So, on a chilly afternoon in North London, a whopping 42,511 supporters saw City return to the Football League with a 1-0 win over Cambridge United in the Blue Square Premier play-off final at Wembley. City lined up: Jones; Friend, Seaborne, Matt Taylor, Tully; Harley, Edwards, Gill; Moxey, Logan, Stansfield.
As with last year, the day was more than just a football match, and more than the ninety minutes duration. For me it started the day before, when my son and I ventured to Torquay to pick up our minibus, just the same as last year. You wouldn't think it, but a round trip from Exmouth to Torquay is something like two hours, but never mind, it gave us chance to get used to the controls and for him to pick his favourite seat for the following day. Once home, it was decorated with flags and scarves, and umpteen checklists were checked umpteen times to make sure we had the essentials for the following day: tickets, car park pass, keys, phone (charged), wallet, etc.
The rest of the day dragged, the Cup Final came and went, and we all hoped they didn't spoil the pitch for us and kept our seats nice and tidy! Soon enough, after the usual dull Saturday night fare, it was time for bed, but who could sleep properly with the prospect of what Sunday had to offer? As it was, I was out like a light and up bright as a button the following morn, and with breakfast hastily demolished it was excitedly into the bus and off to Exeter for our three or four pick ups.
By nine thirty we were on the motorway, and it didn't take long to spot fellow City fans on their way too. Not just the odd one or two as is the norm for away days, but hundreds, if not thousands of cars, buses and stretch limos all bedecked in red and white, with the occupants similarly attired! It was different to last year though - whereas then there was a carnival atmosphere on the way up, this time it seemed as though there was more of a steely resolve to get the job done.
The same feeling was felt at the services too, and once again both Leigh Delamare and Membury - our chosen stop - were packed. I counted over thirty coaches when we pulled in, and it was great to see so many City fans milling around in a confident - yet cautious - mood.
But before long it was time to go, and we eased our way back into the eastward flow on the M4. Traffic seemed lighter this year, and in no time we were round the M25, down the M40 and onto the North Circular. Of course we'd been here before, but turning off next to Ikea and catching that first glimpse of the arch, my goodness it makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up - it's simply enormous! Higher than the London Eye, and a bigger diameter than the Channel Tunnel, it certainly is an imposing sight, yet all the same you're trying to tell yourself it's just another away game and we're simply here to get the job done.
It's not that easy though, as you park up next to row upon row of coaches - well over sixty official ones, plus a myriad of privately booked ones - all carrying City fans. We walk up the steps onto the upper concourse and then round to our gate. Past Bobby Moore, same as last year, then in we go. Once inside, it's up the escalator and into the inner concourse - a big continuous ring around the ground containing refreshment stalls and merchandise stalls. We buy official programmes, and although a massive improvement on last year's effort, it's clear our own award winning editor Mike Blackstone had little to do with the publication.
And then the moment that sends your heart racing. This year we were in the second tier - the posh seats. To get to them you go through glass doors, and as we approach a steward opens them for us. We step through and the whole massive magnificence of the stadium pans out before us. The view is exceptional - not too high, and not too far away. Away to our left behind the goal, the singers begin to congregate, and begin to fight back vocally against the noisy hordes of Cambridge fans to our right. Unlike last year, the split between supporters is nigh-on fifty fifty, and it makes for a much better atmosphere.
Eventually the clock ticks round to 4.00 pm and the game is underway. Manager Tisdale springs something of a surprise with an adventurous 4-3-3 formation, with Deano pushed up on the left, and Edwards sitting deep behind Gill and Harley in the middle. It's easy to bring it back to a 4-4-2 if necessary as Deano can drop back, and also it was noticeable that Logan played much deeper than Stansfield, who for long periods thus played the lone striker role.
As it was, formations schmormations, the opening exchanges saw City in complete control, with Edwards running the show in front of a defence happy to knock it about amongst themselves until an opening became available. As early as the fifth minute such an opportunity arose with a free kick near to the corner flag for a foul on Stansfield. Deano whipped in a deliciously curling ball to Logan, but he could only glance his header marginally wide of the far post.
