SO that's it the end of another season and probably not one we will look back on with satisfaction.

There has been a lot of criticism, both from papers and colleagues about what has happened this season some of it justified and we have to take responsibility for failing.

But at least in Sunday's final game against Wasps, we played a lot more rugby than we had in the previous three or four weeks.

The result was disappointing but we showed the spirit which we have been talking about in recent weeks. The hunger was there.

No doubt there are huge changes in the pipeline for the club this summer not only in terms of the people we have at the club, but in the structures we have in place.

Michael Foley will be bringing in experienced players and there will be an overhaul of the way we prepare ourselves for matches.

What is important is that this squad has come through intact.

The players never turned on each other and that has never been an issue this season.

However, to move forward, everybody realises that there is a lot of hard work to come in the summer.

June 17 is D-Day when we have to return and start our preparations for next season.

There will be a massive amount of work to be done.

But between now and then will be the chance to put our feet up and relax a bit.

Before signing off, however, I would like to hand out a few awards of my own.

My player of the year is lock STEVE BORTHWICK, who has quite simply been outstanding for us during some very tough times.

It's not only his contribution on the field, but his commitment all-round that has been impressive.

His head never went down, he was always fighting and that shows tremendous character from someone who would get my vote as club captain.

Scrum-half ANDY WILLIAMS is perhaps a surprise choice as young player of the year, if only because you have to go back a few months to remember him after his bad knee injury.

He started as an understudy to Gareth Cooper, but, when he won his chance, he took it and was playing ahead of Coops.

Finally, my most improved player is hooker Lee Mears, probably not a name Bath fans have heard that often.

He hasn't played much for the first team, but when he has he has been outstanding. He's well on his way to being established as first-choice hooker.

Now it's off for some relaxation, plenty of ice cream and a little alcohol too!

And I'll have to dust off the phrasebook and practice for when all our new French props arrive!