THE pain of losing out in the play-offs can ruin a summer, the rawness of falling at the final hurdle matched only by the sunburnt shoulders and sore head guaranteed on the end-of-season team trip abroad.
Of course, there have been some high-profile, dramatic examples in the Football League in recent weeks, from Brentford v Doncaster on League One’s last day to Watford’s carbon copy ‘penalty escape to victory’ in their Championship play-off semifinal against Leicester.
It’s the equivalent of a runner pulling up at 26.1 miles of the London marathon, and throughout Non-League there will be fans, managers and players who refuse to accept any talk about the play-offs being the fairest, most exciting way to end a 42 or 46-game season.
After three Conference North play-off defeats in as many years, Guiseley boss Steve Kittrick is certainly one of them.
Glenn Pennyfather will be another, I’m sure, having been axed by Chelmsford City after a fourth play-off defeat in five Conference South seasons.
But play-off profligacy has been prominent at all levels of the Pyramid this year. Wrexham have lost three Blue Square Bet Premier playoffs in a row, and player-boss Andy Morrell described the feeling as “wounding”.
Failures
FC United of Manchester have lost three finals in three years in the Evo-Stik NPL Premier, while Lowestoft Town have matched that in the Ryman Premier and Chesham have failed in four of the last six Southern Premier play-offs.
My old Bracknell team-mates Jon Underwood and Neil Baker are still recovering from a second successive play-off defeat with Godalming Town, this year in the Southern Central after last term’s in Ryman One South. Next time out they’ll attempt to conquer a third different division in their Wey Court tenure, having been moved to the South & West.
There is hope for them all, however – and that is why Brackley boss Jon Brady says his players were so keen to stay out and watch FC Halifax collect their medals at the end of the BSB North final a fortnight ago.
Twelve months ago, Neil Aspin’s side had lost in the playoffs, but got back on the bike and rode to success. Same with champions Mansfield in the Premier and Welling in the South.
Hednesford finally got it right after three failures in the NPL Premier, while Hungerford lost out last year to Poole Town in the Southern League Division One South & West semi-finals, but saw off Merthyr Town in this season’s final to reach Step 3.
Tommy Lawson led Skelmersdale United to four play-offs in a row, had a year off in 2011-12 – finishing seventh – but brought them back up to claim the NPL Division One North championship this time.
And Gavin Rose did the same with Dulwich Hamlet after tasting defeat two years in succession.
The south London club took the Ryman One South crown this time, a 1-1 final day draw with Burgess Hill keeping them a point ahead of Maidstone United.
Mentality
Rose was in Spain, minus the shoot-out wounds but no doubt still nursing the sore head, when I spoke to him this week.
“There is no worse feeling in football than going all the way, then losing it in the last game of the season,” said the 35-year-old.
“I came close to leaving last summer. It takes some getting over, I can assure you.
“We had a budget cut as well, and we soon realised that we had to move some of the players on. The previous two seasons had taken a toll on them mentally, and we brought a few lads in out of the academy and reserves who flourished quicker than we thought they would.
“The attitude was suddenly a lot more positive and the hangover had gone. It’s a horrible one because the lads who’ve brought you so far, you don’t want to get rid of . But sometimes mentality is as important in football as football itself. Everyone started believing in themselves again.”
For a club as famous as Hamlet, happiness in recent times had been as rare as the FA Amateur Cup they once dominated. This was their first championship in 35 years.
“Everyone knows of Dulwich Hamlet because of the history, but some of the supporters hadn’t experienced a title win in their lifetime,” said Rose, “so it’s great to see them so happy now.”
Rose’s words will hopefully carry over Champion Hill and up to the Racecourse, Nethermoor and beyond. There can be a play-off pay-off…eventually!
Return Of The Mac Is Timely For Hill
A YEAR on from being mocked at Newport County and Luton Town, Craig McAllister finished the season with a flourish at Eastleigh.
The striker managed only three goals – two in the FA Trophy and one in the Gwent Senior Cup – in south Wales during 2011-12 after a glorious campaign winning the Conference title with Crawley.
Ending a 46-game Blue Square Bet Premier drought with a tap-in against Ebbsfleet during his loan at Luton last April, chants of ‘It’s a miracle’ and ‘He scores when he wants…’ rang around Kenilworth Road, though it should be pointed out the Hatters’ faithful were always appreciative of his work-rate and commitment.
This year he started the season well at Step 2, pulled a hamstring and missed six weeks midway through but returned to shoot the Spitfires into the BSB South play-offs with nine goals in his last six league games.
He finished with 18 in 36 starts, and is ready to rock again next year. With Silverlake Stadium boss Richard Hill already strengthening his hand with the acquisition of Forest Green midfielder Jamie Collins – a Conference South winner with Newport three years ago – Eastleigh will be hot favourites.
“We were made favourites this time last year as well but sometimes there is too much talk and we certainly didn’t do our job at the start of the season, which is why we were second-bottom in January,”
McAllister, 32, said. “We’re disappointed with the play-off defeat because the main objective was to win promotion, but next year it will be different. We’re better equipped to handle the pressure now.”
One of southern Non-League football’s most popular players knows all about pressure. After his annus horribilis, it’s good to see Mac on the way back.
