AFC Wimbledon would have finished the 2013-14 season with their highest Football League points total were it not for a pesky points deduction that saw the Dons limp to the finish line.
The final table tells you Neal Ardley’s team finished on 53 points, one less than Terry Brown’s boys managed in their debut campaign three years ago, but that doesn’t tell the whole story.
But for a clerical error in the renewal of former Tottenham youngster Jake Nicholson’s multiplicity contract, Ardley’s side would have beaten their previous best by two points.
Nicholson played and scored in Wimbledon’s thrilling 4-3 home win over Cheltenham Town in March, perhaps the most exciting game of the season, but was not eligible to take part.
A Football Disciplinary Commission took away those hard-earned points and slapped the Dons with a £5,000 fine suspended until the end of next season.
Boss Ardley had kept the impending news from his players to keep them motivated in their quest to avoid relegation.
It took its toll on the manager. Ardley admitted it had drained him physically and it seemed as though the summer couldn’t come quick enough for Wimbledon.
In many ways, the final game of the season at Accrington Stanley, a disappointing 3-2 defeat, summed up 2013-14 perfectly.
Accrington banged in two early goals and the Dons, as they had done so often this season, found themselves playing a game of catch-up.
Stanley got a third. It would’ve knocked the stuffing out of most sides but Wimbledon produced a late rally through Jack Midson’s penalty and Kwesi Appiah's header.
In the end it wasn’t enough. There have been times this year when it has been though and gutsy fightbacks have become Wimbledon’s hallmark in 2013-14.
But the problem has been their inability to put together the complete 90-minute performance. A lack of concentration at the start of games has plagued them this term.
Ardley knows this and has grown tired of having to rally the troops in the dressing room at half-time each week. He knows it must be different next season.
Speaking of change, the Dons have wasted no time in clearing the decks at Kingsmeadow. Another mass cull. Browny used to call it ‘Black Monday’.
Midson, Seb Brown, Will Antwi, Peter Sweeney, Charlie Strutton, Luke Moore, Rhys Weston and Callum Kennedy have all been released.
Midson will always be remembered for keeping the Dons up on a dramatic final day in 2013 by coolly dispatching a penalty in a 2-1 win over Fleetwood.
He scored at MK Dons too, earning him hero status among AFC Wimbledon supporters. However, the writing was always on the wall and Ardley's preference for on-loan Charlton Athletic hitman Michael Smith was clear for all to see.
Brown and Moore’s absence will also be felt, given their long associations with the club and their role in getting the team into the Football League at Eastlands.
Sammy Moore, Aaron Morris, Darren Jones and Jim Fenlon have all been offered new contracts while Charlie Sheringham and Nicholson are yet to discover their fate.
Ross Worner, Alan Bennett, Andy Frampton, Barry Fuller, George Francomb, Harry Pell, Chris Arthur and Kevin Sainte-Luce are already under contract for next season.
Undoubtedly it will be a busy summer for Ardley and his management team.
They need to bring in the players that can break that 54-point barrier and will surely be aiming for a much higher finish.
A stronger performance in the cups would also be welcome following their first-round exits in the FA Cup, League Cup and Johnstone’s Paint Trophy this term.
There was one piece of silverware though as they won their final game of the campaign this week at Met Police to clinch the London Senior Cup. Let's hope there's more to come in 2014-15!
