JUST a fortnight after the heartbreak of missing out on the play-offs, a reminder of just how close Wanderers came has dropped through Dougie Freedman’s letter box.

It will come as scant consolation to the Whites boss that his peers voted him manager of the month for April, a period during which an impossible mission for the top six seemed realistic.

Beating off competition from Charlton’s Chris Powell and Brighton’s Gus Poyet, the 13 points Freedman’s team took from their six matches earned him a second award of the season, to match the one he won at Palace in September.

If either takes pride of place on his mantelpiece at home it would be a surprise. But by this time next year the Scot will hope to have a more prestigious award, recognising that his plan for promotion has been successful in his first full season at the Reebok.

Within 48 hours of the disappointing 2-2 draw against Blackpool that confirmed Wanderers would again be playing Championship football next term, Freedman was back at Euxton preparing for next season’s push.

His first task was to shake up his backroom staff and set the ball rolling for a more modern sports science department, which will be fronted by former head physio Mark Leather.

Previously mothballed equipment at the training ground will be dusted down and brought back to life for when the players return for fitness testing at the start of July. And with it, Freedman hopes to avoid some of the recent injury issues that have blighted the club.

Running in parallel has been his recruitment plan for new players.

The manager surprised a few fans when he announced a month ago that his targets would not change whether or not his team won promotion.

But that plan is now becoming clearer with the early focus very much on establishing and improving the pool of younger players coming through the system.

Freedman had already brought in Jan Gregus and Cian Bolger during his first transfer window and has now added Conor Wilkinson and Hayden White.

Rob Hall, who looked destined for a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Wanderers career after playing just 36 minutes in a two-month loan spell from West Ham, is another player very much in the manager’s sights.

The winger was selected for Peter Taylor’s preliminary England Under-20s squad bound for the World Cup in Turkey next month, and would command only a minimal fee.

Whether we see sweeping changes in the first team could well depend on whether players who do not fit into Freedman’s plan can be moved on in the next few months.

From the moment the manager came to the club it has been a case of fall in or ship out, and those who have not featured will have headed into the summer break knowing their card is marked.

If finances allow, Freedman wants to strengthen right across the board and the signing of Jermaine Beckford looked imminent before negotiations stalled.

A handful of other deals, including one defensive target, are also being kept a closely guarded secret. But with Marcos Alonso’s move to Fiorentina looking a fait accompli, a left-back must also be high on the manager’s shopping list.

The plan for a new look Wanderers squad is already taking shape. And Freedman will be hoping the team he puts together is capable of starting next season just as strongly as they finished the last.