From the bottom up - manager by manager part 5

The top 8 then in Div 2 and those in the prize monies.

Kirsty Baillie went down last season, not for the first time, but bounced straight back in her wedding year. It was a good start for the Scottish lass but then she found it very difficult to adapt to the pace of Div 2. However she made some changes and by December Kirsty was back in the promotion hunt. There was a while when she threatened the top of the table but that got a way from her before she slipped outside the top 10 but a final flurry of points grabbed her 8th place over Andy in the final week. £25 prize.

In 7th place was our other little minx Sooooozie Syrett, Mum to be. Sooz spent all but 5 weeks in the top 12, was 2nd for a bit, but never really challenged the top of the pile. However Soozie's one aim was promotion back to the big time and that was achieved along with a £30 prize.

Another relegated manager to bounce straight back is Brett Davey. N&R FL Winner in 1999/2000. Brett was relegated last season but hit the ground running and lived mostly in the top 8. There was some good transfer dealings although perhaps with an over-reliance on Chelsea players remembering that Champions League points don't count. Div 1 and £35 for Brett.

Hilary Hils Flynn had a rough old season last time and this was a massive improvement. For months Hils led the table. For 17 weeks in fact. There was some slippage particularly around February, but she came back well and was again up to 4th before getting knocked back to 5th in the final week. Promotion gained though and a £40 prize.

Barry Plumms Pummer was another one of Div 2's ex N&R FL Champions. Brett, Doyley, Danny Rose and Soozie being the others. Plummer is a clever fantasy player and was another suprise dropper from last season's Div 1, but was one of 4 to bounce back first time.

Bazza spent everyone of the 40 weeks in the promotion places but in the final week was pipped for 3rd place, where he had spent most of the time. Still a good innings though and £45.

In 3rd place was Daniel Weeks. A slow starter but with some timely transfers Dan started to find his feet and climbed the table stealthily before making 7th in week 13 after one of his MoW awards. His run continued and Dan found himself top in week 18. He never got as high again but was always in whispering distance, 2nd, 3rd but then crashed to 6th in week 38. However a subtle late couple of transfers and he got into 3rd spot claiming the £50 prize.

Runner up in Div 2 was Graham Ward. Young Wardy was another manager in his first N&R season and he took to it like a fish to water, no doubt ably assisted by his big brother, who he met in the N&R Cup (and lost), well they will be rivals next season as Graham crashed into Div 1 at the first time of asking. A little slow out of the gates but by week 8 he had it sussed and came very close to the title after jostling with Rosie in the final few furlongs.

Top with a fortnight to go, he just couldn't hang on as he was out of subs and Rosie still had a couple in her closet. Great effort though and Graham helped make Div 2 very exciting. Prize money £60 plus two MoW's.

And the winner then of Div 2, the lovely Rosie Worbler Dalton, who Keith and I have fond memories of from our Prize Night last summer. She certainly upped the attractiveness of the Chartis lot, who only had previously the gorgeous Hils amongst their brethren, but now have both Worbler and Chillers!

Not only a pretty face but Rosie wiped the floor with her colleagues and the rest of Div 2 to take first place with 1,629 points, 20 more than Graham, who gave her a run to the bitter end.

Rosie started confidently 9th in week 1. She spent just week 3 outside of the top 12 before spending a week at the top in week 15. She was back on top in week's 19 (after a MoW performance) and 20, Wardy G took over for a week and then she wrestled back control for 11 weeks. Challengers Graham, Barry, Daniel, Hilary and Brett were all kept at bay as she made strategic changes to her line-up.

She fell to 2nd 3 times in the last 8 weeks but didn't get flustered and rode to the top spot with 2 weeks left and there she stayed. Well done Rosie and good luck against more formidable opponents next year. Prize £100.