A SEASON that started with high hopes and good form has wound up with mid-table obscurity. At some point we were inevitably going to have to go through a transitional period in our attempts to get back up the footballing pyramid and this season falls firmly in to that category.

It’s been a funny old year, and yet with the stoic resolve that few football fans can truly display I think I speak for most Darlo fans in saying the end of this particular season has a certain satisfying feel to it.

This season has been one of finding solutions to questions that hadn’t previous been asked, both on and off the pitch. Now the season is over I’m pleased to say that those tasked with developing those solutions deserve an awful lot of credit. Whether it is Tommy Wright and Alan White, David Johnston and John Tempest or Chris Stockdale and the supporters’ group board, those people that we entrust to run the club and the team have done a stellar job in guiding us through what can only be described as a turbulent period in our history.

That might sound a little melodramatic given the trials and tribulations of this club over the years, but I can imagine unravelling the club from its relationship with the previous manager will have placed a huge strain on all involved. For all of the hard work, I am grateful. I genuinely believe we will be in a much better place for that work.

On the pitch, there’s been almost as much revolution as there was off it. When you look at the starting line up at Salford City on the opening day of the season that team bears little resemblance to what appeared to be Tommy Wright’s first choice line up at the end of the season. Players left for greener grass (in one case, plastic grass) but the guys who came in to replace them arguably performed to a higher level.

In goal, Aynsley Pears performed with maturity well beyond his years. Luke Trotman, a player I took a little time to warm to, started to show his value, in particular his excellent link up play with Stephen Thompson. On the other side of the pitch, Ben O’Hanlon has been sensational. I believe we ended up with a better player than David Ferguson. Meanwhile, in the centre of the defence, Terry Galbraith and Josh Heaton finally provided a much-needed solid central defensive partnership. While conceding fewer goals seemed to be low on the priority list of Tommy Wright, defensive solidity is what ultimately dragged us clear of the relegation battle.

In midfield, Joe Wheatley has been a real find and will become a big asset for the club while Phil Turnbull and Dave Syers seemed to find their wings again under the new manager. Speaking of new wings, Stephen Thompson has been nothing short of a revelation under Wright. His hat-trick at Leamington rescued our season. I dread to think how our season might have panned out had he not scored those two late goals to secure the three points. Finally, Wright’s most inspired signing has to be Reece Styche. While Thompson has probably scored more important goals, Styche’s presence and unique character lifted both the players and the fans. Styche rejuvenated a front line that was blunt in the first half of the season. There are 20,000 reasons why he could be named player of the season but for me his presence within the club played a huge role in our revival and so he gets the nod for me by the slimmest of margins ahead of Thompson.

Next season will probably see the continuation of our transitional journey. We may make the playoffs. We may not. We probably won’t see too many new arrivals but that won’t matter. Under Wright and Johnston et al the club is making its biggest strides in quite a while and it’s great to be a part of that. I can’t wait to get going again.