At the start of what turned out to be their most successful league campaign to date, the team started off on the back foot with injuries and suspensions marring the start of the season. With only ten men, going 3-0 down in the first game at home to Guiseley didn't bode well, but a great comeback, marked by two goals on his debut from Jamie Allen, saw Whinmoor turn it round. In the second game, it got even worse. Already missing Tom Walker and Josh Clarke with broken bones, Will Duree played with what turned out to be a broken wrist, and spent 20 minutes on the sidelines which put us down to 9 men. Will managed to get back onto the pitch, scoring a fantastic goal to give us a creditable 2-2 draw against an improving Bardsey side. A week later, and it all started to come right. A 12-1 thrashing of Nidd and a win in a tight cup game to Pannal Panthers saw us finish September undefeated in four games, having not being able to field a full side in two of them and having no substitutes in the others. Then the weather set in, and Whinmoor only had one competitive match a month until March, missing out January altogether! During this time, we bravely went out of both cups, but continued to notch wins in the league, whilst welcoming back players. By the end of March, we were only 4 points from taking the division, and with a full squad, although we had lost the desperately unlucky Tom Walker again to a broken nose. A superb win away at Leeds Maccabi set up the title clincher at home to Pannal. Jamie Allen scored early and Whinmoor never really looked back. A hiccup against Guiseley was followed by an excellent performance against Cookridge to round off the season, at the end of which manager Gary Cairns decided to bow out at the top.

For a season so disrupted by injuries, suspensions and the weather, this turned out to be a memorable one for Whinmoor. New striker Jamie Allen became the first player ever to deny Harry Uttley the top scorer accolade, albeit drawing level with him, and other new players Tom Axe and Eddie Robinson distinguished themselves well. The back five in general were consistent all the way through the season, only conceding 17 league goals, and at the other end goals came from all over the pitch. Harry Uttley once again took the managers player of the year, but Josh Clarke, who had a stupendous season at left-back, took the players-player award. Veteran defender Danny McMahon, who scored his first goal for six years, took the clubman award.

Fixtures

Back to Top

League Table - Section 'C'

Back to Top

Player Statistics

Back to Top