The stark statistics do not tell a pretty picture of progress under Neal Ardley, but the Dons boss wants to be judged at the end of the season.

When Ardley took over the reins at the CRRS in October 2012, the Dons went on to win two out of 10 league games up to December.

In the same period last season, the Dons also won just two from 10, and this time round – more than two calendar years into his reign – the Dons have again won just two out of 10.

Ardley insists his groundwork behind the scenes is proof of progress, and he is hoping the statistics tell a different story at the end of the season in May.

He said: “Results are what quantify everything in the fans’ minds, but as a manager you work behind the scenes to grow the club.

“Look at our U21s and the academy players coming through. That doesn’t happen overnight.

“Look at the squad. People might say we’re not getting the results and we’re not pushing on, but we have the best squad we’ve ever put together – that takes time, effort and recruitment. That’s progress.”

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He added: “At the end of our first season we performed a miracle.

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“I know the second season was a disappointment, we did not kick it on – maybe that was my inexperience in recruitment.

“I have tried to improve that, and at the end of this season, having been given a January to address any issues we have, if I can get us our highest league total and our highest league finish then I can say I know what the stats were in December, but there is progress.”

Ardley’s recruitment has included the arrival on loan from Millwall of 21-year-old defender Jake Goodman.
Although Jack Smith (thigh) is likely to be out beyond the new year, and Andy Frampton is battling a career-ending injury, Ardley insists Goodman’s arrival is not just about making up the numbers.

“We really only have Alan [Bennett] and Adam [Barrett], and with five or six games to January, it was important we got someone else in,” Ardley said. 

“But it’s not just cover, we’ve said ‘Show us you’re better than what we’ve got’ and Jake is in contention for the squad.”

He added: “Andy is not in a good place, his ankle is not good. If the specialist tells him it will keep breaking down, Andy will be sat scratching his head, aged 35, wondering what to do.”