It is said that head soccer coaches age at an accelerated rate of three years per season.

But Ray Jones may feel as if he's been robbed of at least 10 after the season he recently endured.

Indeed, the Devonshire Colts front man stood as a prime candidate for cardiac arrest considering all the heartbreak suffered throughout the 2000-2001 campaign, his third as head coach.

Colts blazed their way to the finals of both the Martonmere Cup and Dudley Eve Trophy only to flame out on each occasion, going down to Wolves in the former and North Village in the latter.

Then there was the league, where after a slow start Colts put themselves in position to win the title, but then lost a do-or-die encounter against Dandy Town which, had they won, would have all but awarded them the Premier Division crown. Instead they finished third.

Thus it was expected last Sunday that a similar scenario would unfurl, with Colts destined to be bridesmaids again.

However, something strange happened on the way to the altar with Colts being revealed as a mirthful bride, adorned with all the championship trimmings.

There in the midst of all the hoopla was Jones, jumping and screaming as if the world had been released from his shoulders, which in many ways had, although the coach later told of the lingering frustration of being constantly denied.

And even with the FA Cup in hand for the second time in three years, Jones could not help but think of what might have been.

"The FA Cup obviously sends us into the summer on a good note, but the season as a whole we feel that we didn't accomplish our original goals, which were to challenge and win all the competitions we qualified for,'' said Jones, who was recently named as an assistant coach of the National Under-18 youth squad.

"Looking at the talent that we have, it was a reality and not a dream.

However, from a coaching perspective, I didn't take into consideration the four experienced departures we had in the transfer market -- Troy Hall, Derek Wright, Wayne Henry and Jerry Laws -- and the qualities they took away.

We picked up maybe six players with at least five more good years of football, but they were relatively inexperienced football-wise. And I think it took up until the FA Cup final to really mature as a team and readjust with the new players.

"Since '96-'97, when we won the league, we have won at least one trophy per season. Then three years ago we won two and last year we won three, so we have set a standard as a successful club.

"At first (the losing) was frustrating, but then when I did the reflection after the Dudley Eve final and put everything in its perspective and considered the five changes, I found that I had to be a bit more patient.

"The end result has been that we got the FA and next year we can truly make a run at challenging for every competition.'' Cup win eases Jones' frustration From Page 17 For many teams such a proclamation would sound outrageously brash, but not so in the case of Jones, who, since taking over the helm in 1998 has guided the club to more major finals -- nine -- than any other institution. Colts' record over the span in finals is 5-4, having twice won the Friendship Trophy and FA Cup and also the Dudley Eve Trophy.

Still, Colts rarely seem to get due credit, something Jones attributed to them having failed to win a major title in the 17 years prior to their taking top honours in the then First Division in 1997.

"It's funny you should say that, because it is actual fact that we never seem to get our due credit,'' said Jones. "I saw something in the media that was backed by Scott Morton that it would have been four finals without a victory, when we have in fact won it previously in the four tries.

"I think part of it could be the fact that I don't talk to the press too much and they don't really have too much to write about as far as hyping the game up.

"Also, it's easy to say that Colts are bridesmaids because up until '96 it had been 17 years since we had won a major trophy. We're slowly erasing that thought of us being bridesmaids. Most are not convinced yet, but, at the same time, it gives us the motivation each time we go out in a final.'' Champions on parade: Devonshire Colts coach Ray Jones (centre) along with players Kevin Bean (left) and Shannon Burgess depart City Hall after receiving citations from Mayor Lawson Mapp on Monday.