Getting AFC Wimbledon into the play-offs might seem the biggest achievement of Neal Ardley's career – but the Dons boss disagrees.
Ardley guided the Wombles into the end of season lottery with Saturday's goalless draw at Stevenage , but rates his first season in charge three years ago higher.
The Dons looked doomed when Ardley took over from the sacked Terry Brown and were in the League Two relegation zone at the start of the final day, but escaped the drop with a 2-1 win over Fleetwood.
Ardley said: “My wife asked me the other day whether getting into the play-offs would be our best achievement, but I said I didn't think it was, as keeping that team up that season from where we were, and with the injuries we had, is something I think I'll still be talking about in 15 to 20 years time.
“That gave us a platform to improve the team steadily and improve the facilities, grow the club, get to the point where we could attract better players. But make no mistake, these boys here now have done the club proud.
“The reason they're celebrating now is realistically, from Christmas onwards, they have been fantastic, one of the best teams in the league, and that consistency has got them to a position where they had enough in hand to enjoy the game.
Re-live AFC Wimbledon staying up in 2013
“The players deserve the credit as since Christmas they have been the second best team in this league for form, and that is an immense achievement for a club like ours. The result and performance today (at Stevenage) end up being immaterial, as the work that has gone on for months now got us to this point, and they deserve huge credit for it.”
