Huddersfield Away,Hull City away........
Both opponents in the last 10 years.
Seriously, how can anyone get excited about any team or game at this level?
It's true that the likes of Huddersfield and Hull City were a better calibre of opposition than any side that we'll play against next season.
But
if we can keep the nucleus of the current squad together, then we're in with a real shout of being in the promotion race again. And the top-of-the-table clashes with others around us will then be the games most worth looking forward to. I'd expect FC Halifax, Nuneaton, Altrincham, Southport, Droylsden and possibly Stalybridge to be challenging. Guiseley are also a good side and will be in the mix as well if they can hang on to their better players. Counting all of these sides and home and away fixtures, that's at least sixteen games to be eagerly anticipated.
The true test of faith since we lost our trips to Hull and Huddersfield was some of the dire displays in that first Unibond League season. Travelling all the way to Kendal for a 3-0 defeat on a mudpath of a pitch and then having to watch our so-called captain leave the field completely clean of mud was surely an all-time low point on the field of play. No effort, no passion, no commitment. We had players going through the motions just to pick up their pay cheques and a manager who was unable to get better from them.
On the pitch now, everything is considerably better. And so yes, there will be some games to look forward to next time around.
