End of season review

[Sir Rebel1965]

I know you all have been waiting for my end of season review, where the honest facts and truths will be put to you.

 

I, unlike a lot on here will only publish my statement once the season has finished later today when the final league positions are confirmed.

 

I will not be making knee-jerk comments, but considered and informed views.

 

I know some of you can't wait, but please don't jump to conclusions and take time to digest and understand what is being said.

 

So please keep viewing this forum for the true independent supporters’ views of how STFC have performed this year.

[3spirit]

I can't wait ! ?

Actually it's good to get other fans perspectives of what is going on with the club we follow,so bring it on.

[Reading Rebel]

The suspense is killing me ?

[Shredding Green]

3 hours ago, Reading Rebel said:

The suspense is killing me ?

I'm going to bed. ?

[Reading Rebel]

2 minutes ago, Shredding Green said:

I'm going to bed. ?

You won't be able to sleep with the anticipation of our end of season appraisal ?

[Curtis]

Was a mid table finish this season a surprise to anyone?

If anything after the poor start to the season my concern was initially about the club avoiding getting drawn into a relegation battle.

The lows of the season for me were the early exit from the FA Cup at home to Whitehawk (which I think was our worst performance in several seasons) & the three big defeats, which is uncharacteristic, the previous last big defeat I recall was against Redditch when we were first promoted to the Southern League.

The highs were winning both matches against the promoted Maidstone, the home win over Dorking, who will likely be promoted, & the fact that mathematically there was the prospect of a play-off place right up until the last few matches of the season.

[Reading Rebel]

Being pedantic, we ended the season in 13th place which is below half way, 10 points off a play off place and in a normal season 4 points off a relegation place which shows how tight this division is.

Another high to add to our two wins against Maidstone and home to Dorking was the away win at Ebbsfleet.

 

 

Edited May 8, 2022 by Reading Rebel

[3spirit]

I think 13th place is a good position this season,given the budget restraints and coming off of the back of Covid, and that our squad is being overhauled and blended with the Under 23 set up. I don't believe fans should have expected much more this time around.

Next season with the division having 24 teams in it, I think it will be even harder, and my concerns going into the summer is will Bakes and Unders stick around if our budget stays the same [or is cut]?  Can Slough compete by just unearthing youngsters and finding cheap loans? Can Slough improve on 13th place realistically,given the club management set up/model that it is now? Are Bakes and Unders happy with the limitations that they are having to deal with? How long will they turn down offers for their services? If they stay, can Slough get the right strikers in that are needed? Can they bring in other experienced players to replace 4 mainstays we lost last season ? Is 17 a big enough first team squad for next season?    

Edited May 8, 2022 by 3spirit

[Reading Rebel]

35 minutes ago, 3spirit said:

I think 13th place is a good position this season,given the budget restraints and coming off of the back of Covid, and that our squad is being overhauled and blended with the Under 23 set up. I don't believe fans should have expected much more this time around.

Next season with the division having 24 teams in it, I think it will be even harder, and my concerns going into the summer is will Bakes and Unders stick around if our budget stays the same [or is cut]?  Can Slough compete by just unearthing youngsters and finding cheap loans? Can Slough improve on 13th place realistically,given the club management set up/model that it is now? Are Bakes and Unders happy with the limitations that they are having to deal with? How long will they turn down offers for their services? If they stay, can Slough get the right strikers in that are needed? Can they bring in other experienced players to replace 4 mainstays we lost last season ? Is 17 a big enough first team squad for next season?    

So many questions ?

Agree, given all what's happened this season I think we can be relatively pleased with our season and that we didn't get dragged into a relegation scrap.

If the budget stays the same I don't think there will be a problem but if it drops significantly I think we could be looking for a new manager.

 

 

[Shredding Green]

On 07/05/2022 at 12:19, Sir Rebel1965 said:

I know you all have been waiting for my end of season review, where the honest facts and truths will be put to you.

 

I, unlike a lot on here will only publish my statement once the season has finished later today when the final league positions are confirmed.

 

I will not be making knee-jerk comments, but considered and informed views.

 

I know some of you can't wait, but please don't jump to conclusions and take time to digest and understand what is being said.

 

So please keep viewing this forum for the true independent supporters’ views of how STFC have performed this year.

Seems like you are going to wait releasing your end of season review until after the Dorking Wanderers v Ebbsfleet United play-off final on Saturday 21st May. 

[3spirit]

13 minutes ago, Shredding Green said:

Seems like you are going to wait releasing your end of season review until after the Dorking Wanderers v Ebbsfleet United play-off final on Saturday 21st May. 

