OH DEAR! The Stockport Expressés front-page headline in our eight-page 2005/06 season preview pullout read: éTHE ONLY WAY IS UP!é

Despite manager Chris Turner being unable to halt Countyés slide into the Football Leagueés bottom tier last May, expectations were still high, especially considering the extra feel-good factor that was around following the Supportersé Trust takeover in July.

However, early results under the former Sheffield Wednesday boss werenét good, and after the seventh winless game of the season - a home draw with Peterborough on August 29 - he said: éIém disappointed, frustrated and angry. I expect better and the fans expect better.é

The Hatters finally notched a win the week after - 3-1 at Grimsby Town - and a shift up the table a few places left Turner stating that his team were éon the right tracké.

But that feel-good factor didnét last as amazingly County didnét win again until the end of October.

By that time they were already looking anxiously at the relegation places, until Tes Brambleés wonder goal inspired the team to a 4-2 win over Northampton.

éAll the players deserved that result, theyéve earned their breaks,é said Turner, but just seven days they were sent crashing to a humiliating 6-0 defeat at Carlisle and alarm bells started ringing.

éWeéll bounce back,é proclaimed Turner on the back page of the Express on November 2, and they did the Saturday after with a fine FA Cup win over Swansea City.

But Turner wasnét to celebrate another League win before departing Edgeley Park on December 27, 2005.

That came after a 3-0 home defeat by Darlington, a 2-0 loss at Notts County, and then the now infamous 6-0 thumping at Cheshire rivals Macclesfield on Boxing Day.

At that point County were as good as down, they were five points adrift at the bottom of League Two, and they needed a saviour.

Enter Jim Gannon, and here we are already looking forward to better times ahead in League Two next season.

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