Peterhead Season 3 Half 2

The Too Long Didn't Read version is Treading Water.

So for all of the effort this year, the tweak in the tactics, the new found optimism that we can actually win a cup game, it was for practically nothing. 7th place in the league, and apart from scoring 3 goals more, an identical record.

Had it not been for a solid run at the end of the season it could have been very different. Bumbling along in 8th with nothing special happening could easily have seen us slip into the relegation playoffs or worse, but picking up wins in all of our last 4 home matches boosted not only the team but finally for the month of April, my first Manager of the Month award! Finally some success. Not enough to make the board allow me to take a coaching qualification but baby steps, eh?

A positive is the tweaks resulting in Rory McAllister finishing as the 2nd highest goalscorer in the league, an impressive 22 goals from 32 appearances, a goal every 118 minutes. Equally pleasing was understudy to McAllister and utility attacking midfielder Shane Sutherland finishing 7th in the goalscoring charts. McAllister getting half of his shots on target was a huge help too, Given that he is doing the business for me now, especially as the dying embers of the season went well implying that the squad is settled and ready to storm ahead now, I think I will take the option of having Rory see out his career in Aberdeenshire.

Going forward is less of an issue, hopefully we will be secure at the back too. There is a lack of cover which is worrying but can be sorted out in the close season. Most of my players back there are in the 2.5 to 3 star range which is ok, could be better. This is reflected in the comparison pages where we are middling in most categories. The big worry there isn't necessarily the lack of cover, rather that we are rated 9th in tackling still. That absolutely must improve, along with pace where we are 8th. I think a couple of my starting defenders could well see themselves as cover next year.

Not a lot else to report, other than the board are very pleased with the leadership I am displaying.

The real question is where do I go from here? Quite often at this sort of stage I'm looking at another club to join. I feel as if we are stagnant here and I have tended to favour the, for want of a better example, Alex Ferguson career recently. Start at a relatively small club, move a few times, end up at a big club, ride the save from there until old age. This clearly isn't possible in my save here. The lack of money at the club is a massive factor, I can't sell players for anything like the sort of money that would help, and I can't slice the wage budget any further as we are already spending just 60% of what we are budgeted.

The money problem could be eased in the near future as the chairman is open to offers for the club. Get the finances looking healthier from outside investment, which would then let me take a coaching badge (!) and train up the youngsters better. There is always the chance the new board would want their own man in charge which in turn would end this save (the aim is getting a piece of the Aberdeenshire coast named after me after all) but it looks the best option unless we get a promotion this year. Eventually all the players will get fed up of League 1 because I know I am.

Onwards and hopefully upwards!