to start from scratch.
I decided that I needed to get 1 or 2 big names to make people stand up and notice and help to entice 1 or 2 others. Paul Hill was an important signing as was Mark Baines. Unfortunately Mark decided he wanted to play with his friends at Stilton which was a massive disappointment, but probably worked out to both of our advantages in the long run.
The first friendly saw a comfortable 3-0 win over March, but it was the 2nd friendly which ended in a 2-0 defeat against Holbeach which strangely filled me with optimism, which was not dampened by good results against Bourne & Blackstones.
Our first game of the season was a really tight affair with a decent Rothwell side and we sneaked home with a late Steve Phillips penalty. Unfortunately Steve did not manage to score from us in open play in his 11 appearances and Ashley Favell who whilst playing ok, was also struggling to once again score freely at this level.
It was the lack of goals that cost us on numerous occasions in the first half of the season, no more so than in the away game at Whitworths when our approach play was truly outstanding. Unfortunately we lost that game, and also suffered heavy defeats away to a very special Daventry Town side and Huntingdon Town. In both games we gave up rather tamely and had managed to lose 3 of our first 7 games.
We got back on track after that, but then a combination of the Northants Cup, the fixtures list and the weather severely restricted our progress. Indeed we won just 2 league games from November through to the end of January as we picked up a number of draws. Some of these were not so bad, particularly the return at Rothwell when we had a depleted side.
A number of players came and went through the season (far too many). I was as disappointed as the players themselves who for a number of reasons just did not crack it with us, such as Ricky Speechley, Ian Fovargue, Dave Beeny, Ashley Fone, John Patten, Jason Doggett and Gary Gibbs – all good players and hope that a couple come back at some point to give it another go. My biggest regret was Steve Thompson who played in an area of such strength for us, but who did really well when he played. Steve missed a few games for different reasons, but when he went it was completely my fault and I let him down.
The turning point for the side was firstly the home game with Bugbrooke when we went with a 4-3-3 formation for the first time and won 3-0 and then followed that up the next week with a thumping 4-1 win at Olney who were 3rd at the time. This was made all the more remarkable by having a car load of players lost on route, forcing me to start Ali Nyang. Ali responded with a hat-trick and rarely looked back from there and neither did the side.
Our only defeat after Xmas was 3-0 away at Eynesbury when Chris Plummer was sent off for a foul not committed by him as early as the 20th minute. After that we won 8 out of our last 9 games, scoring 32 and conceding just 2, with the odd game out being the best result of the lot as we halted Daventry Town’s 22 match winning streak which was a UCL record with a 1-1 draw.
We finished in some style with a 9-0 thumping of a strangely depleted Daventry United side and passed the 60 point target I had set the side at the outset, and a 9 point cushion to Rothwell in 3rd.
The 9 goals meant we ended up 2nd top scorers, and the 16th clean sheet in 30 league games meant we had the joint best defensive record.
Not being able to go up is an obvious frustration, but we knew from a long way out that this was our fate and all credit to everyone for driving onto that 2nd place.
Having 19 players signed on already for next season is the icing on the cake for me and whilst I will look to add a couple of faces to the squad overall I have got to be pleased with what I have got: -
2 very good keepers in Marcin Lubniewski & Chris Benton
A formidable centre half partnership in Paul Hill & Chris Plummer both of whom have football league experience and in Chris’s case international experience.
In Nathan Horne, Phil Anderson & Mark Barry 3 good full backs who can also play a bit. Eddie Patten played practically every game last year and seems able to go anywhere across the back and I expect Carl Harper to push hard for a place next year as well.
In Midfield Darren Bradley gave us a steadying influence, though his injury gave Wayne Morris a chance to shine in there and have a really strong end to the season. Ali Nyang and Ronnie Fortune both have their boxes of tricks and Alan Haine’s driving runs and neat passing were a feature of the end of season run. Scott Quinney was unlucky with injuries and will no doubt be bursting to regain his place next year.
Karl Gibbs was a revelation once he settled into the new level and I believe that with another under his belt next season will be ready to take the step up (hopefully with PNS). Ryan Francis with his goal a game gave us that bit extra we were lacking, and whilst he has re-signed he is already attracting the attention of clubs 2 levels and more higher than us. Adam Scotcher gives us pace up top and in the last couple of games goals, whilst Mohammed Suhail’s 6 goals from the bench were invaluable and he will be aiming for more pitch time next season.
Well done to everyone at the club including Dave Eldridge for his help and Seamus Morgan for his work with the reserves who also took a major step forward this year.
Loved every minute of it and here’s to next year and hopefully promotion and a proper tilt at the Northants Cup!