Micky Taylor's Ryman League round-up

2:13pm Wednesday 16th May 2001

The 2000/2001 Ryman League has certainly left me with plenty to reflect on in this final roundup before our much needed rest, although the close season seems to get shorter every year.

Croydon FC manager Ken Jarvie and his staff and players certainly deserve the opportunity to play Premier football again next season.

Their 16-game unbeaten run towards the end of the season was outstanding and young talented striker Nick McDonnell has certainly put his name up in lights, finishing in the top seven goalscorers list in the Premier.

Disappointment came early in both the FA Cup and the FA Trophy but it was in the Ryman League Cup that Croydon saved their best and despite losing 30 to Heybridge Swifts in the final they can certainly take great credit during their return to the top flight.

Dulwich Hamlet must be wishing the season had never started. This great old club could never seem to get things right, not on the pitch and things were just as bad off the pitch.

Three managers in one season is a recipe for disaster and this reflected in the team's performances to only win four games all season. But the club is too good to stay down for long and I am sure that my good friend Gwynn Berry who has been named as manager next season, will be back to the Premier.

Whyteleafe had another season flirting with promotion right up until the last couple of weeks in Divison One.

But the winter bad weather finally caught up with them and with too many fixtures to play in such a short space of time, the chance passed them by. But manager Lee Richardson and assistant Bernie Donnelly can be proud of their players who at times were playing for no wages at all.

In the FA Cup disappointment came as they tried to reach the first round proper again, only to be knocked out early on as in the FA Trophy.

In the League Cup the same disappointment but the Surrey Senior Cup semi final there was a great chance, but Tooting and Mitcham had other ideas, defeating the Leafe 3-0 in what was to be their last competitive game of the season.

Croydon Athletic had a poor season in terms of league positions and finished in 10th position, that's compared with a top five finish the season before. Because of the bad weather and a great Cup run, they had to play a massive amount of games at the end to complete their fixtures.

But I'm sure it has made physio Micky Reid the fittest man at the club.

It was in the FA Vase that they made a name for themselves, reaching the fourth round for the first time before going out to Cove.

The Athletic also reached the final of the London Senior Cup but Ford United were too strong for them.

o Well the last mention I will give is to myself. I will be going back into management next season at St Leonards FC in the Dr Martens league.

Working with such knowledgeable people as Ken Jarvie and Colin Turner has given me back the appetite to manage and I leave Croydon FC with a great deal of sadness.

Ken has been great in wishing me the best and a welcome back should things not work out, but I am sure they will.

I look forward to resuming with my roundup again at the start of the new season and to all of our readers, have a good summer.

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