This season...

[Chris]

First posting and last posting of the season, and must say i'm completely gutted. Really wanted to get up and play the likes of Weymouth, St Albans etc...

 

Yes, We did great this season to finish second, but for me it could have been so much better. Since January; for me we lost the plot.

 

Yes we won games, but the games we did win we ground out results, and near the end of the season we have stopped doing that.

 

It been like chalk-and-cheese since the first half of the season - from witnessing probably the best i've seen Slough play in years away at Banbury in the second half, to the poor form and play we've shown lately and i'm not sure where it's gone wrong?

 

We have completely started launching the ball and stopped playing football since Christmas as well and i'm not sure why. Burnell and Sonner have had nothing to feed off for a long while now.

 

We did great to stay in touch with St Neots for so long, but after beating St.Neots I really felt that we should have gone out and signed a couple of quality proven players for the last few weeks of the season to get us out of the league and strengthen the squad. Arlesey did something similar to that last season bringing a couple of quality players in the second half of the season to get them out of the division and we maybe could have done likewise?

 

I also think that midfield has been a key problem area for us this season. Losing Adam Martin was a huge blow and I think we needed to replace him. Also we relied too much on Sonner and Burnell to get our goals. Apart from them and then Ben Abbey our next highest scorer was NBH on six. Too much reliance on the front 2 to get goals and not enough goals from midfield.

 

Also think some youth in the team was needed this season as well. Look when we played Bedworth, had a couple of 19/20 years olds showing great energy all around the pitch and we were dominated that game.

 

Must admit after 3 seasons of play-off heartbreak I think this team may break-up now as a lot of players may feel the time is right to move on, but I guess we shall see...

 

Roll on pre-season!

Edited May 3, 2012 by Chris

[A Rebel and a Saint]

That could be one of the most sensible posts of the season.

 

Alan was collecting the 'sponsor a goal' money tonight. Up to the Marlow game at new year, 61 goals...since then, 26 (including tonight). Says it all really.

 

Gutted.

[Cookham Rebel]

Well, yet another season in the Central Division looms!

 

Thought both teams were awful but one team had to win it.

 

I was amazed at how our style of play didn't adapt when it was clear very early on that SYCOB were going to park the bus by playing 1 up front, in attack we created absolutely nothing and when we eventually scored, the decision to get everyone behind the ball with the exception of Ben Abbey was catastrophic as the defeat proved.

 

I think the blame for how our performances have plummeted since the St Neots game can only rest at one man's door and that is the manager. Yet again, there was absolutely no motivation or inspiration from the bench!

 

I had a feeling this would happen tonight. Yes the players have been fantastic in getting us into the play offs yet again and finishing 2nd but now our ambitions are higher than previous seasons, to not get promoted this season isn't good enough!

 

Where we go from here I don't know, I'm normally gutted when we lose but after watching that performance tonight I'm not at all, I think we got we deserved in the end!

 

Have a great summer all, and hopefully here's to us finally gaining promotion next season!

[Ian]

Something has to change but not necessarily saying what. This season we've had to grind out results too often. I can only twice recall being comfortable in a game - at home to Rugby and ultimately away at Chertsey. I say ultimately as we were 2-0 down at one point before running out comfortable winners.

 

Next season we need to do something different if we're going to be successful.

[Cookham Rebel]

Unfortunately Ian, I think a new manager and coach have to come in with a fresh set of ideas and rejuvenate the squad, I hope the majority of the squad stay but we are crying out for youth and pace!

[Martin]

Got to say I agree with everything Boxy says. For me the critical point in the season was the loss of Martin and Seeby and they were not replaced adequately.

 

It is extremely difficult to get out of these divisions though. Look at AFC Wimbledon, how many years were they held up for in the Ryman Prem? The problem is to win you have to be almost perfect. Miserly at the back and free flowing football at the front. We tried an attacking style for two years and came up short and this year the defence just failed to get us promotion. We have to find a couple of extra players that can marry the two styles.

 

It just seems that we ran out of puff this season. Tonight looked a tired and lacklustre performance and frankly SYCOB were there for the taking. But their game plan worked eventually and fair play to them. I hope they enjoy the final.

 

We must not let ourselves get too down though. Our club is in a good position with hope of a new ground. We need to regroup over the summer and come back even stronger in the new season. COYR

[Nathan]

Something has to change but not necessarily saying what. This season we've had to grind out results too often. I can only twice recall being comfortable in a game - at home to Rugby and ultimately away at Chertsey. I say ultimately as we were 2-0 down at one point before running out comfortable winners.

