38 league games, 6 matches in various cups and 9 friendlies. Come 5pm on Saturday, Kidsgrove’s season will be complete, boots will be swapped for flip-flops and weekends will be football-free again for a few months.

For many associated with the Grove, the 2021/22 campaign has been fairly run of the mill. Won a few, lost a few. No great cup success. Mid-table mediocrity looking likely from a fairly early stage. For me, however, it has been very special. Barring any late, cruel act of God, I will have ticked off a bucket list entry in that I’ve followed a team home and away all season long. From the home game against Port Vale on the 3rd July to Glossop this weekend, I’ve endured every minute.

I would love to write an article about what a rollercoaster ride it has been in terms of football, in truth I’m a little disappointed that I can’t wax lyrical about long unbeaten runs which helped us to the glory of promotion, or even a long sequence of defeats that left us fighting for our lives. The mid-table life has ensured though that the pressure has been off and I have been able to enjoy the experience without losing any more hair or my blood pressure hitting near-fatal highs.

The season started under a Covid cloud of uncertainty with many doom-mongers predicting that we wouldn’t make it anywhere near this far without more restrictions or season curtailments. That sunny day at the Autonet against the Vale was the start of a solid pre-season in which we largely beat those teams that we should and struggled against the better ones. We were dealt the biggest of hammer blows at Wolstanton Utd of all places though, as defensive colossus Josh Thorpe buckled awkwardly after an innocuous challenge and caused all kinds of damage to his knee. A frustrating wait for an operation sealed his season-long absence and his qualities have been massively missed. All at the club cannot wait for his return.

The 52 games so far have all passed by in a bit of a blur (nothing to do with drinks purchased at various bars and clubhouses, honest!!), however, I have picked out a few personal highs and lows that those present (and maybe those that weren’t) will be able to relate to.

HIGHLIGHTS
• An early-season 3-0 midweek win at 1874 Northwich left us all dreaming of better things to come, after an opening day home defeat against title-chasing Workington. Two goals from Kieran Brown and a late effort from the now departed Jake Lovatt sealed the win.
• Clitheroe away in early October was one of the better away days of the season. 0-1 down and struggling against 10 men, super-sub Disko scored a great free kick with 5 mins left and then crossed for Brown to grab the winner at the death. Great scenes behind the goal and the clubhouse post-match.
• A 4-0 birthday win at struggling Kendal Town on the 6th November was one of the longest trips of the season, but turned out to be well worth it. A hug from JJ after he scored his goal and a boozy coach journey home were the icing on the cake.
• Two games at the end of January were enjoyable for different reasons. A hard-fought 1-0 home win against high-flying Warrington Rylands got us out of a New Year rut and proved to be a big turning point, then a week later another late comeback to earn a massive point at Mossley – new boys Callum Leigh and Max McCarthy getting on the scoresheet.
• Bootle away in late March saw arguably our most complete performance of the season. A 3-0 win was as comfortable as you could get, in glorious weather at a club with great facilities. Perfect awayday.

LOWLIGHTS
• Whitchurch Alport away, pre-season. Great place, good result………once I got there. A miscommunication with our esteemed vice-chairman left me stranded in Kidsgrove for an hour whilst the minibus was already en-route to Shropshire. Only a chance meeting with top man Fitz ensured my attendance, the season-long journey was nearly over before it began!
• The Battle of Bedworth. FA Cup Fever didn’t last long as we were dumped out on the 3G in Warwickshire. A 1-2 defeat was marred by a brawl on the final whistle which saw blood shed and police called. A place I couldn’t wait to leave.
• A week before Christmas, I missed a family Santa Sleepover to make the long trip to Workington. A blanket of low fog meant that visibility was pretty much non-existent, we lost 0-5 and finished with 9 men. The stuff of nightmares.
• A fortnight after a desperately disappointing New Year's Day derby defeat at Newcastle Town, we went to Prescot Cables facing what felt at the time like a real six-pointer. We were dire, a hopeless performance in a 0-3 defeat which left many questioning whether we had it in us to fix things. The fact that this was the last lowlight of the season speaks volumes about how the staff and players turned things round from that point.

I couldn’t finish writing this article without mentioning the staff and the people around the club. Fitz and Coop are two great blokes, would do anything for you and generous to a fault. Others including Jan, Clare, Neil, Phil, Butch, John and Dan selflessly give their time to the cause week after week and all play their parts in keeping the club as great as it is. The coaching staff and players past and present, are always approachable and happy to chat.

And finally, my fellow fans – a great bunch of characters that have helped make the journey such a memorable experience. Thank you all.

Enjoy Saturday and see you all next season.