Winning the Blue Square Bet Premier... five years on!

It's hard to believe that it's five years this week since undoubtedly one of the most exciting ends to a season in football that I've experienced - the day when Mansfield Town beat Wrexham to win the Blue Square Bet Premier title.

Scenes of joy after beating Wrexham (Photo: Charlie Slater)

Looking back, it was an honour to follow the team and be in and around them on reporting duties throughout that season. Even the bad times, and believe me, there were plenty between August and November when results fluctuated from one game to the next, come with a sense of pride as to how the team ultimately created something uniquely special to turn things around and create a mentality of champions.

In my own view, the team that returned the club to the Football League is probably one of the most under-appreciated in the club's history as it's certainly no easy task to get out of the Conference Premier.

A squad full of characters (Photo: Dan Westwell)

Almost every player played a role, whether it be actively on the pitch, or off it. Exodus Geohaghon for his long-throws, which caused so many problems for the opposition. Alan Marriott for his crucial saves. Matt Rhead for his presence in the box and wrestling with so many defenders. Matt Green for his goals. Lee Beevers for his warrior-like spirit to keep going with so many injuries. Louis Briscoe and Lindon Meikle for their work out wide. Ritchie Sutton for his consistency. Ross Dyer, who despite a season-ending injury on the opening day, was never down-hearted and always looked for the positives. Andy Todd for his far-reaching knowledge on just about everything sport-related. Adam Murray for his tough-tackling and being the superglue in midfield. Lee Stevenson for his pigeon-like running but ability to pop up in the right place at the right time to finish off a chance and banter off the pitch. James Jennings for coming into the team mid-season and settling in straight away.

There was so many different characters, yet it created such a spirit that became unbreakable when it was tested to its core in the very late stages when the pressure was cranked up to boiling point.

There were obviously one or two players who had less of an impact - namely Jamie Hand and Gary Roberts, who looked the real deal on paper, yet delivered very little. Or Solomon Taiwo, who played in one game before he turned to cooking chicken and rice on TV (it's worth a Google if you don't know the story).

The gaffer, Paul Cox, speaks to the media moments after that win at Hereford (Photo: Martin Shaw)

After promotion, it's a shame that things worked out the way they did and promotion went to the head of certain individuals and Paul Cox's position was called into question by all and sundry - both from within and outside of the club, just like it had been 12 months earlier during a bad run in the title-winning season! The team deserved a lot more respect for what they achieved, the records they equaled or broke and returning the club to the Football League.

It was pleasing that most of the players who'd earned promotion (Coxy's 'good, honest boys' as they were labelled by some) got a chance to compete in the Football League and the 11th placed finish in 2013/14 shows they weren't overawed or scared by the prospect of facing technically better players.

Personally, it pleased me that the style which served the team so well (long balls and rough tactics) didn't change, even though the switch to 5-3-2 ultimately had a negative impact in the long-term when the budget was slashed stupidly and the goals dried up.

Lining up to face Liverpool - another season-changing game (Photo: Rob Waite)

Nevertheless, had promotion not been achieved in 2012/13, things could have been very different...

Just ask Wrexham, who five years on after losing the play-off final to Newport, find themselves on the brink of collapse and spending yet another season in non-league. Just ask Kidderminster Harriers, who would have been worthy title winners given they achieved something like 88 points from 36 games after their terrible start. Just ask Stockport County, who went for a big name in Dietmar Hamann when they were relegated from the Football League and despite having impressive attendances, suffered relegation and still find themselves in the Conference North.

There were plenty of memorable moments and it's undoubtedly the best season I've witnessed - both from having a top set of lads in the youth ranks, many of whom are still good mates to this day, to the special moments with the first team as they conquered the league.


Here are some of my own favourite moments...

Looking onto the pitch on a glorious afternoon (Photo: Charlie Slater)

The win at Barrow (6th April 2013): I've purposely selected this game first as it was two days after the 2-1 defeat at Wrexham where the record-equaling winning streak came to an end.

The game at Holker Steet produced a season-defining moment which a lot of people forget. At 0-0, around the half-hour mark, we gave away a penalty and 'Mazza' (Alan Marriott) saved it.

Had it gone in who knows how it would have affected the team? Anyway, by half-time, it was 2-0 and the game proved to be a routine 'walk in the park' victory. That penalty save was absolutely crucial though!

Sand, snow and a football match after lots of shoveling (Photo: Rob Waite)

The build up and beating Nuneaton (25th/26th March 2013): Over the season, various games were lost due to bad weather and cup commitments, and after heavy snow wiped out the scheduled game on the previous Saturday, there was an urgent need to get this game played as the fixture list was becoming congested.

