Looking Forward So, time to start looking towards 2002/2003 season then, and something that will send shivers down many a third division chairman's spine is the now almost certain fact that two will be relegated to the Conference next year. This is something that will not affect us in the same way as some clubs – as we do not have a chairman.

Without a doubt, the Conference is slowly developing into a fourth division. The two up, two down arrangement will certainly add spice to the Conference season. There will be far greater attraction to potential owners, managers and players in getting involved in Conference clubs now that the promotion route to Nationwide League football has been widened. Quite what effect it will have on division three clubs will remain to be seen.

In many seasons, there is a team that holds its hands up and admits that it will not last the pace fairly early on in the fixture programme. By two thirds of the season, very often one club is, save for a footballing miracle, almost certainly doomed to relegation, and for a lot of teams, the pressure on results eases, and there is a long period of meaningless football. I appreciate that during these troubled financial days in football, and not just down the Vetch, pressures on players manifest themselves in more ways than just relegation fears, but in footballing terms, meaningful matches have tended to drift away not too long after Christmas for some players.

Not so often does it happen that TWO teams fall to the wayside that early in the season, and as a result, the footballing year will be extended in terms of pressure for many players. This can only be a good move, and I believe that as the years pass by, the number of teams relegated and promoted between the third and Conference divisions will increase further.

It will be interesting to see if many of the 'old' League teams are able to take advantage of this opportunity to force their way back into what are still the main leagues. The Conference is full of very recognisable team names, and it would be good to see a few of them make it back into the little big time. With one up, one down, falling out of the third was like finding the trapdoor and hitting the garbage, maybe now, a quick brush down and revamp, and there's a chance of a climb back up.

One thing is for sure, we don't want to be hovering anywhere near the danger zone at all next year, so let's hope that something good comes out of the close season changes, and that we can get into the top half early on and fight to stay there.

You wear it well

The shirt design competition is down to the last four then, and some good designs too. Whatever the outcome of the voting, it will be good to see the team run out in the traditional black and white next year. I can see the club shop being a bit busier than usual when the new shirts go on sale next month, if all goes to plan.

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye

And finally for this week, I would like to add my own few words to the growing wave of thanks and good wishes, which are finding their way through to Gary on a daily basis.

Unlike many, if not most, who visit this site, and enjoy Swanmail, I am a relative newcomer, having only been a regular visitor for about 12 months or so. In that time, however, it's been one daily click, at least. It's the place for news, the place for rumour, and the place for a good wind up now and again.

It is a great site, put together with a lot of fun in mind. It is good news that it will continue, as it would have been a great pity to see it pass over to the great search engine in the sky. I hope that in all his rediscovered leisure time, Gary will carry on with his contributions and acerbic wit ;-), the site would not be the same without it. Come to think of it, with Robbo having posted his column for the last time, there is now room for one more regular weekly contributor!

If anyone has any feedback to give me, I'd love to hear from you at pauly@scfc.co.uk