BURNHAM Ramblers boss Keith Wilson is looking back at the season with pride.

It was the Ramblers first in the Ryman League, the highest level the club has played at in its history, after being promoted from the Essex Senior League.

After a punishing run-in to the end of the division one north season Wilson has had a chance to look back at the ‘bigger picture’.

They finished their campaign with a 0-0 draw at Dereham Town and Wilson was pleased to see the season come to an end.

Wilson said: “The season has been a success, we finished on 52 points and in 17th place.

“It’s been brilliant, something we can be proud of.

“If you would have offered me that at the start of the season I would have taken your arm off.

“I was disappointed because we started well and were in 11th and tenth place for much of the season.

“If, which is a big word in football, we had been able to replace players for like and had stayed injury-free then we could have been there at the end.

“It was disappointing, we had adapted to the league so well and then from February we faded away.”

Burnham Ramblers were struck with injury problems and won only two of the last 17 games and drew five.

Wilson, also though, took the blame for part of their bad run in.

He added: “I have to look at myself and after the Erith game (a 3-1 away win in mid-February) when we were safe, maybe some of the intensity left me.

“In the last few weeks injury decimated us and we couldn’t recover from it.

“I found it very tough.

“This is the first time as a manager that I have been on a bad run.

“I got myself too caught up in it.

“Even as a player I took losing personally but you have to look at the bigger picture.

“I think it will make me a better manager and something I can learn a lot from, as can the players.

“So it is something we can expect now and we have to be fitter and mentally stronger for next season.”