Division One, 2001-2002

Observer

Unabridged version of the Observer end of season review

  1. How has the season been for your club? Satisfying, crap, embarassing? and any particularly memorable moments? How did it match up to your expectations?

    We don't use the word "disaster" to describe on the pitch events at Valley Parade but by God we almost did this year. A season that promised much and delivered so little. A team that was very capable but had so little team spirit and guts that it was painful to watch. Certainly Jim Jefferies, arguably the architect of this dreadful season , could not bare to watch. He left when the going got tough around Christmas to leave new boss Nicky Law to pick up the pieces. Jefferies came from Tynecastle with a big reputation but the one thing he forgot to bring from Hearts was his heart or in the common parlance, he shagged us on the rebound.

    The team had the ability but Jefferies had not addressed the issue of confidence made brittle by two years of getting beaten in the Premiership and it showed. We were a team that was comfortable with losing.

    Stand out moments would be the pastings rather cruelly saved for Gillingham home and away, God knows what the Kent club had done to anger us into action.

  2. Who is your vote for your club's player of the season?

    Many people went for Andy Myers but to me he just sunk down to his level. He was supposed to be a Premiership quality player when we signed him. Perennial favourite Stuart McCall got my vote for putting in so much effort even when it was clear the club would not be giving him a new deal next season, a contrast to Lee Sharpe who wasted the last three months.

  3. And flop of the season?

    So many flops to choose from. Ashley Ward was supposed to be good at this level, Eoin Jess is supposed to be able to run a game at this level. Robert Molenaar is supposed to be just what a First Division club needs, Andy Tod was supposed to be a 100%er who would never give up, Robbie Blake was supposed to be able to make mincemeat out of defenders in this league. Take your pick from the above or just say Lee Sharpe, remembering that he was once the best left winger in Europe and see Nicky Law preferring to pick a 17 year old left back over him.

  4. And finally - can you give us your First Division team of the season? We'll play a 4-3-3 so you can pick three strikers...

    1. James Walsker (Walsall)
    2. Jolean Lescott (Wolves)
    3. Neil Clement (West Brom)
    4. Jermaine Jenas (Forest, now Newcastle)
    5. David Wetherall (Bradford City)- Injured most of the year but still the best defender outside the Premiership
    6. Darren Moore (Portsmouth and West Brom)
    7. Glenn Little (Burnley)
    8. David Johnson (EVERYONE!!! but mostly Burnley, Sheffield Wednesday and Forest)
    9. Marlon King (Gillingham)
    10. Benito Carbone (Bradford City)- So good he plays in the top half of the Prem but still a Bantam.
    11. Shaun Wright Phillips (Manchester City)

    This is very much the best of a bad lot. Very few quality players stood out this season. Jenas was the best I saw.