What Does It Really Mean To You

Firstly, it means that i was wrong. And i've literally never been as happy to be so!

We’re going back to the promised land – after only 2 years in the wilderness, and it feels good. Bucks did what he was given the task of doing, and I’m as grateful to him as everyone is for getting us there. It’s fair to say I had my doubts along the way – and maintain that some of the concerns I voiced were justified. But ultimately I didn’t believe he’d get us up, and he’s done it. I said all along I hoped he proved me wrong, and I’m obviously delighted he’s done so.

Our season started slowly and mistakes were made, but important lessons were evidently learned. Our football became more thoughtful and we posed a more varied threat to the opposition as the year went on. Few were as bad as us in the first few games, but I don’t think any were as good when we got things right. Bucks deserves all the credit for assembling such an excellent squad, and whilst he struggled early on to get the best from them, he persevered and reaped the benefits. We all reaped the benefits.

There have been problems along the way. Rumours of discontent within the dressing room, and high-profile fall-outs with respected players. But whatever our opinions on the way things have been done, the end justifies the means. The method has worked, and whilst it’s unfortunate for those that we’ve lost along the way, the success of the club was always of utmost importance to the manager.

I think a few individuals deserve special praise too. And it’s the experienced core of the team I’m referring to. I’ve been very vociferous over the last couple of seasons about giving more opportunity to the young players in the squad. There is some excellent young talent in our dressing room, and Wroe, Robbo and Benyon have taken the chances presented to them. But the real heroes have been the old guard. Toddy, who has had to overcome a serious illness to play his part. Sillsy, who played with a cracked cheek-bone and scored the decisive goal in the decisive game. And of course Greavsie, who more than anyone else dragged us through those last few games, and through will-power alone took us over the finishing line. Bucks put his faith in these players and they repaid him. They all deserve complete respect for the part they played.

And so we’ve escaped the abyss. Another season might very well have led to several more. More than 3 or 4 and we’d have become an ‘established’ non-league club and might never have returned – I honestly believe it was that important, and the players performed despite that pressure. With falling crowds, and reduced budgets, alongside more and more ‘big’ clubs falling out of the league, it was only going to get harder.

It’s good to be back.

Hi Shane nice to see you back posting with us, I think many fears and worries you had were more than justified, but as you say at the end of the day what ever our views have been on such things as man management skills etc, Bucks delivered what we all wanted more than anything else.

I hope he enjoys to the full the great feel good feelings he will have now, I say that only because as we know a football manager is often only as good as his last result.

Leroy took us up and was our hero, but it did not take long for fans to turn on him and want him out. True he did play a part in his own downfall, but we must not forget he did not have the backing Bucks has had.

I do not think the good backing has always helped Bucks, by having far more we believe then other managers, the levels of expectations rise and then some unfairly expect more than what maybe can delivered.

Seeing Bucks on the bus holding the cup, has brought home even more just how well he has done and just what it really does all mean in the end. TUFC a league club again, will we ever get fed up of saying that? no not on your life.