He likes to build up the tension !?

[Reading Rebel]

1 hour ago, 3spirit said:

He likes to build up the tension !?

Still busy dotting the i's and crossing the t's ?

[Sir Rebel1965]

So here it is:

 

2021/2022 was a transitional season, so a 13^th place finish was just about acceptable.

I say just about acceptable as 13^th place is mid table, but when you measure by points, Slough finished on 49, but that was only 13 points off bottom, but a mighty 38 points off top.

12 wins, 13 draws and 15 lost with a minus 18 goal difference – the numbers are not great.

Too many games where leads were given away, especial within a few minutes of us scoring, sloppy defending allowed the opposition back in, and the amount of soft goals conceded just after the start of the second half was embarrassing!  At times the defence must have thought they were part of the bible re-enacting the parting of the seas to allow the opposition through on goal.

As for goal scoring Alfonso Tenconi was a revelation with 10 – however he has now gone.

Followed by Ben Harris with 7 – now gone

And Aaron Kuhl also with 7 and the core of the midfield – is he on a contract for this coming season yet?

Then you are calling on Josh Jackman on 5 and Freddie Grant on 4.

Goals win games but in 2021/22 they were lacking.

4 games where the opposition put 5 or more goals past us – not good days.

Sloughs best score was the 4-1 against Hampton and Richmond Boro’.

Out of the FA cup in the first round played – no cup money!

1 win in the FA Trophy.

Out to Beaconsfield in the B&B first round.

The worst results in cup games for many years!

Some good youngsters came into the team from the U23’s and are starting to get used to the senior game, but as stated above the cream of them, Alfonso is now off to the USA and we wish him well.

A number of senior players have/are parting, and this leaves the squad very light on experience.

What is happening with Ryan Bird – joined in August 19 and has only managed 44 games in that time – he was regularly injured before joining and has been absent for very large parts of his time here – a very expensive luxury which is not contributing – time to save some money.

It will be interesting to see who comes in over the summer / what we can afford!

Best performance of the season was the supporters behind the goal who relentlessly put all other clubs to shame with the noise and atmosphere generated.

Attendances were down to an average of 622 from 842 in 2019/20 – less than a quarter that of Dulwich and Maidstone.

With this reduction in attendance and next to no money from the cups, there has to be questions about how much will be available for the forthcoming seasons playing budget.

The promotion made by the club about buying your season ticket early at the last game backfired when we were turned over 6-0 at home – how many thought – I will wait a bit before committing limited funds based on that performance?

So with a very inexperienced side, limited budget, and a far from stable squad, it looks like it will be another transitional season. 

Any talk of promotion, like the farcical comments about going up this season would only come from those with a limited grasp on the realities of the lowly resources the club have available.

Looking forward – Sean Frasers Testimonial deserves a large turn out as he has always done what it says on the shirt – Serve with Honour.

Hoping for a better 2022/23, but not sure where the improvement will come from.

 

[Irishadrian]

Can't find much to disagree with  That's a fairly accurate summary of our season  Unlike most and you I don't agree that goals and attack win games  No matter how many you score your opponents can better it  Don't concede and you can't lose We need to tighten our defense as well as hunt the elusive fox in the box!

In fact only 3 teams conceded more goals than we did

Edited May 16, 2022 by Irishadrian

[Shredding Green]

On 16/05/2022 at 20:05, Irishadrian said:

Can't find much to disagree with  That's a fairly accurate summary of our season  Unlike most and you I don't agree that goals and attack win games  No matter how many you score your opponents can better it  Don't concede and you can't lose We need to tighten our defense as well as hunt the elusive fox in the box!

In fact only 3 teams conceded more goals than we did

A review of their season from my other local team Hayes & Yeading United FC :-

"With a superb season behind us, with our third consecutive FA Cup 1st round appearance, 100 goals scored in the ordinary league season and some superlative football, it really is a great time to get behind us all."

But their top two league gates during the ordinary league season were 18th November 2021 392 v Farnborough and 18th April 2022 556 v Chesham United.

[Reading Rebel]

4 hours ago, Shredding Green said:

A review of their season from my other local team Hayes & Yeading United FC :-

"With a superb season behind us, with our third consecutive FA Cup 1st round appearance, 100 goals scored in the ordinary league season and some superlative football, it really is a great time to get behind us all."

But their top two league gates during the ordinary league season were 18th November 2021 392 v Farnborough and 18th April 2022 556 v Chesham United.

With an average attendance of only 254 and a low of 169 these are really poor attendances considering the entertainment value served up.