Waterford United

 

As the bus entered Limerick, we managed to get lost, took a wrong turn and ended up going the wrong way down a one-way street, facing oncoming rush hour traffic and having to reverse speedily and sheepishly back down the road. I was struck by the thought that there couldn't have been a more suitable metaphor for the Blues' season. 

 

Having fallen just short a year earlier in a play-off (our sixth play-off heartbreak in twenty years), we were one of the early favourites for promotion. New signings were talked up and Stephen Henderson assured us it was the best squad he had since he joined the club. Alarm bells soon began to ring. Were the new jerseys extremely unflattering or had a lot of the players “wintered well”? 

 

Michael Rafter was described as an adequate replacement for Graham Cummins, but turned out to have the shape and mobility of Eric Cartman and only started one league game. Even on the opening night of the season, the stand was filled with rumours of trouble in the camp and by June, the manager and half a dozen players were gone while our promotion hopes had all but vanished. We finished up with more losses than wins and our lowest finish in a decade.

 

Winning a five goal thriller in Turner's Cross (the eventual champions' only defeat of the season) was one of the few highlights along with a shock home victory over Shels in October and a friendly win against Liverpool in a red-bedecked RSC. Coach Paul O'Brien took over the team as caretaker in the summer and has been kept on for next season. He inherited a mess and was unable to perform any miracles. 

 

Most (hopefully all) of the bad attitudes have been cleared out and the re-signing of Gary Dempsey, who is adored by fans for an outstanding year with us as a youngster, has ignited some excitement for 2012. If we can hold onto seventeen-year-old wunderkind Sean Maguire for a season, then our prospects will be a good deal brighter. United's under-19 team offer a lot of hope for the future with Maguire, a striker linked with several English clubs, being the jewel in the crown. 

 

As it stands, we look like being the strongest challengers to Limerick for promotion. Most of the talk among fans at the moment is about the make-up of the First Division for what will be our fifth season in the Graveyard. We could have up to six trips to Galway with some novelty provided by Tralee, Carlow or a returning Cobh. 

 

Last season's signings turned out to be distinctly underwhelming with a serious lack of heart and commitment. Next year, I'm hoping for a team that stands together through thick and thin and shows some pride in the famous blue jersey. If we get that, then 2012 could be an exciting year for Waterford.