IT is a big relief to finally know that we will be playing in the same division next season.

We crawled over the line in the end. What we saw was some tired players over the last two or three games, and I think that was partly down to the fact that every game we have played, there has been something on it.

But it is a great achievement. It has been a roller-coaster and a nail-biter, and a tough road to go down, no doubt about that.

But it has been completed by a decent run of form in the second-half of the season.

People look at us, Grantham Town and Crawley Town who have put together very proficient runs after looking doomed at one stage.

The difference is that with both Crawley and Grantham, the side that finished the season was not representative of the side that got them into trouble to start with. We have had to operate with more or less the same squad throughout.

Recently we have looked a bit jaded and didn't look as if we had a great deal left in the tank.

It is a mental as well as a physical thing. That is why we have seen so many awful goals given away recently. The opposition have had goals without having to work very hard for them.

We shouldn't have to score four to win a game at home, and on Saturday against Dorchester we scored four and still didn't win it.

But what we didn't want to do was go to Clevedon this Saturday having to get something from the game.

It is probably the first game since I have been here where there won't be the necessity on the game that there has been in previous fixtures.

Decisions about next season will be announced next week, but the resources for next season are in line with what the club can afford. It will be a tough one to balance out.

Wednesday, April 3, 2000.