Although some Dover Athletic fans may beg to differ, manager Martin Hayes believes he is entitled to feel pleased with his record after an eventful first season in charge at Perry’s Crabble.

Saturday’s 4-1 home victory over St Albans in their final Blue Square Bet South game meant that Whites finished seventh, two points outside of the play-off places on 74 points.

Add in Dover’s memorable run to the third round of the FA Cup and Hayes stated: "I’m not unhappy with what we’ve achieved and most of the fans feel the same way, especially as the bar has been raised in Blue Square South this season.

"Last year, 72 points was enough to get you into the play-offs but this season Woking needed 76 to get in.

"I came in last summer and added 10 new players to the seven or eight who stayed on from last season and asked them to adapt to a different sort of game and it takes time.

"In the end, the FA Cup run, which was spread over two or three months, probably cost us a win or two in the league and that would have got us into the play-offs. But how many of our fans would have wanted to sacrifice the cup wins against Gillingham and Aldershot?"

However, Hayes has been the target of increasing fans’criticism over his style of play and team selections but was pleased to read in Saturday’s match programme a message of support from chairman Jim Parmenter, who said he found the recent abuse of Hayes "hard to stomach."

Hayes said: "It was nice to read what the chairman said and it showed that he and the board feel we are moving in the right direction."