So, another season is added to the history books, but will it be remembered as a vintage year or one that turned sour?

Before the start of the season I thought we might be in for a rough ride this year. The previous season had tailed off badly and we had lost Per Mertesacher. Results at the start of the year were poor and a fight against relegation was our priority. Only when Peter Neururer was shown the door did things start to improve.

Who would have predicted at that point that we would finish the season feeling sick, not because we had failed to stay in the Bundesliga but because we had failed to qualify for European football!

We can sit an wonder what would have happened if Thomas Brdaric had been fit all season, if we had won the cup shootout at Nuremburg and if the linesman had kept his friggin' flag down in the last game of the season. But, at least we get the chance to do it all again in the Bundesliga next season. What would any M'gladbach fan give to be able to say that?

For me, the second half of the season was summed up in the home game against Dortmund. 4-0 up after 88 minutes and we looked unbeatable. Then, in the time it takes to pour a glass of Hafferoder, it is back to 4-2 and we were left wondering if we are not really as good as we thought.

Sadly, the history book will not show just how close we came to breaking through into the big time in 2006/07, or how close so many fans came to a nervous breakdown. But 2007/08 cannot come quickly enough, especially with new boy Hanke to look forward to.

There were times last season when I could have strangled the bloke who introduced me to Hannover 96, but then again it was great fun!