We knew we had taken the best they had to offer

We were knocking on the door in the Premier and with this squad I’d like to think we could do that again.

In the first year of this spell it took a while to get what we needed. I inherited some technically good footballers but there were not enough battlers and we needed a mix.

I could not see where the goals were going to come from which is why I brought Jody Bevan back and then we had to find a system that could accommodate Jody, Scott Griffin, Carl Brown and Jason Welsh which is why I went 4-3-3, which is really against my principles.

I just could not find the wide midfielders I wanted – ones who could get up and down the field. That might be an area we need to strengthen next season.

Eventually the players bought into the system and we just throw the kitchen sink at sides. There is an air of positivity about the way we play which is why we ended up as the league’s second-top scorers and why we scored seven goals away from home in the two away play-offs.

We have not had a high turnover of players this season. We have been reasonably settled and there is a lot of character in this side. They have listened to what we have been asking of them and to see those players enjoying the success on the pitch at Bridgwater at the end gave me a lot of satisfaction.

Of course, you think about the play-offs at the start of the season but once we got there I moved the goalposts and told them we have come this far, now we have to go all the way.

Totton was the key game to win. They were the only top team we had not beaten in the league and I’m not sure there was the self belief among the younger lads that we could go there and beat them, but we had to be positive.

Then, when we were 2-0 up after 20 minutes, they could see it was possible. We conceded two goals at just the wrong times, just before and just after half-time. Then we were on the back foot but to hold out and go and win the game late on was phenomenal.

They suddenly believed. If we could do that at Totton, we could certainly do it at Bridgwater. The Totton victory was our most important of the whole season.

In the final, the key goal was Carl Brown’s equaliser just before half-time. It would have been very difficult to lift at 1-0 down.

We knew we had taken the best they had to offer and we could play a whole lot better.

We got in front thanks to a brilliant goal from Egg and then there was their hotly-disputed equaliser.

Jody Bevan is an honest player who you can trust. If he said it was raining, I would buy an umbrella.

He said he was the last man and their scorer was behind him when he scored. You could see from the reaction of the players how upset they were about that goal.

When we went 3-2 down a lot of people thought it was game over but we put them under a lot of pressure and when Neil Griffiths made it 3-3 I thought Bridgwater were gone. In boxing terms, they were on the ropes.

The first half of extra time was something and nothing and then Egg pulled another one out of the bag. More than any one in the squad he has listened to what we have been saying and he has turned his season around in the last few games.

He brings so much to the table with his energy, his long throws and his left foot and he has just been a revelation.

At 4-3, I could not see them getting back. All season we have come on strong late in games and that is so much to do with the fitness work John Hamilton has done with them. He is very hard with them but fair and he does it with a smile. I also think he has instilled some mental strength into the squad as well.

I think Amo’s work with the team has been worth ten points to us this season.

I want to keep the same back room staff together next season.

Wilbur (Kevin Willetts) has been a lifelong friend and is a studious football man.

I’m the ranter and raver and he is the one who calms me down. He takes the sting out of me. I always welcome Knighty’s (Keith Knight) forthright views and he has very good contacts in the game.

Tim Grigg has done an excellent job with the rehab of Carl Brown and recently Steve Hale has joined us as goalkeeping coach and stats man.

He has done a lot of one-to-one work with Bathy. There is a keepers’ union and he has worked wonders with Bathy’s confidence. Also, his stats on every game make very interesting reading and now I would not want to be without them.

I would love a scout to look out for players but the bottom line is I would rather the money was on the pitch.

Last but not least there is the chairman. Steve (Abbley) has been brilliant with me in both my spells as manager. We go back a long way as I used to clean his boots at Swindon Town.

If he has the money he will give it to me; if he hasn’t, he won’t. He is not going to put the club in trouble and you know exactly where you stand with Steve.

Last year, I knew what I wanted in squad terms by March but we haven’t started to think about next season because we did not know what division we would be in.

It is the end-of-season party on Saturday and I will sit down quietly with the lads after that and start making some plans. We probably want three or four additions but I think all my current squad can play at a higher level and I want them all to come back.

You have seen what they have done to the top clubs in the division and we should have got something at Oxford City because we battered them in the Cup.

I suppose Matt Bath and Jody Bevan might want to call it a day but we will have to wait and see.

We have a togetherness and a team spirit in this squad that is a great starting point.

I had 26 texts immediately after the game and the phone has been on fire ever since.

I have felt mentally shattered over the last few games and I definitely want to enjoy the moment.