Relive highs and lows of topsy-turvy season

Photo: Alan Howarth

Mike Jones scores with a stunning free-kick

BEST GOAL

Mike Jones against Chesterfield. It wasn’t quite as pretty as the same player’s curling effort at Swindon, nor as powerful as Aaron Amadi-Holloway’s volley against Rochdale. But this was an example of a player taking matters into his own hands and delivering a piece of rare quality, in a fixture that was crucial to the club’s survival chances. The right-foot finish against the angle of his run, the only goal of the game, was a great strike in context.

WORST MISS

It was quite a feat for Dominic Poleon to fire the ball up into the air, almost at right angles to ground level, when stood three yards from goal at Millwall. At least the game was gone by that stage.

BEST ACHIEVEMENT

The youth team’s win over Blackpool in the final of the Lancashire FA Youth Cup provided a third trophy in as many seasons. That or staying up, anyway.

BEST SIGNING

Without a shadow of doubt, Anthony Gerrard. Not only for his own influence in defence, but also in helping others around him to improve. Athletic kept three clean sheets in 26 games before he arrived; it was eight in 18 with the Scouser in the side.

WORST SIGNING
It simply didn’t work out for Ricardo Fuller. Brought in with the help of supporters’ cash, the veteran struggled and was not seen again after being hauled off at half-time in the loss at Crewe.

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

Timothee Dieng seemed to be a player going nowhere, other than perhaps back to France in the summer. Under John Sheridan, he has become a reliable figure in the defensive midfield role and there is a sense that the 24-year-old still has a lot more to give.

WORST JOURNEY

At least the sun was out in Southend, for the daftest Tuesday night fixture of the campaign. Next season’s list is out on June 22 and I am fully expecting a midweek jaunt to Plymouth (providing they are promoted).

MOST UNUSUAL HAIRCUT

Fraser Kerr only played in a couple of friendlies and is now at Cowdenbeath, but the legend of his strange man-bun lives on.

SAVE OF THE SEASON

Joel Coleman’s show-stopper from Brad Inman was a moment of brilliance. The young goalkeeper flung himself to his left and threw out a right hand to keep out a shot that was heading right into the top corner. Inman couldn’t believe it.