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What looms largest when you look back at the A-League season: Melbourne’s second title, Adelaide’s extra curricular activities, a betting scandal, or Lazarus like comebacks?
The reality is the ongoing concerns over crowd figures and the player drain did somewhat overshadow the football.
It was as if the FFA and A-League supporters, who were labelled as over protective for their efforts, had to constantly justify the competition to the wider public.
But what was missed in this debate was the product on the pitch.
While the quality unquestionably still has a way to go if we are to become a benchmark league in the Asian region, there was no doubting the excitement, spectacle, competition and closeness of the season.
The theories for why the crowds dipped across the county are many and varied. Indeed, there can be no definitive reason why it was so, and those issues have already been discussed in depth.
However, these are teething problems expected from a league still in the early stages of childhood.
But there were positives and season four could well be remembered as the time when several young Australians emerged to the forefront of the domestic game, some of whom are already leaving the nest for the greener pastures of Europe.
While the likes of John Aloisi and Edmundo Zura stole headlines, there was Scott Jamieson, Tahj Minniecon, Shannon Cole and Nikita Rukavytsya, shinning brightly and becoming integral members of their respective franchises.
Then there are those who will feature prominently next season, having shown glimpses of their enormous potential: Kofi Danning, Brendan Gan, Thomas Oar and Michael Marrone.
With teams needing to replenish their squads following the Asian exodus, there will be further opportunities for talented youngsters in the State leagues to work their way into the top flight.
In the end, Melbourne were deserving champions, the benchmark in every way.
What is clear is Melbourne Victory and Adelaide United are pulling away from the rest of the franchises.
Sydney FC showed potential in the early running, but their season fell in a heap of controversy and they quickly became the basket case of the competition.
Newcastle fell heavily from champions to also rans, not surprising given how their squad was pillaged. But they will bounce back. They are, along with Gold Coast, the best performers in attracting quality players to the club for next season.
But for mine the most positive signs emerged from Perth and Wellington.
Under David Mitchell, Perth Glory showed signs of improvement as the season progressed and, encouragingly, as the performance improved, so too did the crowds.
With Eugene Dadi returning next season, a return to the NSL glory days doesn’t sound too far-fetched.
Also a special mention to the Wellington Phoenix who made significant progress on and off the field despite the AFC bombshell that threatened their very existence,.
Full marks to Terry Serepisos and his team.
For the first time, the New Zealand based franchise didn’t claim the wooden spoon.
They must, however, fill the huge hole left by the departure of Johnny Warren Medallist Shane Smeltz if they want to carry on this momentum.
With the Version 4 of the A-League consigned to the history books, so too does the first era of the competition.
Next season, a new era dawns: two new teams with the first phase of expansion coming into effect.
It is badly needed.
With only eight teams in the competition, teams were meeting far too frequently, matches therefore being harder to promote.
Encouragingly, both new franchises have the potential to draw crowds across the country.
Let’s hope we won’t have to worry about crowd figures next season.