Story of the Season 08/09

[Andy K]

As things go a little quiet on here, and the main topic of conversation is the colour of the bobbins new kit, I thought I'd start a thread about our last season, the highs, the lows, the boring and the bizzare - a type of thread that can be compiled together to make a chapter in the ongoing book of Sutton United FC. We've already touched on this with the goal of the season earlier, but this can be broader.

Anyone want to get the ball rolling before I do?

[Beaney]

The Tonbridge game was proably the most bizarre. And one of the most enjoyable.

[os]

Low point: Dover away 6-0 down wanting to dig a hole and hide, followed by being 4-0 down at Tooting

Bizarre and ultimately enjoyable: Tonbridge away although Westy's sending off at Hastings will always remain a puzzle to me. I have been through it a hundred times and still cannot work it out?

High points: Dover at home, the away FA Cup matches at Ware and Aylesbury, that Tonbridge game, but top of the pile the final whistle at home to AFCH

Best Goal Gav's back flick at home to Maidstone, with Hamici's tight finish at Heybridge on his debut second.

Most frustrating game: away to Maidstone, horrible game, horrible place and horrible weather, followed by home to the Bobbins they offered nothing and went home with a undeserved point.

[medibot]

The home Dover game was an even bigger highlight for me because i had bet my last £10 on us winning and Chukki's goal meant that i had enough money to eat for the next few weeks

[frakey]

Low point: Ramsgate away. Awful weather and we didn't look like we wanted to be there (in hindsight, I didn't want to be either!).

High point: other than beating Dover & reaching the FAC 1st rnd, I enjoyed the 3-2 win at Dartford.

Bizarre: much of the refereeing last season, culminating with Mr Crouch at Hastings who had an exceptionally bad day at the office that afternoon.

Best goal: Matt Hann at Aylesbury

Most frustrating game: Frustration? Any of those home games that we drew when we should've won - plenty of 'em too.

Worst ground: Ashford isn't great but as OS states, Sittingbourne's was just plain awful. I'm not sure Ashford in Kent will be much better, especially if we play 'em in February.

[fox]

I bought my 1st replica shirt and seeing how the money goes for the 1st ever season ticket! I have really enjoyed what I have seen - even in defeat better than when I last watched!

[Amber Aleman]

For me, the season divided into three phases.

The first phase (August to early November) was when we were finding our feet in the Ryman, and Paul Doswell was still shaping the team. Results were understandably mixed, but we stayed undefeated at home. We also had a couple of good runs in the FA Cup and Trophy that I think helped to build team spirit.

The second phase (mid November to mid January) saw us surge up the table to 4th. Although that run was helped by a glut of home matches, we played some excellent football, particularly early on in that period. Our Cup form, however, turned to dust.

The third phase (late January to April) saw us lose our way a bit. Our home form disintegrated, although we did put in a handful of very good away performances. We scraped into the play-offs (thanks to the penalty-taking prowess of Steve Watts) but were then well beaten by Staines in the semi-final.

I also saw two turning points in the season.

The first turning point was a match I actually missed, the 2-0 Trophy win against Tooting & Mitcham in mid October. By all accounts we played well, and l think that result helped to build confidence after we'd been turned over 4-2 at Imperial Fields in August. It was the platform for some fine team performances the following month.

The second turning point was the two-and-a-half week enforced break in late December and early January, when the freezing weather caused three matches to be called off. Our final match before that was the 2-0 triumph at Colston Avenue. I thought we lost our momentum during that break. Although we won our first two matches afterwards, neither victory was very convincing, and our form then quickly deteriorated.

[Suttontilidie]

I didn't see the 6-0 defeat at dover so that would be my low point otherwise but for me being 4-0 down at tooting was the worst.

The high note for me is torn between the dover home game and the notts county game, absolutely loved those two, felt especially proud of everyone after notts.

[Andy K]

OK, i'll throw my bit in. I'm not going to say highlights and lowlights, but more things I remember of the season.

1) The FA Cup run - being a relic from the 80s the thing I remember about it was the battling spirit we showed. Going to grounds we'd not normally go to, and especially in the latter stages, having a fighting spirit. The Notts County game itself felt like it was 1988 again, it had that whole Aldershot atmosphere to it. And I saw the chap who took me to my first ever Sutton game - he comes very rarely now, so it kind of brought back many nostalgic memories. I was really glad I went to the club to watch the draw on the Sunday as well, there was a real sense of unity with the fans in there. Added to that the side really did their best. I can't help but think that if that game happened a few weeks later, we would have shaded it.

2) Hastings away. Probably the quirkiest ground in the league, but even with Westy being sent off for being fouled and possibly the most one sided ref I'd ever seen, there was a real spirit about the way we played. With that we could have beaten anyone in our division that day.

3) Wealdstone home. One of the games we were very lucky to win (along with Dartford and Margate at home). The away crowd reaction was out of order, even with the associated frustration

4) Dos's first Meet the Manager evening. After the shambles of last season, I'd vowed not to get a season ticket. Within 10 minutes of listening to Dos, I'd changed my mind, and probably the best money i'd spent all year.

5) Tonbridge Away. Amazed at how unprofessional their 'blazers' were in trying to wind up Dos. Sadly it worked, but see 2) above for the rest of this paragraph!

6) Dover away/Staines Home x2 - I learnt to accept defeat gracefully!

7) Ramsgate away - I didn't learn to accept defeat gracefully. The only game this season I didn't applaud the players at the end.

8) Seeing some bigger name players playing in a Sutton shirt e.g the likes of West, Mckimm, Wilde, Erribenne, Hughes, Hann, Nicholls and Watts. Regardless of how they performed over the course of the season, to get some of those who would normally end up at Conf and BSS sides with much bigger wage budgets than us showed me we are moving forwards after 4 years of moving backwards

9) Being involved in the playoffs. Came as a surprise for me to be honest. We were always capable with the squad we had, and being aware that our playing budget was certainly not as huge as opposition fans thought, the last game of the season was a dramatic and welcome end to a hard year.

10) The Fans. I'm not talking about me here either. The ones who follow thick and thin. A mention to those who put a lot more into the club that I do, and Sutton is a better place for them, but also those who have become friends because of the love of the club. I think its a part of the reason a lot of us kept coming last year in rubbish time, but this season we've had a lot more to enjoy and has actually brought us all closer together. Overall the smile did return to our faces!

Ah well, July 16th is only 7 weeks away