Happy Monday…if there is such a thing. It’s a bitter sweet week here on cm9798.co.uk as we enjoy the final episodes from many of our bloggers but fear not – they’ll be back after the break. Good morning Zak!

Hello Champers! Welcome back to Home Park as Niall Warnock is on the precipice of promotion to Division 1, has an FA Quarter Final replay to navigate and has the Windscreen Shield cup final to look forward to.

[Side note. This will be the last Warnock-related episode for a while, as Dave enforces a mid-season break on his aging blog squad. (Don’t worry, we’ll be back!) I hope you enjoy it!]

“Matches don’t come any bigger than FA Cup Quarter Finals”. Neil Warnock.

After holding Premier League side Leicester to a 1-1 draw at Home Park, the lads travel to Filbert Street for the FA Cup Quarter Final replay. Whilst I have an eye on a route to the final (only Newcastle and Sheffield Weds remain from the Premier League) Leicester score a penalty after Razor Wilding chops down winger Mark Platts. Dario Simic makes no mistake. It goes from bad to worse as Cameroonian keeper Mfede sees red – this time for taking Simic down as he burst through 1-on-1. I have no choice but to go keeperless. Simic sends left back Reinelt the wrong way and we’re 2-0 down and a long way from Wembley. The lads can’t respond, and we go crashing out.

We were three minutes from glory at Home Park before a late equalizer forced the replay. This hurts.

Ronny Mauge gets a bit excited against his former employer as we cruise to a 4-0 win. It’s a first goal for veteran Frenchman Corantin Martins.

I’m shocked to find Le Sulk lining up against us at fifth-placed Oldham. How did they lure him? I sit back and watch him produce an enthusiastic display and confine us to defeat. Fair play.

After the game offers start coming in for our Teddy Sheringham regen Matt Gooden. The flurry of bids results in a £8.25m move to Man City. It’s unreal money for Division 2. We wish him well!

I now have a gap in my attack. Fancy a sulky Frenchman?

Here’s how the squad looks as the transfer deadline passes.

The lads come from behind to beat Orient and continue our relentless march to the league title.

First vs Second and an early red, missed penalty, three injuries and general chaos show the toll on the season. Norwich get the win, but is it too later for them to mount a challenge?

It’s cup final day! Due to Hopkin’s injury at Norwich I need to re-jig the side. Cambiasso goes further forward in the central role, Pallister to Attacking midfielder alongside Wilkins and Owen Wilding plays in an unfamiliar DMC role. It’s enough to disrupt York and dispite some nerves, we score late in front of 38,000 fans to win the Windscreen Shield!

Another cup win for Niall!

Our now-threadbare squad see off Millwall comfortably. Further injuries to Edghill and Anelka add to Simeca’s ban. Paul Wotton sitting in at centre back scores a rare goal.

The win brings up the formality. Division 2 champions! Anelka, who featured once for us, celebrates the loudest and hardest.

Okay. I have a bit of a player crisis. I thought I could recall our loanees if needed for support. Well, I need defensive cover, attacking cover and would like to play a young goalkeeper so try to bring Warnock, Butler and Hughes home for the remainder of the season. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize once the deadline passes we can’t bring our loan players back. Balls! No subs for our next match at Bury.

We finish the Bury game with ten players after veteran Flogel is injured 36 minutes into his first appearance of the season. Our quick start paid dividends.

This annoys me. I can’t name subs and Valentine doesn’t feature and Wilding is on the bench. Cheers.

Our tired legs score three at Hull, but can’t win the game.

A heavy loss to York serves as revenge for our Windscreen Shield victory. I don’t mind – the season is over anyway.

This is getting painful. The lads have checked-out mentally and we lose our third game in a row. At least Wilkins keeps turning up. That’s three in three for him.

Urm… make the four. WT actual F…. Boos ring out around Field Mill as we are humiliated against playoff chasing Mansfield. (They miss out on goal difference).

With that dire end to the season and this episode, we bring up 46 games. The table looks closer than it was, considering I threw away 12 points in the last four games.

The season is one we can look back on with pride – and a great platform for the next Warnock challenge – get promoted to the Premier League!

There’s not much impact on the challenge overview. We add Argyle to the Windscreen Shield honors list.

We play a mammoth 68 games. I’m not sure I’ll manage to beat that.

Also the list of familiar faces to play and resign for Warnock.

Here’s the players’ stats; Jonathan Nagbe leading the way with 53 goals and 21 assits in 60 games. George Ndah was not far behind contributing 44 goals himself and 32 assists. Ndah played in 67 of the 68 games this season. Remarkable.

Anelka scored zero goals for us since his move from Oldham. One to contemplate for next season!

Despite not winning a game in May, I manage to land the Manager of Month! I can’t say I’ve ever aspired to win a clean sweep of monthly awards… but alas!

Finally, we end with some tough news as my midfield maestro hangs up his boots.

We’ll see you soon in Division One. Until next time.