PRESTATYN Town’s season was a tale of two halves, but things are definitely heading in the right direction for a club with big ambitions going forward.

Their first season back at Huws Gray Alliance level was not a straight-forward one given the mass departures during the summer, but the joint-management team of Leon Field and Ryan Taylor did a good job of steadying the ship under the circumstances even though their initial points tally did not reflect their performances on the pitch.

A change in ownership proved to be the catalyst behind a turnaround in the club’s fortunes, with Neal Colakoglu bringing back popular figure Neil Gibson back in as manager at the expense of Field, who has since made a return to the club and deservedly so.

Gibson is a legendary figure with the Seasiders’ faithful and his presence brought with it an instant turnaround, with Town’s form since his arrival matching some of the best sides within the division.

Their 3-0 Boxing Day derby win at Rhyl will live long in the memory, and Gibson has already tied down some of the more influential members of the squad ahead of what is expected to be a serious push for the championship next season.

The return of Ben Maher brought some additional quality to the final third and he was one of the standout performers during the second half of the campaign, with the defensive partnership of Dave Hayes and Dan Roberts blending youth and experience to great effect.

Hayes was tempted out of retirement by Field during the summer and showed once again why is he is one of the best defenders that this region and club has ever produced, with his presence, goals and general organisation a massive asset to have for a relatively young squad.

Skipper Alex Jones and Danny Davies were others to make a notable contribution during the season, and striker Ian Griffiths showed his class during a campaign that was frustrated by injuries.

There is a real transparency at the Motion Finance Stadium in terms of what they are aiming to achieve both on and off the field in the years to come, and this has re-connected the club with its loyal fan base which can only be a good thing going forward.

Gibson is sure to be given a budget to strengthen the squad further over the summer months, and although the second tier is set to be stronger than ever there is a real belief within the set-up that they can have a big season in the face of some very stern competition.