 

Next season we need to do something different if we're going to be successful.

 

Completely agree Ian. Looking back at the fixtures, only 3 games can I say we played well (Uxbridge A, Northwood A and St. Neots A). The rest of the time we ground out results, and were perhaps a bit more successful at it (certainly towards the beginning of the season) than we really had any right to be!

 

Personally, throughout the season I always felt that we were an average team that had a bit of luck but always ran the risk of being sussed. When that happened, that would be us finished.

 

I feel that during the past few weeks, I have been proved right.

[readingrebel]

I have every faith and am fully behind Steve Bateman who has been our most successful manager since the Conference days.

 

I feel it would be a step backwards if he were to leave.

 

I do agree though that our two biggest failings this season has been our lack of goals and mobility from midfield and our failure to get that elusive big striker to compliment our two wee ones.

 

Keep the defence together, overhall the midfield with some young mobile players alongside some experienced ones, add a big forward and I think we could finally win the thing next season.

[3spirit]

Reading Rebel, I thought Chris,who put the first posting up on this thread is right when he says we lost our way around Xmas time after playing some superb football at the start of the season.

For me,the jury's still out on Steve Bateman.I like him,in the fact,that he's not the usual stereotypical foul mouthed,Mockney,loud mouth that frequents a lot of football stadiums around London and the South East.He appears to be a nice,likeable bloke.

Whether he really has the acumen to takes us much further at this level or the next division is hard to call.That's up to our beloved Chairman.

 

I do concur with you,in what we need to do to the current squad/team for an overhaul.

I thought we lost a great deal in our attacking options when Charlie Mpi left.He added pace,enthusiasm and energy, even if just coming on from the bench.We must seek to use Jerome Anderson fully,if he stays,as his skills at this level is one of the components we've been missing for awhile and if utilised properly would be a great asset to the team but of course we need others.Paul Coyne is going to be the hardest one to replace.I,too,was impressed by Ashley Lodge at Ashford.We need someone like him in our team.He was young,fit,had good movement and spread play well.

Will Steve Bateman see it like that,I'm not convinced.

 

Will we ever get that target man?

 

Just one other thing,Slough haven't had many proper managers.In the Martin Deaner years,we just got ex-players stepping up who weren't very good at it.Yes,we got quality players in our set-ups but these ex-players come managers were never very good.If things do go off kilter for Steve Bateman,let's hope that we get a proper manager in.

Edited May 4, 2012 by 3spirit

[HP9]

Reading Rebel, I thought Chris,who put the first posting up on this thread is right when he says we lost our way around Xmas time after playing some superb football at the start of the season.

For me,the jury's still out on Steve Bateman.I like him,in the fact,that he's not the usual stereotypical foul mouthed,Mockney,loud mouth that frequents a lot of football stadiums around London and the South East.He appears to be a nice,likeable bloke.

Whether he really has the acumen to takes us much further at this level or the next division is hard to call.That's up to our beloved Chairman.

 

I do concur with you,in what we need to do to the current squad/team for an overhaul.

I thought we lost a great deal in our attacking options when Charlie Mpi left.He added pace,enthusiasm and energy, even if just coming on from the bench.We must seek to use Jerome Anderson fully,if he stays,as his skills at this level is one of the components we've been missing for awhile and if utilised properly would be a great asset to the team but of course we need others.Paul Coyne is going to be the hardest one to replace.I,too,was impressed by Ashley Lodge at Ashford.We need someone like him in our team.He was young,fit,had good movement and spread play well.

Will Steve Bateman see it like that,I'm not convinced.

 

Will we ever get that target man?

 

Just one other thing,Slough haven't had many proper managers.In the Martin Deaner years,we just got ex-players stepping up who weren't very good at it.Yes,we got quality players in our set-ups but these ex-players come managers were never very good.If things do go off kilter for Steve Bateman,let's hope that we get a proper manager in.

Most (ALL) managers are ex players ! Edited May 4, 2012 by HP9

[3spirit]

Reading Rebel, I thought Chris,who put the first posting up on this thread is right when he says we lost our way around Xmas time after playing some superb football at the start of the season.

For me,the jury's still out on Steve Bateman.I like him,in the fact,that he's not the usual stereotypical foul mouthed,Mockney,loud mouth that frequents a lot of football stadiums around London and the South East.He appears to be a nice,likeable bloke.

