Now that the dust has settled slightly and although the disappointment still remains I would like to thank everyone for all of their efforts this season.

I will get the opportunity to do this formally at the end of season awards evening on Saturday 16th May at Ribby Hall.  An event that hopefully as many people as possible can attend.  It’s a great opportunity for fans, players, officials and sponsors to celebrate what has been a great season together.

Planning for next season started months ago and final decisions would only be made once we knew what division we were competing in.

The players know that we’ll be back in mid June with our first pre-season friendly at Kellamergh Park on Thursday 9th July versus Fleetwood Town.  We will entertain Rochdale on Sunday 12th July and will be advertising more games in the coming weeks but hope to be able to get some high profile games at KP.  The pitch will be ripped up next Monday and reseeded, Dan then hopes it rains in order for it to be ready!

Regarding player recruitment we have put together a list of targets and are going to sit down this week and talk to all of the players individually about our plans for next season.

Ben Hinchliffe, Caspar Hughes, Josh Wilson and Richie Allen are all contracted for next season.  We have options to retain Adam Sumner, Josh Langley, Tom Hannigan, Michael Potts, Liam Tomsett, Danny Rowe, Matty Blinkhorn, Dion Charles, Brad Barnes and Danny Lloyd who will all be informed this week as to our thoughts.

The other lads are out of contract or non-contract and as such we will be speaking to them.  I don’t envisage wholesale changes as this season we only fell short by a small margin.  Scoring the most goals and conceding the least in the league is a good recipe for success and with only seven league defeats all season we can count ourselves very unlucky not to be promoted.  Regardless, we learn, work harder and get better to go again come August.

One player who has decided to leave the club is Joe Booth.  Boothy informed me on Sunday morning that he had decided it was time for him to move on and had posted on his Twitter account as such.

I understand his reasons for wanting to go somewhere where he is guaranteed to play week in week out and it’s his choice to do so.  He’ll undoubtedly be missed around the place and in the dressing room.

He’s a great lad and has come through with the club from the North West Counties days.  He’s popular with fans, players, staff and officials alike and knows he’ll be welcomed back to Kellamergh Park and Mill Farm in the near future whenever he wants.

Unfortunately Boothy won’t be at the end of season awards evening for us all to say a proper goodbye to him but it might not be a surprise to most that he’s away on a stag do in Magaluf!! The life and soul of the party and he’ll be remembered as such.  I’m sure away trips won’t be the same without him sinking countless bottles of rosé wine and other things at the back of the bus.

I only hope Blinks has it in his nature to publish some of the videos of Boothy after some of the trips but it may be something for the end of season evening, ‘An Ode To Joe……….’  Everyone wishes him all the best in whatever he chooses to do and wherever he ends up.

Inevitably at this time of year there is movement of players, whether that be of their choice or us having to make decisions of areas we need to strengthen based on deficiencies we’ve had this season.  Either way I’d like to thank every single one of them for their efforts and application this season.  Every season we aim to improve individually and collectively and that will be no different next season.

Once again, thank you to everyone for your help.  Next season promises to be a really exciting one on the pitch and off it in the knowledge that we will be in Mill Farm by this time in twelve months.

Thanks,

Chally.