Ronan Holland
Despite losing a number of quality first team players from last season, I've still managed to maintain serious confidence in the squad we have for this year. Pre-season has been an eye opener, with Marty Waters and Adam Hanlon among the standout performers. Jason Byrne's return to the club will be important for this contribution to the young players morale as much as the goals he is sure to clock up. Adam Mitchell was a rock at the heart of defence last year and his presence will be key in our survival. My one worry would be the lack of quality in depth within the squad, the over reliance on certain players over the course of the season may be derailed by injuries, and that is something we must be prepared for. With the addition of one or two more players to the squad I would certainly be confidant of survival and possibly (although I say this every year!) a decent cup run. An increase in attendances for both home and away game would also be a bonus, but that's just my outrageous optimism! Up the Gulls.
Tubes Murphy
Despite losing some key players during the off season I am looking forward to the new season with great optimism and would not be surprised with a top 6 finish again. We have still managed to keep a mixture of important players such as Darren Quigley and Adam Mitchell along with experience of Danny O'Connor and the signing of Jason Byrne. This combined with good young players will prove a very good squad for the games ahead.
Evidence of this comes in our pre-season games where we put 5 past Waterford with a great team performance, combined with a great battling team performance against Glentoran, both qualities which are essential for any team for a tough season.
These qualities will be needed when we play teams such as Bohs who have also got a hungry young squad and will be wanting to be the surprise package, along with the quality of Sligo who are the best footballing team in the league.
So all in all its a season to look forward to with great excitement and my tip for most improved player will be young Marty Waters who has looked like he has stepped up to the plate.
Gavin Moran
Two drastic changes occurred in my life in October 2011. I moved abroad to where the sun was shining every day and Friday nights at the Carlisle were replaced by Saturday (or Sunday) nights with Iniesta, Messi and Xavi at the Camp Nou !. I lived in Spain for 3 months, but without internet and no real source of Bray news as I couldn't just pick up a local paper or switch on the local news to see how 'The Seagulls' were doing. As i got on the plane for Barcelona things were looking very good indeed for the Wanderers, 2 games left in the season we'd finish in our best position since 2008 (6th) and with our highest points total since 2001 (51). We had a young talented squad and miracle workers in the dugout. All was well, or so I thought.
When I touched down in January 2012 I was greeted with the news that the management team might be going, we had no players signed on and might not be competing in the Premier Division this season, alot had happened in 3 months clearly! . These past weeks however Pat, his management team and the club staff as a whole have done an amazing job keeping the club together and retaining a large part of last year's squad. A few notable additions headlined by the one and only Jason Byrne have given me some optimism out of the pessimism I was greeted with (along with the cold of Ireland !) 6 weeks ago and I'm quite hopeful that not only and this squad stay up but that it can push up yo mid-table this season. I'm sure I sepak for every Bray fan though when I say a team in the league in 2012 would be my no.1 hope for the next 12 months.
Finally the view of ''Wanderers Weekly''.
Well the off-season certainly was exciting yet nerve wracking as a Wanderers fan. Rumours of financial trouble were starting to circulate. Rumours that we wouldn't be able to compete in the Premier Division. These were put to bed in early January, however the club like many others needs the support of the fans in any way shape or form to continue to exist. January was greated by high profile departures including captain Gary Dempsey, Derek Prendergast, Chris Shields, Shane O'Neill, Jake Kelly & Conor Murphy. Many fans were wondering how we could replace these players. The players already at the club like Graham Kelly have stepped up to the plate to take their place in the first team and they haven't looked out of place. Jonathan Kelty and Adam Hanlon have come in from Arklow Town and have slotted in nicely into the team. The hero that is Jason Byrne has also returned to partner former 'A' team goal scoring machine Marty Waters. Many LOI fans have put Bray down for a relegation dog fight but many wanderers fans are confident of another good season and this confidence runs through to the players who all believe nothing but 100% is good enough and who are confident of another top half finish. Whatever way the season goes I'l be there through the good and the bad.Lets hope for more good than bad. I'm going to go for another 6th place finish this season. COME ON YOU BOYS IN GREEN.
Despite losing some key players during the off season I am looking forward to the new season with great optimism and would not be surprised with a top 6 finish again. We have still managed to keep a mixture of important players such as Darren Quigley and Adam Mitchell along with experience of Danny O'Connor and the signing of Jason Byrne. This combined with good young players will prove a very good squad for the games ahead.
Evidence of this comes in our pre-season games where we put 5 past Waterford with a great team performance, combined with a great battling team performance against Glentoran, both qualities which are essential for any team for a tough season.
These qualities will be needed when we play teams such as Bohs who have also got a hungry young squad and will be wanting to be the surprise package, along with the quality of Sligo who are the best footballing team in the league.
So all in all its a season to look forward to with great excitement and my tip for most improved player will be young Marty Waters who has looked like he has stepped up to the plate.
Gavin Moran
Two drastic changes occurred in my life in October 2011. I moved abroad to where the sun was shining every day and Friday nights at the Carlisle were replaced by Saturday (or Sunday) nights with Iniesta, Messi and Xavi at the Camp Nou !. I lived in Spain for 3 months, but without internet and no real source of Bray news as I couldn't just pick up a local paper or switch on the local news to see how 'The Seagulls' were doing. As i got on the plane for Barcelona things were looking very good indeed for the Wanderers, 2 games left in the season we'd finish in our best position since 2008 (6th) and with our highest points total since 2001 (51). We had a young talented squad and miracle workers in the dugout. All was well, or so I thought.
When I touched down in January 2012 I was greeted with the news that the management team might be going, we had no players signed on and might not be competing in the Premier Division this season, alot had happened in 3 months clearly! . These past weeks however Pat, his management team and the club staff as a whole have done an amazing job keeping the club together and retaining a large part of last year's squad. A few notable additions headlined by the one and only Jason Byrne have given me some optimism out of the pessimism I was greeted with (along with the cold of Ireland !) 6 weeks ago and I'm quite hopeful that not only and this squad stay up but that it can push up yo mid-table this season. I'm sure I sepak for every Bray fan though when I say a team in the league in 2012 would be my no.1 hope for the next 12 months.
Finally the view of ''Wanderers Weekly''.
Well the off-season certainly was exciting yet nerve wracking as a Wanderers fan. Rumours of financial trouble were starting to circulate. Rumours that we wouldn't be able to compete in the Premier Division. These were put to bed in early January, however the club like many others needs the support of the fans in any way shape or form to continue to exist. January was greated by high profile departures including captain Gary Dempsey, Derek Prendergast, Chris Shields, Shane O'Neill, Jake Kelly & Conor Murphy. Many fans were wondering how we could replace these players. The players already at the club like Graham Kelly have stepped up to the plate to take their place in the first team and they haven't looked out of place. Jonathan Kelty and Adam Hanlon have come in from Arklow Town and have slotted in nicely into the team. The hero that is Jason Byrne has also returned to partner former 'A' team goal scoring machine Marty Waters. Many LOI fans have put Bray down for a relegation dog fight but many wanderers fans are confident of another good season and this confidence runs through to the players who all believe nothing but 100% is good enough and who are confident of another top half finish. Whatever way the season goes I'l be there through the good and the bad.Lets hope for more good than bad. I'm going to go for another 6th place finish this season. COME ON YOU BOYS IN GREEN.
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