Five minutes later Harley's corner from the other side had City claiming a handball by a Cambridge defender as he hashed a clearance, but the appeal was waved away and the ball fell to Edwards, who as equally hashed a smart volley wide from 15 yards out.
A minute later Cambridge broke down the right, and Tully had to be at his sharpest heading behind for a corner a good looking cross with an attacker lurking behind him. On the quarter hour mark further City pressure saw Stans' run down the right end with a sharp cross to Logie who unselfishly nodded back into the path of Gill, but he could only succeed in powering a 25 yard daisy cutter the wrong side of the post.
In the 20th minute a long Gill throw caused mayhem in the Cambridge defence, and eventually Matt Taylor fed the ball back to Harley on the corner of the box, but he screwed his shot horribly wide over the angle of post and bar and into the City fans behind the goal.
But two minutes later City's industry was finally rewarded. Deano swung in an achingly good looking corner that Logan nodded on at the near post in classic fashion, and there was Edwards steaming in at the back post to stoop and butt home from two yards out to make it 1-0 to City and send the fans into seventh heaven amidst a cacophony of noise and waving flags, scarves and banners. The place was rocking, at was rocking at the City end with Cambridge fans stunned into silence.
And it has to be said, it was, unlike all of the Torquay goals in the play-off semi final matches, entirely with the run of play and fully deserved. Cambridge woke up a bit afterwards, as if shocked into action, but for all of their play in midfield, they couldn't get past Rob Edwards and the defence and make Jones earn his corn for the day. To counter that though, City didn't exactly set the place on fire either, and for much of the remainder of the half defences out witted attacks and the two midfields cancelled each other out.
There was time however for one final piece of action in the half - a cheeky Friend back heel sent Harley away who in turn laid the ball off for Deano to scamper into the area. Unfortunately after cleverly cutting inside his defender he contrived to drag his shot wide of the far post.
After what seemed like milliseconds the second half was upon us, with City fans everywhere hoping for more of the same. They looked as though they got it in the fifth minute when good Logan and Stansfield interplay set up Deano to ghost in behind, but the lino's flag was up a long time before Deano casually stroked the ball past former City keeper Danny Potter in the Cambridge goal.
Cambridge then came out of their shells and seemed to make more of a fist of trying to get back into the game than they had in the first half, but all the same it was still fairly comfortable for City with Cambridge only offering a couple of snifters to try and raise the spirits of their fans despite an awful lot of early possession. It was still City who came closest to getting the next goal of the game, this time Harley hoisting the most sublime of cross field balls to Logan who smashed a vicious first time volley across goal and just wide of the far upright.
Five minutes later, midway through the half, the ball was played into Gill in the middle by Deano, where he cut past a defender before unleashing a good looking effort from range that the keeper dealt with easily. A minute later Deano was again in the thick of it, twisting and turning through three defenders before being fouled wide out on the left. The free kick was quickly cleared for a lightning Cambridge break that eventually was snuffed out before City embarked on their own quick fire counter attack back up the other end which finished up with Stansfield toe poking past the keeper but unable to reach his own through ball quickly enough to guide it into an empty net.
With game flowing from end to end, it was Cambridge's turn to mount the next attack, and this came from a 25 yard free kick that after a bit of a scramble was crashed goalwards only for Matt Taylor to hoick the ball clear from off the line. With ten minutes remaining City hearts were in mouths as Cambridge set off again, but this time Friend stood tall and forced the attacker to pull his shot wide. A minute later City had a great opportunity to make the game safe as a good looking one two between Deano and Friend down the left gave Friend an opening, but he hit a lazy looking shot high into the Cambridge fans behind their goal.
With five minutes remaining a shattered Stansfield was replaced by livewire Ben Watson, and he was involved in the final action of a pulsating and nerve-wracking final by sending Deano scampering through for a one on one with the keeper in stoppage time that the keeper smothered.
