By Matt Harris

All good things come to an end - and although silverware eluded Tunbridge Wells for another season, the club’s 125th Anniversary Year was in fact a very good year. A quick look at the geeky stuff reveals all: The points-per-game average for Season 2011/12 (at 1.83) has not been bettered by any Tunbridge Wells side since the title winning team of 1985. Unsurprisingly, then, the wins-per-game ratio at 0.57 wins per game was the best since the title-winning side.

Although goals scored per league game (2.2) has been better since 1985, it hasn’t been since 1990 - and with 1.33 goals conceded per league game The Wells haven’t had a more water-tight defence since 1987. Of course, none of this touches on the side having just enjoyed its longest-ever run in the FA Vase, courtesy of battling through an additional qualifying round.

Not surprisingly, then, when www.tunbridgewellsfc.co.uk caught up with Martin Larkin, he was a reasonably happy man.

“We are very proud of what we have achieved this year,” he outlined. “As you say; the most points; the most wins; the most goals; the fewest let in for many years - and a longest-ever jaunt in the Vase just goes to show what we have been building over the last three years. But it doesn’t take away from the fact we always feel we could have done more.

“The biggest challenge when you don’t have a playing budget is coping with injuries. If you have cash, then when you are short you can bring someone in on loan or put seven-day approaches in with the carrot of money to attract someone.

“At one point we were without Andy Irvine, Carl Cornell ‘Hooley’, Keelan Mooney, Gary Clarke, Tom Davey and Perry Spackman all at the same time. With a bit more luck with injuries, we feel we could have finished even higher up the league... we were only three points off runners-up spot - but the league table doesn’t lie and the teams that finished above us all had good seasons too. The fact that we beat them all at some point shows just how tight it was this year.”

Of course, everyone will draw their own conclusions as to their personal highlights and lowlights to a campaign, and Larkin has his too - in fact he’s rather like a kid in a sweetshop when asked to take his pick. Among his personal highlights - The Wells playing in front of over 500 supporters in the Vase match against St Ives. “Also the extra-time win against Chichester [again in the Vase] was great, as was the away win at Erith & Belvedere.

“And in the league the win at Cray Valley when we were 0-2 down at half time… that was very pleasing," he added. "Some words were exchanged at half time, and the senior players (namely Spackman, Jason Bourne, Clarke and Davey) really stepped up in the second half. Then there’s the win at Herne Bay - that was obviously pleasing.

“On the lowlight front - any defeat in the Vase is a low point. We played really well in the second half with St Ives and had three golden chances that we wasted before they hit us late on the break. But losing Andy Irvine for three months was probably the lowlight, he got injured in training just as he was hitting top form and linking well with Jack Harris. If that injury hadn’t happened, the consistency we were after all year would have been there - I'm sure of it.”

So with highlights from the manager in abundance, and a historic track-record verifying the season as a memorable one, just what is it that the manager believes the side needs to build on over the summer months?

“It has to be big game experience,” he outlined with little hesitation. “It took us 30 minutes to get going against St Ives Town, and on two or three other occasions during the season when we needed to step-up in the big games we didn’t quite do it. So we will be looking to improve that over the summer with our acquisitions.

“Also, while the defensive record in the league was the best for several years at the club, Brad Sandeman and I are actually disappointed with our defensive record. We conceded far too many in the last 10 games of the year. The target was to concede less than 30 and we missed the mark - so we will be working on that. We will always score goals with the players we have, and if you think of how we missed Irvine, Hooley and Jon Pilbeam for long periods of the year we would have scored a lot more.”

So it becomes clear that Culverden won’t be slumbering over the summer months, contented with the achievements of the past. But what will a pre-season in the life of Martin Larkin and team look like?

“We’ve spoken to the existing players over the last month of the season already, and we are in danger of losing some in all honesty. We have some exceptional talent and with us not paying we will always be targeted by other clubs looking to bolster their squads. But we have offered everyone a place with us next year and hope they all decide to stay. For those that don't, we’ll have to take into account their decisions - and if we do lose any, then we thank them for their efforts.

“On the plus side, I have spoken with a couple of targets including one former player who has agreed to come back and will be a very positive signing (more on that once registration forms are signed and handed in).

“Friendlies have been arranged with Whitstable Town, and provisionally with Bearsted and Ashford United - along with the Courier Cup that we’ll look to retain. We will add a couple more games into the mix as well.

“In truth, the summer is the most stressful time of all for me,” Larkin revealed. “We have worked very hard to put this group together - so the threat of losing players is upsetting, but we will continue to work hard to build on the strong foundation that we have.”

With the Payers' Awards night taking place on Saturday in the clubhouse, no names can be named on the winner of the manager’s player of the year just yet, but Larkin has a couple of mentions for players who have improved significantly over the course of the season.

“Dean Nash has been exceptional,” he reflects. “To keep someone of Michel Czanner's quality out of the side is a great achievement for anyone - but for an 18-year-old to do it, is fantastic. He has different skills to Michel and we are looking forward to building the defence around him going forward. Jack Harris obviously is a fan’s favourite, and he has had a great year in his first full season in men’s football - as top scorer, too. Lewis Mingle completes the trio of young players that have made themselves firm fixtures in the side.”

With his work cut out to ensure the promise of this year is built upon, the year that ultimately has produced some long lasting memories for the Tunbridge Wells faithful is consigned to the history books - and three words will be linked with it when referred to in the future, Larkin believes.

“Two steps forward,” he says. “The club made great improvements in terms of attendances. To have over 350 in the ground for a league game was great. The team also made great strides on the pitch, and we are confident in improving again. If anything, the team is probably further ahead in its development than the club is and we need everyone to be working hard to address that.”