The season went pear-shaped when we started making those extra signings. The team spirit went and once McNally wasn't at full back we lost a potent attacking threat and playing Brierley at full back appeared to nullify another attacking option. I think players knew they were on the way out. We miss McNally and Ridyard and can't understand they are being offloaded. But all in all, most of us expected to be nearer to the foot of the table so can't complain. Just hope, next season, we don't make the same mistake of signing a load of journeymen who are only here for the money.

You may well be right about Martyn. His pace has gone, but his rugby brain is still sharper than most. Oh, and he can kick goals, and for position. Last night, Woods seemed to be doing the work of both half backs, kicking on both sides of the field. Brown is class, but he had a nightmare last night, on attack and defence. Look back at how many crucial errors he made.

Of course, he was not alone in that - I made it that four of Featherstone's tries came from us dropping the ball. Our defence, which is ferocious near our opponents' line, simply crumbles, near our own.

Team spirit meant so much, early in the season, with a team of local lads, supplemented by a clutch of talented, young Saints players. and it does seem that the decline started with our new, 'high profile' signings. Yet we had to sign some players, once the D/R's were on the way back. (luckily for Fev, they managed to hang on to some of theirs) Cast your mind back to all Duffy's original signings - he claimed to have coached them or known them well, and backed them. How many of the new signings did he say that about?

All that said though, when the pre-season started, and we didn't even know if we would have a club, never mind any players, anyone predicting that we would have finished fourth, would have probably been certified! So, my thanks to the coaching team and players who gave me a (mostly) enjoyable season. Many of the home games have been terrific value for money. When do the season tickets go on sale?

So Duffy could coach a bunch of non leythers,the saints brigade, but he could not gel returning leythers or next year sl destined players
is it fair to ask who signed the late arriving players,who picked the team,did that cause the upset,did the coach react to one or the other
Are we now due to publish retain/released lists. that will be interesting. are we looking for 10/12 players again
I was disappointed with the whole day yesterday, so must Derek be, and am not prepared to go down the Bradley Hardacre route...be grateful for what we had

A lot of questions there. I can't really answer any of them though. Yes, I was disappointed with yesterday, but that's the way we have been playing for a few weeks now. I'm still grateful for what all at the club have achieved this season, given that we didn't look like having a club twelve months ago. That would probably have been just a tad more disappointing than yesterday's dreadfully poor performance.

Spot on Alan (as usual)