"When will I see you again"...... baby, yeah, "If I could turn back time".... yeah, yeah, "Their ain't no cure for the Summertime blues".... dum, dum, dum - dum, dum, dum.

Okay, okay, I'm just mulling over a few tunes, to console my pent up emotions following another season wrapped up and stored away for posterity (not forgetting my academy fulfilments are ongoing of course).

And sadly we didn't have the opportunity to cheer the lads on in the play off zone.

A straw poll gives me evidence that most Townies believe the setback at Sheffield was the rock our hopes perished on.

Well I do think it was one reason, (elementary detection there eh?) but other factors mattered - and perhaps just as fatally. In fact it doesn't need me, or anyone, to be an instant Einstein to see that one more win would have been enough to capture the prize of at least one more match to play.

Hey it's all down to ifs and buts though isn't it?

If only someone had collared the Leigh centre Anderson during his last tackle surge to the line - finally robbing Town of what had until then seemed a likely upset.

Don't these situations however cancel out amidst all the other such claims by most teams? Or are we up here in the back woods of Rugby League life subjected to a great deal more bad luck? Sometimes you feel if we didn't have bad luck we wouldn't have any luck at all, violins at the ready please.

Looking back at the final countdown Sunday, we beat Doncaster with some ease, but Oldham lost to finish our lingering hopes.

But did any of you think the 'Yeds would in fact really pull out all the stops at Craven Park, Hull?

It had occurred to me during the preceding week that they were under no pressure to do so. In fact I did think of saying why in the club programme, then omitted my ideas in case I rocked our boat.

But now it don't really matter a jot. In fact perhaps I should forget my view on the Oldham approach to last Sundays input, but then I need to fill out this page somehow - so here it is.

Oldham had for their last five matches been forced to play away from Boundary Park. Pitch renovations by the soccer landlords depriving the RL team use of their facility.

Now if Oldham had, last week, won at HKR and finished second in the NFP- would they have been allowed to stage the home play off match?????? Another factor which will have lessened their resolve versus the Robins is that finishing fourth was not too bad either. Yes now Oldham do travel to face Leigh - but they are not eliminated following a defeat, they get another bite at the play off cherry.

Now you may think that I am working from the hindsight office here, but no I did have these reservations during the pre match build up of last Sundays action.

What do you think people - were Oldham bound to be firing on less than all cylinders?

Actually though if someone had tackled Anderson (see above) etc, etc, etc, but no one did!!!!!!!

You could go on assessing the seasons pros and cons forever eh? It's over, it's over, it's ooooooverrrrrr. Now what to do?

Well the usual off season crack is to set off the whispers regarding new signings - I have heard some already! (New feature writer for Town.Net!! - Ed)

Can I just say Town are not signing Scottish RU fullback Andy Irvine. Nor are they now likely to prise away his Scottish colleague Craig Chalmers from north of the border. Mal Meninga? Sorry but I don't think so. Bobby Goulding? (moving more up to date now) again I doubt it. Paul Newlove? Now there's an idea.

You get my drift don't you - those 'in the know' at Derwent Park (but not really) will again spice up the Summer for us......and to be honest I'll listen as intently as you all.
K.S.