That is the view of Tony Vance, who has praised GFC’s spring form in their ultimately unsuccessful fight for survival, culminating in Saturday’s 3-0 win at Harrow Borough.
‘Our form has certainly been really good – it might sound strange, but if you’re going down, you’d want to go in this way,’ said the GFC manager.
‘If you look at the Isthmian South Central form guide, we are joint-second for the last six games and to finish on 42 points means we beat our number of points from the last seven seasons.
‘Statistically it’s almost not right we have gone down, but it shows the level we have to play at week in, week out in this unforgiving league.
‘So although the players are disappointed, everyone is in a good place in terms of how they are playing and on our spring form we have shown we can compete with anyone.
‘With the Muratti coming up, the players are in a more buoyant mood to go into that challenge. Then, at the end of the season, they will regroup and embrace the next chapter.’
GFC headed to Harrow Borough knowing they had to win to have a chance of staying up, but even if they did pick up the three points they needed the Met Police to slip up at Sutton Common Rovers.
Goals from Jacob Fallaize, Fin Du Port and Charlton Gauvain earned them victory but they still finished a point from safety as the Met won 2-0.
‘We had a two-hour delay with Aurigny and then there was a crash on the M25, so we got there literally 15 minutes before kick-off, which cannot be delayed on the final day of the season so we were straight into the game,’ Vance said.
‘The performance was really good. I think we managed the game well again.’
Vance also revealed that a couple of months ago he had the ‘optimistic dream’ of reaching 42 points, believing 40 would actually be enough to stay up, though that proved not to be the case.
‘We did not want to get relegated, but I don’t think it’s a bad thing. Now that we have Victoria Park and this group of players coming through, there is a lot to be excited about.’
Meanwhile, GFC Women ended their title-winning Jersey Combination Ladies’ League campaign in emphatic style as they beat Sports Club of Jersey 11-0 at Victoria Park.
Isla Anderson scored four for the Green Lionesses while Calleigh Hedley came off the bench to hit a second-half hat-trick.
There was also a brace for Gracia van Zutphen and a goal apiece for captain-for-the-day Aimee Ogier and player-coach Katie Robert.
The result means that GFC Women chalked up 80 goals in their 14 games this season.
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