I'd like to start by thanking the fans and sponsors for their patience and support during the season. Whilst it was a solid final third to the campaign, where the team showed promotion form, the season as a whole was obviously some way short of where we, as a Club, expect to be finishing. A tenth place finish in comparison to consecutive second place finishes might not look like we've made much progress, that couldn't be further from the truth in many regards.
We all know the turmoil and unrest which the Club has experienced in the previous two summers following defeat at Wembley. With financial constraints at the Club this season on the back of the summer of turmoil, starting the season without a manager, it was always going to be an uphill battle and a season for regrouping and rebuilding. No club can succeed with that level of unrest and, at the end of it, for the first closed season in years we have a settled squad and a settled first team management that are vital to build a platform for success.
On the playing side, over the course of the season a number of improvements have been made to the way the playing side functions. We now have consistent training facilities and a much closer working relationship between youth development and the first team squad. The result has been over 91 appearances by youth team players during last season. In Martin Ling we have a experienced and astute manager who buys into the ethos of the Club in terms of developing young players and building a squad that can overachieve.
We've also seen improvements in the quality of corporate partners at the Club, the most obvious being those of Greene King and R Costings who have both come on board in the last year. We've also welcomed Gareth Baldwin to the Club as a commercial consultant in January. Both he and his team will be looking to raise the bar even further in preparation for the start of the 2010/11 season.
There is a positive vibe flowing throughout the Club, the like of which I don't think I've ever witnessed. We have a hard working, passionate and committed team behind the scenes who are working to provide the Club with a solid financial base to underpin the work being done by Martin Ling finalising his squad for the new campaign.
The fans continue to show passion an support like never before; we are blessed as a Club to have the number of fans we do and it's no surprise to me they've reacted so well to the direction in which the Club is heading, with season ticket sales, so far, almost at 1600. That is higher and better than we budgeted for. Thank you everyone.
The passion and commitment which runs through the Club has never been more evident than in our football Director, Jez George. His determination during his 410 mile "Walk for Change" was remarkable to follow via the website. Along with many others, I welcomed him as he reached Wembley and we must now hope the authorities see sense and provide some funding for our Youth Development scheme and that of other clubs in the same position as us.
On the Board front, we have been settled for the past season. I had stated that I would step down at the end of the season. All my fellow Board members have asked me stay on as Chairman to which I have agreed.
Finally, there is much work ongoing behind the scenes to further improve the Club. It would be premature for me to talk of there things now, but over the coming weeks and months there will be some very positive announcements which will greatly assist the Club moving forward and getting back to and up the leagues, which is what you, the fans, truly deserve.
We also have the excitement of Martin Ling making the final touches to his squad, at the time of writing he is still looking to bring in four players before the start of July, so I'm sure like me you'll all be very interested to see who these are.
Enjoy the summer, enjoy the World Cup…and let's hope England can win you your season ticket!
All the best,
Paul Barry
Chairman
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