Well, that’s a wrap for the 2023-24 season, a season that we will actually be happy to see the back of. If you had to describe it in one word, I would say it as “disappointing” to put it politely. The heights of the previous season were never achieved, and in the final analysis then we escaped a return to the third tier by just six points which is too close for comfort to be honest. It has been a complete annus horribliis with very few highlights, I’m just glad it’s all over and can now be consigned to the history books.
So, what was good about this season? Well, when we dismantled Southampton at the SoL with a 5-0 thumping then you would have thought we were in place to re-create the efforts from the season previous. It was, in my eyes, probably our statement win of the season, but it would eventually be a false dawn. Another high point was the well-executed performances home and away against Leeds United, both masterminded by Doddsy, but apart from these I’m struggling to draw any positives result wise although you might have your own. Jack Clarke’s goals were so important too, and it’s no surprise that he has now attracted attention from Premier League sides which makes this summer an interesting one to say the least. If we didn’t have those goals then we would have been proper snookered more than Ronnie O’Sullivan at the Crucible.
The remarkable thing was that at the start of the New Year, we were still in the play-off positions. But then things started to unravel in a big way. Michael Beale, brought in after the dismissal of Tony Mowbray (an insane decision) an appointment that turned into a disaster. Many had reservations that he was not the answer when he was appointed but apparently, we were being far too negative. However, things didn’t improve markedly and after just 12 games and two months, he was gone. Things quickly nosedived after that, and just five wins since the beginning of 2024 tells its own story doesn’t it? It’s form that would spell relegation in most cases, which goes to show how lucky we were in the final analysis.
This summer is going to be interesting now. We have to get the right manager in, and not a yes man for Messers. Louis-Dreyfus and Speakman. Whoever it might be, whether it be Will Still or not then the incumbent must be allowed to make more of the decisions because it’s plain to see from where I am that the team is being picked by someone who doesn’t work with the players day in and day out. Anyone else get that feeling? Therefore the retained list, which will be out in the next few days or so, becomes more and more intriguing.
Some current first teamers might have to become bit part players next season, depending what the new manager demands. It’s all about getting a tune, as they say, out of them and if players aren’t on the same page, then they’ll become surplus to requirements. Speakman’s recruitment this season was a failure, and we didn’t improve on the overall quality. The fact we never adequately replaced Ross Stewart, or reinvested the money we got from him is the stand out. To get just three goals from the four strikers is absolutely embarrassing to say the least. Even defensive midfielders such as Ekwah and Neil scored more than all the strikers put together. And of the thirteen players Speakman signed only Jobe cut it. Pathetic.
All in all, it’s a complete write off of a season, let’s make no bones about it.
But now we must focus our collective attentions towards 2024-25. It’s all about making the right calls and stop putting round pegs into square holes. What happened this season cannot be allowed to repeat itself season on season. We just didn’t build on that feel good factor from 22-23 and thought it would be okay. Squad surgery is definitely needed and what we need is improvement tweaks here and there, getting that quality in place so there’s no reason to why we can’t move forwards again. Just don’t mess it up like we did this season.
