The Wanderers Way: The Rise of Dorking Wanderers

[KWFM]

Season 5 – Bittersweet, But Smashing Expectations​

As we reach the end of Season 5, it’s another highest-ever finish for the club… but I can’t lie, there’s a small part of me that feels like there’s some unfinished business here.

Results​

After the winter window closed, we really kicked on again and pushed hard at the top of the table. For a while, it genuinely felt like we might just pull off something ridiculous.

But the warning signs were there.

We were conceding far too many goals. 4-4 draws, 2-2 draws… games that should’ve been comfortable were turning into chaos, and eventually it caught up with us. A rough couple of weeks, three losses on the bounce, and suddenly we’d lost control of the automatic spots.

From there it became a bit of a grind. Hanging on in games, trying to steady things, and for the first time in this save it felt like we were properly struggling over a sustained period.

Thankfully, that early-season form carried us through and we secured a playoff spot, setting up a tie with Luton.

And well… it didn’t quite go to plan.

A late goal from them, no response from us at home, and just like that the dream was over. We’ll be in the Championship again next season.

It’s frustrating, no doubt about it.

But stepping back for a second… this season has been a massive overachievement. The way we’ve attacked this division has been unreal. 109 goals scored is something to be seriously proud of, and if we can just tighten things up at the back next year, who knows what we can do.

The Team​

We ended up leaning back into the 4-2-3-1 attacking setup, and when it clicked, we were still incredibly dangerous going forward.

Losing Campbell in January definitely had an impact. It’s hard to replace that kind of quality mid-season, and I do think it played a part in us dropping off slightly. But overall, the level of this squad now compared to where we started is just incredible.

There are a few players who deserve huge credit.

Davies in goal has been outstanding and looks every bit like a future Premier League player. Ashcroft has been really solid at right back and hopefully sticks with us as we keep pushing forward.

Going forward, McConnell, James and Washington really stepped up in the second half of the season, with Pedro and Robertson chipping in as well. And leading the line once again, O’Mahony with another 27 goals… just ridiculous consistency.

And of course, we still have Charlie Carter hanging in there, leading from the front as captain even if it’s mostly from the bench now. Proper club legend.

The Club​

Financially, it’s still an uphill battle.

We’re operating on around £6 million in wages, which is miles off most of the teams around us, and just highlights how big of an achievement this season really has been. In a strange way, maybe going up this year would’ve been a step too far.

The bank balance is still in a decent place though. No major debt, some room to work with, and a chance this summer to reshape things slightly and improve where we need to.

We’re never going to compete with the big spenders, but smart recruitment is what got us here — no reason we can’t keep doing it.

Off the pitch, the good news keeps coming. Marc White has once again confirmed he’s not going anywhere, which is huge for the club. It’s great to see that core of Dorking still intact as we grow, and we’re slowly building that identity with former players moving into staff roles as well.

And to top it off… I’ve been offered a new deal.

So of course, the journey continues.

I’ll see you all at the end of the summer.