Devonshire determined to get Maidenhead United 'back where they belong'

Alan Devonshire speaks to the players after Maidenhead United's relegation from the National League was confirmed on Monday. Photo: Ian Longthorne

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Maidenhead United’s eight-season tenure in the National League was finally ended on Monday afternoon - despite the club pulling off an impressive final day win over Boston United.

Yet there was a tone of defiance in manager Alan Devonshire’s response to the disappointment as he insisted he’d be sticking around for another season at least to try and get the Magpies ‘back up where they belong’.

They’ll have their work cut out to do that, with at least six of the National League South clubs now full-time and Maidenhead still in transition between being a part-time club and becoming a full-time outfit.

However, there were no excuses from the manager after the curtain came down on their stay in the top division.

United finished the season strongly, winning four of their last six matches in an unbeaten run that saw them collect 14 points from the 18 available. But it wasn’t quite enough as their relegation rivals matched their fine form over the closing weeks to keep them pinned below the dotted line.

York Road wasn’t exactly in a celebratory mood after Monday’s 3-0 win over an already safe Boston United, but there was genuine warmth shown to the players and coaching staff as they went over to acknowledge supporters in the Bell Street End after the final whistle.

As assistant boss Ryan Peters said afterwards, they ‘went over expecting boos but got cheers instead’.

Devonshire also thanked the fans for sticking by the team through a largely challenging campaign. The Magpies were never able to put together a consistent run of form - until the final weeks - and it came too late to save them.

In previous seasons 52 points might well have been enough to keep them up, but not this year. In a competitive division, they finished just eight points behind 11th placed Hartlepool United and just one point from safety behind Dagenham & Redbridge - who’ll join them in demotion to the National League South - and Wealdstone - who stay up by the skin of their teeth in 20th place.

 It probably doesn’t do well to dwell on the countless ‘what could have been moments’ this season. Dropping points while leading 3-2 at home to 10-man Braintree Town now looks particularly costly in hindsight.

Dropping points while leading 2-0 in the second half against Woking a few weeks ago was another nail in their survival hopes. 

However, Devonshire doesn’t believe one single game cost his side and he struck a defiant tone as he promised the club would ‘go again’ in the National League South. He also insisted he would be at the helm again next season and at least see out the final year of his current contract.

 “It hurts,” he said. “It hurts.

“You’ll have people say we’ve gone down because of the Woking game or another game.

“It’s loads of games through the season.

“The league doesn’t lie.”

This is the first time that his managerial career has been blotted by a relegation - however, that personal point of pride couldn’t be further from his mind as he reflected on the Magpies’ National League demise.

 “Listen, this isn’t about my records or whatever,” he said.

“I love the club, and my aim now is to try and get the club back where it belongs which is in the National League.

“I’ve got a year left and Peter (Griffin) wants me to stay for another year so, at the end of the day, that’s the plan.

“The fans have been brilliant. I was at West Ham for years and the fans there were brilliant.

“I fell in love with them, and I’ve fallen in love with the fans here. They are absolutely brilliant.

We’ve been relegated but there’s 3,000 here today. I can’t have asked them to give any more.

“We’ve got to go again.”

Maidenhead finished the campaign on a high with victory over Boston United, and Devonshire will likely feel it’s the least they could do for the club’s supporters.

 Shawn McCoulsky headed the Magpies in front just after the half-hour mark then doubled their lead in the second half from the penalty spot. Reece Smith - rumoured to be one of the departing players this summer - had a big hand in both goals. McCoulsky should really have completed his hat-trick before Tristan Abrahams wrapped up the points with an emphatic finish late on.

However, Wealdstone’s 3-1 win at home over FC Halifax Town and Dagenham’s draw at Solihull meant the result was immaterial and most of the 3,017 fans inside York Road had long since come to terms with their club’s fate.