If there was any small comfort to be taken from the smoking ruins of Grilled Birds' calamitous S-League return, it would be that their departure indirectly made space for sibling club Farmer Bunnies, for whom the window of opportunity had been fast closing.

But could the Bunnies find a way, where the Birds found none? This had to be lingering at the back of their minds, given how Grilled Birds had promoted on the back of a fourteen-win perfect season, only to be unceremoniously crushed by the monsters at the top. Whether due to an untimely regression to the mean, or simple naïvety as to the applicability of their all-out style against tactical masters, the Birds saw themselves rooted at the bottom of the table for most of the season.

Some redemption would come towards the end, as they became the best performers from the tenth to the thirteenth weeks with ten points from twelve in that period, but given that they had achieved just two points before that, all this assured was that they would not end up with the wooden spoon - that dubious distinction being left to recent II.2 bogey club Mia San Toa Payoh.

There were few other highlights for the Birds, who had relatively pedestrian cup runs, and whose record S$16.8 million signing Heng Dong Chu had mostly flattered to deceive. Given all this, it was left to the Buns to push the boundaries, as well they should with a golden generation reaching its pinnacle.

They didn't make it easy for themselves, that said, and a second week collapse against Ambush F.C., and a series of three disappointing draws against mid-table sides, left them needing to defeat JUtd away on the final day for a shot at promotion. This they did, and soundly too, with Mushtag Al-Nameeri raising his game to new heights in a 4-0 sweep.

That still left the Buns with a United Legends FC that had easily dealt with the Birds twice blocking their path, but they displayed great heart to match them goal for goal in a rockin' affair at Jurong Bridge. Tham Leng Teck and Kwek Yun Jie threw off the weariness of an extended double-duty stint with the national team to patrol the wings, and the eventual shootout would be won with Namdar Zarar's decisive take.

Yet, again, was all this proof enough? The Buns had shown little against Arrogancae in the Ruby Challenger Cup final to suggest that they could deal with opponents of that calibre week in, week out, but then again, there wasn't time left for reconsideration. The Buns were up, and that was it.

Grilled International too won their league, and handily at that, but another qualifier defeat showed up their deficiencies all too painfully. Much of these shortcomings had been veiled by a Fausto Perono back at his brilliant best, but Evolaianer denied International the ultimate prize by riding their home advantage for all it was worth.

For all these setbacks, it is hard to get too downbeat about International's prospects, perhaps best demonstrated by their decision to sell several excellent midfield trainees - Hesky Kleden, Nasrul bin Hj Kefli and Manish Shah - that would have been easy starters some seasons back. They could only aspire to be like Li Xin Chi, who returned to the club on a S$3.3 million deal, after a year's exchange in Bulgaria.