Whether he really has the acumen to takes us much further at this level or the next division is hard to call.That's up to our beloved Chairman.

 

I do concur with you,in what we need to do to the current squad/team for an overhaul.

I thought we lost a great deal in our attacking options when Charlie Mpi left.He added pace,enthusiasm and energy, even if just coming on from the bench.We must seek to use Jerome Anderson fully,if he stays,as his skills at this level is one of the components we've been missing for awhile and if utilised properly would be a great asset to the team but of course we need others.Paul Coyne is going to be the hardest one to replace.I,too,was impressed by Ashley Lodge at Ashford.We need someone like him in our team.He was young,fit,had good movement and spread play well.

Will Steve Bateman see it like that,I'm not convinced.

 

Will we ever get that target man?

 

Just one other thing,Slough haven't had many proper managers.In the Martin Deaner years,we just got ex-players stepping up who weren't very good at it.Yes,we got quality players in our set-ups but these ex-players come managers were never very good.If things do go off kilter for Steve Bateman,let's hope that we get a proper manager in.

Most (ALL) managers are ex players !

 

What I was referring to,HP9, was that Slough kept promoting players with no experience of management ie Darren Wilkinson,Eddie Denton,Steve Browne,Mark West,etc.

[Bernie Gogan]

Eddie Denton did a good job.

[Ian]

Eddie Denton did a good job.

 

And despite himself, so did Browne.

[3spirit]

Eddie Denton did a good job.

Eddie Denton did a good job.

 

And despite himself, so did Browne.

 

Disagree totally.

Eddie Denton was another nice guy but out of his depth.The man we should have employed as manager was his valuable sidekick at the time,Micky Lewis.He was the brains behind Denton.

 

Steve Browne was a joke as a manager.How you can claim he was any good as a manager is beyond me!

[Ian]

Eddie Denton did a good job.

Eddie Denton did a good job.

 

And despite himself, so did Browne.

 

Disagree totally.

Eddie Denton was another nice guy but out of his depth.The man we should have employed as manager was his valuable sidekick at the time,Micky Lewis.He was the brains behind Denton.

 

Steve Browne was a joke as a manager.How you can claim he was any good as a manager is beyond me!

 

Steve Browne was a joke, you're right, but he kept us in or around the top of the division and got us quite a long way in the FA Cup despite being an ar*e.

Edited May 5, 2012 by Ian

[Rebel Kay]

Sorry did we all imagine getting to second round of the FA cup and winning the League Cup!

[Sir Rebel1965]

Kay is right about Eddie - who last won any cups or beat Wasall?

 

It was the off field issues with Martyn Deaner that undermined Eddie.

 

Now that we have had stability for over 4 years on the Chairman side there is then no reason why a manager cant concentrate fully with the on field issues and gain promotion.

 

Bateman cant blame off the field issues for the stagnation that has held us down for a third year - the money is there, the new ground is now a reality (or very nearly), fan numbers have increased, it is the performance and leadership on the field that is not going anywhere.

 

An independant measure is the fair play leauge - where are we in that? 3rd from bottom out of 265 and it shows how Batemans statement to improve dicsipline especially dissent has failed - we ended up with the worst dissent figures in the whole of non-leauge.

Edited May 5, 2012 by Burger and chips

[Don Juan DeMarcus]

After seeing almost every game this season I actually think our discipline figures lie! Yes the team aren't angels but I remember walking away from at least 4 games thinking that the ref booked 7 or 8 from both sides for fouls when there wasn't a bookable foul all match! Before I get the responses I expect here remember I'm not saying our discipline was good AT ALLL! Just stating the figures I feel are very harsh. I admit we get a lot of bookings for mouth- and getting reds after a match is inexcusable- but 30 odd yellows came in 4 or 5 games which I thought were clean games.

[Cookham Rebel]

I agree with you Marcus, we had 7 booked at AFC Hayes for dissent I think and that night I'm surprised some of our supporters weren't booked, the referee was awful and that is being polite!

[Ian]

All true but with the exception of the Burnham home game where they had 5 or 6 booked also it's always us that picks up the cards, not the opposition. In the AFC Hayes game the referee made some mind boggling decisions for both teams yet other than their manager being sent off (unjustifiably IMO as I was by the dugout and heard what he said) they didn't pick up the cards for moaning like we did.

 

I think in many respects our reputation precedes us so our ongoing discipline issues get more of a reaction from referees.