The day before, everyone pulled together to clear snow off the pitch - ground staff, youth teamers, supporters and even Adam Murray and Richard Cooper chipped in to lend their support.

Sometimes these things can go either way and the game was one of those where we banged on the door for so long, created tons of chances, but couldn't find a breakthrough. There was a sense of anxiety as the minutes ticked by, not helped when Matt Green had a penalty saved by their 'keeper, but the pressure was lifted when Louis Briscoe's deflected free-kick found the net.

The scoreline should have been a lot greater than the 1-0 which it actually was, but getting the three points was most important. By chance, Kidderminster drew with Woking (I think) that night in a game they were probably expecting to win and those points proved costly.

Fine margins...

The calm before the storm on that night at Edgar Street (Photo: Martin Shaw)

Hereford (16th April 2013): This is probably a word to Mansfield fans what 'Istanbul' is to Liverpool fans as everyone remembers the game with massive affection and it's definitely an 'I was there' moment.

The pressure was well on, Kidderminster's players and fans alike were in the stands rooting for Hereford, and by the time Ryan Bowman had scored and Lee Beevers went off injured, we were well under the cosh so Matt Green's equaliser from a deep left-wing cross before half-time.

The second half got more and more intense as chances came and went as it was the proverbial roller-coaster of emotions that you simply don't get in other sports. Then that moment of pandemonium came with the most route one of route one goals you're ever likely to witness - just an absolute release of pure emotion, followed by bedlam, ecstasy and wild joy.

I know Hereford were skint at the time, but I don't think their tactic of 'offering free curry and cheap entry to Kiddy Harriers fans and players did them any favours and it just made the injury-time winner and celebrations even sweeter.

A packed house in the FA Cup at Sincil Bank (Photo: Charlie Slater)

Keeping the FA Cup dream alive (1st December 2012): Early in the season, before the 20 wins in 23 league games that took us to the title, I vividly remember thinking the FA Cup represented our best chance of modest success.

We properly dragged our heels against the lowest-ranked team in the shape of Slough Town in Round One and in the following round being away at Lincoln City wasn't going to be easy, but it was definitely a winnable tie.

The early kick-off tie at Sincil Bank is a bit of a blur, but I remember after squandering our early lead, the Imps properly put us under the cosh and probably just about deserved to edge through.

That was until Matt Rhead gets on the end of a ball into the box, pole-axing Adam Murray in the process and giving him whiplash; watch the celebrations as he runs off in the opposite direction, and levels the game at 3-3 with about 60 seconds remaining.

One day later, the Third Round draw is made and the winners get to play Liverpool. A season-changing moment right there for both clubs...

A smashing night in Surrey (Photo: Martin Shaw)

The Woking 'window incident' (6th March 2013): The game itself wasn't particularly memorable; Luke Jones scored a late winner in a gritty game, but the 'incident' afterwards highlighted the team togetherness.

The dressing room window was smashed by an object - stories at the time stated that it a brick had been used but my understanding was that a young lad had banged on the window, subsequently shattering it, and Alan Marriott ended up covered in glass. It's no surprise the team reacted in the way they did and fully kitted-up players running into the car park to try and get the culprit had a touch of comedy and superb togetherness about it at the same time.


And here's a few 'funnies' which happened that season...

- Andy Owens and the FA Cup tickets tweet, which got him in trouble. He only played a handful of games but he was a Scouser so when we drew Liverpool in the Third Round, it probably meant more to him than a lot of the other lads. The players could buy as many tickets as they wanted before it hit general sale. Then he goes and posts on Twitter, offering two tickets as a prize for retweets or something. A good lad, otherwise, and I didn't think he was a bad player really.

- The club secretary, a doddery old bloke, had a funny turn one afternoon in early-November. The paramedics  were called to check him over. In the meantime, the commercial manager comes into the office and plants a wreath for Armistice Sunday on the only empty desk (which happens to be the secretary's). Que a shout of 'I'm not f**king dead yet!' when the secretary returns from the ambulance!

- Gary Roberts actually got through a full 90-minute co-commentary without dropping an F, C or W bomb live on air. I can't remember who we were playing as it was early in the season, but I remember it causing quite a bit of banter.

- Nuha Jabbi, a youth-teamer, in a reserve game came on after 85 minutes after we'd contained a strong Hull City side. He had zero technical sense and gave away a penalty with his first involvement - hilarious looking back but totally infuriating at the time. Thankfully, the penalty was saved by Alan Marriott.