But that didn't matter as soon after the ref blew the whistle and we were in League Two, our first promotion for 18 years. We cheered, we hugged, we cried, we clapped, we sang. The place was a sea of noise, and it was all coming from our end. It was party time, and we loved it. The players climbed the 100 or so steps to get their medals, and we cheered each and every one of them. I can't remember the last time I felt such unbridled joy - probably when my children were born - but that hour or so after the final whistle was something I will never ever forget for as long as I live. I mean, of course everyone likes to bop to the Fratellis' Chelsea Dagger, but how many times have you been happy to make some shapes and belt out Hi Ho Sliver Lining or Rocking All Over The World in front of all your mates? And they were doing it too!! Hey, who cares, we were having the party of our lives and nothing was going to spoil that.
Eventually though, it was time to leave. Smiling faces were everywhere, and in stark contrast to last season's sombre ending. As we made our way back to the minibus we met friends and hugged, and congratulated each other on our team's achievements. It doesn't really get any better than this, and did we realise we'd be playing league football next season? Hard to believe at times, and we wondered whether it had actually sunk in yet, but make no mistake, we were no longer non league, we were back where we belonged.
The trip home was a funny old one really - no wild celebrations any more, just that inner contentment of job well done. The services once again were packed to bursting, but we were all too tired, although bleary eyes couldn't hide the smiles. Eventually everyone got home, and I took the minibus back to Torquay. Like last year, it gave me a bit of time to reflect, to take it all in. It had been a good day, all in all, and the journey back home to Exmouth found me catching myself grinning on and off all the way back.
As for the players, well each and every one will go down in City history. We don't have that many promotions - four in our history I think - so when we do, it's something to cherish and remember for ever. In goal it's a bit of an irony that Jones didn't have the best of games, considering his big game mentality in the past. However, by and large he was comfortable enough, and in the end didn't really have anything of note to save.
In part that has to go down to the four in front of him. The two central defenders handled everything with authority - although Matt Taylor really ought to hit those back passes just a teensy bit harder - and the two full backs had terrific games with both bombing forward at every opportunity. With most of the attacks coming down the left, George Friend in particular had a good game today, probably one of his best in a City shirt, and passed the ball about with ease.
In midfield both Gill and Harley got through an inordinate amount of work, including dropping deep to collect the ball, and getting forward to support the attack. However, the performance of the day in the middle came from Rob Edwards. In the first half he was simply magnificent, and a different gravy to anything else on the pitch. He controlled the play, tackled with ferocity, and distributed simply and effectively. Plus he scored the goal that took us up. Take a bow Rob, our man of not just this match, but the play-offs as a whole.
Then we come to the strikers. What can you say about Stansfield? How he manages to cover as much grass as he does is anyone's guess, and coping with three or four defenders while playing the lone striker role must take some discipline, but he does it well nevertheless. And Logan must take some praise too - dropping deep to help out, yet also trying to set others away at the same time with telling flicks and passes.
And finally the manager. He's had his critics right through his tenure as City boss, but surely now it's time for all that criticism to stop. Yes he doesn't jump up and down on the touchline, but hey, Wembley two seasons running? We thought after last year it would be hard to come back, especially after losing what seemed like the spine of the team in Phillips, Todd and Challinor, but come back we did, and stronger too. In fact, the longer the season went on, the better we got, and that, entirely, is down to the management of Paul Tisdale.
So what now - well, a well earned holiday for a start, then back with a whole new set of goals and challenges. The first one being to consolidate our place in L2, before hopefully pushing on again. You never know, the football we're playing is some of the best we've seen in years - it deserves a higher stage.
But we'll have to wait and see, and we'll have to give ourselves time to enjoy what we've achieved too. Today was one of those magical days that don't come around very often, so to Paul Tisdale and the team - no, squad - thank you for today. It's why we keep coming back, despite the Salisbury aways, Droylsden homes and Burton homes, the chance that one day we'll have a day like today.
Wonderful wasn't it, and who's up for doing the same again next year? Yeah, course you are, see you back at the Park in August then. I'm off to celebrate for a bit!!
