Marcus Bignot looks back on a season of highs with QPR and Birmingham City Ladies.
By Marcus Bignot. Friday, 06 May 2005.
Hello and welcome to my final column of the 2004-05 season. It's been a season of highs for me and I hope to end it with a win against Cardiff.
There is nothing to play for on both sides, but we want to be as professional as possible just like we were against Nottingham Forest last week.
And there is a sense of revenge for some of our players against Cardiff, after they beat us in the play-off final two years ago. I wasn't at QPR at the time but I have spoken to the captain Kevin Gallen about it he clearly feels there is a score to settle.
As far as I am concerned it's just a case of looking at where we are in the table and then seeing where they are - that says enough for me. I would like to win the game because we deserve a top ten place at the end of the season after the way we've performed.
As it's the last column of the season I thought I'd give you a review of my year, beginning with the highlights.
The biggest one has to be the seven-game run we went on in September and October. It came after there was a lot of uncertainty over the future of the manager Ian Holloway and it brought us closer together as a team, not to mention kick-starting our season.
Personally, two highlights would include signing a new two-year contract at Loftus Road and making my 100th league appearance for Rangers.
And a moment I'd rather forget: No contest - the 6-1 defeat at Leeds. It was definitely the worst part of the season.
The best player I have faced is probably Julio Arca of Sunderland. Having said that, I'd like to think I had most players in my pocket most of the time!
Outside of our division Andy Johnson has my vote for player of the season - because he's a true Birmingham City player, even though he plays for Palace.
He's better than Michael Owen and we'd like him back please!
The funniest moment of my season came courtesy of Adam Miller. It was at Sunderland, on Sky. He went to tackle the player and then keep the ball in play, but somehow he fell over the ball and all the other player had to do was tap it to his mate. I haven't let him forget it.
And I have to say something about the young players that have come in, like Shabazz Baidoo, Stefan Bailey and Luke Townsend. They have done brilliantly in the face of some relentless winding-up from the rest of the side.
I'm going to enjoy a good long break after the Cardiff game, but I'm not sure where to take my holidays. I'm weighing up Birmingham and London, but the second city is just shading it at the moment.
Wherever it is, it has to be near a telly so I can cheer on England Women in Euro 2005. Hope Powell is set to name her squad in the next couple of weeks and I am sure there'll be a strong Birmingham Ladies contingent in the 20, if not the first XI.
Finally,the manager is talking about a lot of players coming to Loftus Road next season, but one I'd like to see here is a defender by the name of Paul Bignot. He's just signed a pro contract at Crewe but he'd be good here, because we need a centre half. Oh - and he's my brother.
Have a good summer!