Hello Warnock loathers, and welcome back to our season 4 finale. Last time out we lost Stan Collymore to the bright lights of London and saw a blip in form see us tumble from top down to fifth.

We’ve twelve games to go, three points to close on Wigan and plenty of points to play for! Let’s go!

I switch the formations back to the familiar narrow one.. I sign a youngster called ‘Ferguson’ in the center of the park. He’s a Scottish regen, Wilson Ferguson. No idea who he is a regen of, but has good stats. Jason Brownrigg is another regen FC recommended by my trusted ‘domestic scout 3’. He can vie for position with Dean Windass and recently acquired Jamie Shore.

We go behind against Bishop Auckland, before a welcome red card see’s us get back in the game. Stan is the man today, as he equalizes before a Julian Llewellyn winner. Llewellyn – a central midfielder – was a £375k purchase from Arsenal.

Llewellyn turns from match winner hero to red card villian as York City score two late goals and see us return to Cheltenham with no points.

In a rage I agree to sell Llewellyn to Birmingham for £450k – a small £75k profit. New-boy Fergie will slot in at central midfield.

Stan Collymore hits his stride again against Rochdale. Four first half goals is some going. Dean Windass, restored to the starting XI also scores as we assume a 5-0 halftime lead. Apparently Whaddon Road was not destined for any more entertainment in the second half!

TEN THOUSAND people turn up at Swindon to watch Jason Brownrigg score an opener at The County Ground. We can’t get a win, but gain a scrappy point.

We remain in fifth, and Wigan’s cushion has expanded from three to four points.

Fergie time against Cambridge as our young central midfield regen scores a hattrick. The ‘wtd’ signs light up, and it could be a sense of deja-vu.

This is how the squad looks as we enter April. I’m regularly fending off offers for Owen ‘Razor’ Wilding and Mark Kinsella. I’m fortunate no clubs have suitable repution to trigger the release clause.

Oldham teach us a lesson at Boundary Park. It seems a long way from automatic promotion at the moment.

With no rhyme or reason we hammer Chester 3-0.

Then lose 3-2 to Peterborough.

Despite the ups and downs, we are three points off Tranmere in automatic promotion, with four games to play. Southend [14 points] and Wigan [7 points] are too far to catch now.

Trevor Benjamin – a peripheral figure in our squad – scores with a late cameo from the bench against Bournemouth. It helps keep up pressure on Tranmere and keeps us ahead of Swindon.

Benjamin is rewarded with a place in the starting line-up against Bradford seven days later. Trev scores to give us a halftime lead before be capitulate, conceding four. Urgh.

We are now four points adrift of Tranmere with two to play. In theory, our playoff place isn’t even assured yet!

It is now!

A Trevor Benjamin hattrick after a late-late show of our own ensures we at least will end the season in the playoffs. Trev has now scored five in last three. Maybe I’ve made a grave error leaving him out of the side all season!

We finish the season off with a resounding win at Hartlepool. Razor Wilding claims the MoM award, but it’s Trev who scores again!

Despite back to back wins it’s too little, too late. A two-legged tie against Oldham awaits and the lottery of the playoffs. Warnock himself got Plymoth and Huddersfiled promoted via playoffs, so is in keeping with the theme…

For the playoffs I make a gamble, and switch to a more attacking formation. Collymore is on the bench and in-form Trevor Benjamin gets the nod. Is it risky?

Perhaps…. We make hard work of the first leg. Fergie cancels out an opener from (not Tom) Youngs. Subs Collymore and Brownrigg can’t force a change.

Collymore is recalled to the team for the second leg. We force chance after chance, but can’t break the Oldham ‘Boundary. Barlow scores in the 71st minute and I go all out – keeperless. Hreidarsson, a bit eager with tempers frayed, lashes out and gets his marching orders. Its done. We lose.

Can we feel aggrieved? So many shots. Bugger all on target.

It’s little consolation being named Manger of the Year.

The Cheltenham 01-02 dream comes to an end, and Niall Warnock will be forced to remain another season in this division.

The 63-game season means we’re on track to hit our 1603 game target. [We need an average 55 games a season to make it].

Despite no progress in the overall achievements, we now have three players we’ve signed for each club. Loans count, right?

I’ll leave you with the end of season stats, as we embark again on a Division Three promotion campaign next season. Until next time.