Looking Back at 2001

[GHA EFM]

Taken from the Herts Ad. You should like this.<p>January

Football: St Albans City start the New Year as they finished 2000, with another lacklustre performance, losing 1-0 to local rivals Enfield thanks to a stunning injury time winner.

There was more success in the cups, beating Marlow 3-1 in the League Cup and Newport County 1-0 in the FA Trophy and an impressive 3-2 win at Aldershot Town.<p>February

Football: Saints crash out of the FA Trophy as they lose 3-2 at Conference outfit Chester.<p>March

Football: St Albans end their Ryman League goal drought with a 1-0 home win over Dulwich Hamlet, while Saints supremo Lee Harding laughs off rumours he is leaving the club before promptly resigning as Chairman, claiming he has fulfilled his goals at Clarence Park.<p>April

Football: Former Chairman Lee Harding accepts a £1 offer for his majority shareholding in the club from Managing Director Graham McDougall, while officials from the club are quizzed by police concerning the club’s financial records.

On the pitch, City’s poor run of form continues with a 5-1 home defeat at the hands of Chesham United and heavy losses at the hands of Sutton United and Farnborough.<p>May

Football: Saints finish a disappointing season in 14th place in the Ryman Premier League after a series of defeats, including a 6-0 battering at the hands of lowly Grays.

Managing Director Lee Harding says the club has “nothing to hide,” after City are cleared of any financial misdemeanours relating to the club’s shirt sponsorship draw. Former Baldock Town management duo Steve Cook and Gary Roberts are unveiled as City’s new managers after John Kendall is sacked.<p>June

Football: Saints confirm a host of new signings, including ex-Baldock players Danny Honeyball, Rob Smith, Derek Brown and Darren Fenton, and Simon Dunlop and John Rattle. Former Arsenal defender Andy Linnighan also joins the club on a non-contract basis.<p>July

Football: St Albans are still confident of re-signing former striker Simon Martin from Unibond side Hucknall Town, despite their £500 offer being described as “desultory” by the Nottinghamshire side, who are holding out for £10,000.

After weeks of speculation, the club’s new Chairman is confirmed as… Lee Harding.

Saints fans pass a vote of no confidence in the new Chairman at a fans forum, described by Harding as “very constructive.”<p>August

Football: St Albans get their Ryman Premier League campaign off to a mixed start, losing at home to Hampton & Richmond Borough and winning at Bedford.<p>September

Football: St Albans’ season starts to improve with victories over Borehamwood, Chesham United and Basingstoke Town, but an injury crisis starts to bite as Saints are mauled 4-2 by Canvey Island.<p>October

Football: St Albans go out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle as they lose 1-0 at home to Billericay Town and their poor form continues as they lose at bottom side Croydon.

Saints are ordered to pay Hucknall Town £5,000 for Simon Martin by an FA Tribunal.<p>November

Football: The true extent of St Albans financial problems is revealed as the club is put up for sale by Lee Harding, who also resigns as Chairman.

On the pitch, Saints win a cracking derby 4-2 at Hitchin and beat high flying Braintree 3-1 at Clarence Park thanks to a Mike Bignall wonder goal.<p>December

Football: Cup Giant killers Canvey Island brush St Albans aside in the FA Trophy, but in the league Saints cannot stop winning, easily beating Billericay and Hampton & Richmond.<p>

Good stuff. I laughed.<p>Long Live GHA!!!<p> <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="" />

[HelenC]

Why did you laugh?<p> <img src="graemlins/shrug.gif" border="0" alt="[shrug]" />

[Guest]

Very disappointed, the article is very negative