THEY may have missed out on an Evo-stik North playoff spot, but the fact Colwyn Bay were even in that position is a testament to how far the club has come under manager Alan Morgan.

The Seagulls enjoyed a fantastic second half to the campaign under the former Llandudno boss, who guided a talented squad to a resurgence which almost secured a top-six berth.

In the end, it was simply a case of having to play too many games in such a short space of time thanks to a series of postponements over the winter, and who knows what may have happened had their game against Trafford not been rightfully abandoned due to a serious injury when Bay were two goals to the good.

Goalkeeper Matt Cooper has been a hugely influential figure within the squad throughout the season and has been one of the squad’s standout performers, while the presence of top scorer Astley Mulholland was sorely missed in the closing stages of the campaign after he suffered a hamstring injury.

Although they may be disappointed initially, everyone can take huge encouragement from the fact they got so close to the top six after enduring a disastrous start that saw the departure of boss Phill Hadland, and together with the impressive backroom staff of Craig Hogg and Neil Coverley, Morgan has developed a strong character within the squad that he will look to build on during the summer.

Keeping Mulholland will be crucial to their chances of achieving their overall goals, while the introduction to the set-up of Tom McCready was another fantastic addition that is going to be another pivotal member of the squad as they go in search of promotion.

As is always the case with a club like the Bay, loan signings such as Elliot Rokka made a huge difference and the onus will be on the management team to get things right in this aspect during the summer to put them in a prime position to move up the divisions.

This is a club that has not had the best of times in recent season, especially since the departure of Frank Sinclair, but there is a real sense of optimism that things are finally on the up thanks to the sterling work done since the turn of the year.

There is still plenty of hard work to be done, but Morgan, Hogg and Coverley have at least installed some pride in the shirt that could possibly bring with it even more success next time around.