So, with the new season just a couple of weeks away from starting, I guess its time I looked at what my personal expectations for the team are, and why I have them.
Firstly, I fully expect the team to be in the mix for all 3 major honours this season. Once more, all the teams around us have strengthened their squads, but so have we. I think it is fair to state that the battle for top spot in the EPL will be between ourselves and Guildford once more, with the possibility of Milton Keynes or Basingstoke hovering around in 3rd/4th waiting for either of us to slip up. I won’t say that I expect us to win the league, or that I will be unimpressed if we don’t. All I want is for us to challenge, Guildford have brought 2 very dangerous players into their mature squad, in the shape of Kristofferson and Duggan, and will undoubtedly be looking to retain their title. I know some fans won’t settle for anything less than beating them to the title (there are always some who view not winning everything as some kind of failure, but I can’t and won’t ever subscribe to that viewpoint), but adding those to names into their existing squad will make it one hell of a challenge to beat them over the course of a season.
As for the cup, well, its the only piece of silverware at this level we have yet to win, so it would be bloody nice to be able to stick it in the trophy cabinet this season, but again, I don’t expect us to win it, I merely expect us to have a damn good crack at it.
And retrain the play off title? Yeah, that would be nice, but I won’t be disappointed in we don’t. The play offs are a lottery, as we have seen before. It all hinges on the smallest of margins, and one error makes all the difference. I know we will be there at the finals weekend, and I know that the guys will give it 100% to retain the trophy, but if they don’t, well, they don’t. That’s life.
So, ultimately, I just want us to be a competitive team, in the mix for the trophies. I also want us to make it through the year without any major financial issues. I get a real feeling of satisfaction each summer knowing that we have a team, and they will be icing in September. We are far from the richest club in the league, but we are slowly but surely moving towards being sustainable and paying off our debts. Another season of success will help this.
That’s all for now, folks.