So here we are, last bend on the roller coaster...and what a ride! The first half of the season had more turns than a game of Twister and a better twist than The Usual Suspects.
Early doors, with a new gaffer, preparation was posi tive despite having several hundred players to sift into something resembling a match-day squad and, as our very own Blakey pointed out, he played for four different teams in preseason and thought it was funny that they were all wearing the same kit.

The season started with a battle of the Blues at Billericay and it was a former Blue (that's 'our' Blue rat-fans) scored what turned out to be his only goal in the league this season.
Two points after four games turned into five defeats in twenty games by the time the trick- or-treaters were on the streets but the side never seemed settled with players drifting in and out and as the weather turned, so did the form.
Down came the November rains and down went the results and we couldn't string two of anything together, which at times included pass- es. Confidence was ebbing and there were more dips than a Maccy Dees as we went from play- off candidates to relegation fodder. A disappointing run in the FA Cup was followed by short and sour runs in the FA Trophy and county cup and then on the back of three defeats Keyser Soze, who had run out of fingers to point with and things to point at, shuffled off to the conference in a move that would have surprised Eamonn Andrews (for those reading in black and white, he was the one with the red book on 'This Is Your Life' - Google will point you in the right direction).

With Santa dusting down the old red one and getting the reindeer warmed up Andy Swallow stepped into the breach as caretaker and asked me to stop my ramblings and help him out for a few games. We started the festive season with a narrow victory at Barkingside on one of the few pitches that makes Mill Field look like a bowling green. OK, we'll settle for the green. In places. Before we have Percy Thrower spinning in his furrow we shall ramble quickly on as we move past Chrimbleweed. After a disappointing results in the late, late Boxing Day game and a double-whammy of sucker punches and a charmed opponents goal on New Years Day Benno was appointed replacement caretaker manager to allow Andy to concentrate on the
stadium bid.

Ultimately, the government rejected the stadium proposals which was a real body blow but as Andy appealed to the supporters to keep the faith we were turning things around on the football pitch. The squad was lovingly pruned and the improving performances brought eight goals in two games before a Lewes smash and grab which would have been right at home in Boardwalk Empire. After two postponements it was third time lucky as we faced Cheshunt on the road in the league cup. It was a bruising encounter, with the hosts losing key players to mis-timed fly-bys or tackling each other. Benno led from somewhere in the middle, scoring a goal as we progressed in the competition and the thoughts started to turn to 'can we?'

January ended with a reverse at Dulwich, with the officials scoring a cracking opener for Dulwich. After the match I suggested that the referee gets hold of the highlights of the game as they would prove to be educational. To his credit, the man in the middle was compelled to write to the club, apologising for the fact that the only two people out of the 1,047 present whose opinion actually counted, failed to notice an opposing player lying on the goal line. Stephen Hawking would probably suggest that there is a place in Dulwich where the sun don't shine and the magnetic anomaly to be found there causes spherical objects to leap eight feet into the air.

With the squad settling down and mid-table safety on the horizon a good win against Enfield Town was followed by an even better one at AFC Sudbury in the league cup and speculation and rumour started to turn into belief that a cup run was on the cards as we progressed to the semis. A cracking draw on an island downriver was followed by the double-header against the Peelers and two good games which really showed how well the team was progressing. The away team in both encounters ran off with the bragging rights but at Imber Court the post-match performance of songs from the Frozen soundtrack by yours truly, Lamz, Rhino, Luis and Monsieur Siva really went a long way to boost the morale in the opposing dressing room. The post-match lasagne there was top notch too.

February gave way to March madness with nine games that turned the season on its head. Blues went unbeaten for the month which ended with the game against Hampton & Richmond. Benno did some stuff and we won the match and the world went Grays Athletic- mad...well...Benno mad and everyone wanted a slice of the gaffer. All the attention was on the Blues so it was just as well we followed that up with a sterling performance against Leiston before hosting Billericay in the league cup semis for another battle of the Blues. Jay Leader opened the scoring, 'ricay were gifted an equaliser before Noubs stepped up to fire the Blues into the final from the penalty spot. The wall of noise from the Blue Army that night was immense, and they helped that ball over the line! The good run continued, culminating in the goalless draw against Maidstone at Mill Field with the team coming off the pitch disappointed at not getting more out of the game, a real sign of the continuing good progress made by the squad.

Here we are in April, where the story ends. The media predicted two points in our last four league games. We won the first of those - pffft to the media - at ETU where our performance was matched by the catering staff at Rookery Hill and the buffet was legendary. Blakey, having returned to the club, made the most of the chicken and I had a carry-out of sausages. Lots of sausages. We then lost a cracking match at Maidstone in front of over 2,000 supporters, again leaving the pitch disappointed at not getting more out of the game after a performance we can all be proud of. Like last season, there were times when all you could hear in the Gallagher was the Grays fans.
There is one away game left to play, and I am finishing off these ramblings the day after losing another cracking match in the league cup final at Whyteleafe. Firstly, congratulations to Hendon for winning the match. Secondly, thank you to the supporters who were able to make the journey to support us, fantastic all season and on the night, I'm just sorry we couldn't bring the cup home for you.

Finally, we have taken on the best two teams in the league this last week and given them a run for their money. At the start of the year you would not have fancied those two games at any time but Benno has galvanised these players and the staff and we have shown that we can compete with the best the division has to offer as we go into the last two games of the season and fight for a play-off place. We have earned that right and I promise you we will all give it everything we've got to get into that top five.

Before I ramble on I would like to say a huge thank-you to my partner in crime, Sim Madgewick, better known as Rhino. I owe you big-time mate, and I couldn't have done it without you!

Finally...end of season thanks go the the legendary support we have had from the Blue Army this season and especially the personal support and good wishes after my Mum passed away; to Glyn Balmer and Glyn Jarvis for the programme; Rob Seaman for the website; Steve Boughen and Muttley for looking after us all on match- days;Paul for the PA; Peter Jackson for the photos; Andy Swallow & Benno for the opportunity; Blakey for eating the sweets I don't like; the squad for the adventure; Keith Burns for the work behind the scenes with the 1st team and the u21s; Dave Hellen & Jeff Wheeler for the excellent work they have done with the development squad this season; Craig Johnson for Mill Field - best groundsman in the league; Tony & Janet Packer...we could fill a whole programme with what they do for this club, two amazing people and true Grays Athletic legends. My apologies if I have left anybody out.

See you next season