As the seconds ticked down towards victory at a packed-out Glanford Park yesterday, it hit me: we nearly lost it all. We nearly didn’t have our day in the sun.
For Michelle and the rest of the board, this was their moment. A moment to savour – a crowning glory for all their hard work and investment, as they attempted to get our club back on an even keel after years of mismanagement.
But for the fans – of which the board are very much a part – it meant everything. We’ve seen it all at this great football club. Promotions from the third and fourth tiers aplenty, but I genuinely believe this sixth-tier one means just as much as any of them. It’s a moment to draw a line under everything that’s come before and to start looking ahead to a brighter future.
A 9,000 sell-out is absolutely insane. Yes, the Chester fans played their part too, but to see every home seat taken for a sixth-tier final shows the untapped potential that still lies within this great club. If you were a casual fan yesterday – how could you not want to come back for more? I get that attendances often depend on success on the pitch, but the truth is, the more people we have in the stands, the more chance we have of achieving that success.
I think we’ve shown that over the past two seasons. Teams have come here and simply not been able to handle it—they’ve been swallowed up by the ground. The atmosphere, the unique tightness of the stadium… it’s a cliché, but it really is a fortress.
To Andy Butler and his staff: thank you will never be enough. Thank you for rescuing us from the horrors and bottleneck of the National League North. Butler, in particular, deserves a huge share of the credit for this achievement.
After a lightning start to the season, things really took a turn for the worse. Performances dipped, and with them, belief among the fans. But he never gave in. Week by week, he turned the tide, rebuilt trust, and showed he has the guile and resilience required to lead this club forward.
To the players: yesterday was a war of attrition. Chester gave it everything, especially in the second half and extra time. But you stuck with it. You never gave up. You showed the guts and determination required to win a final. You’ll forever be remembered as a promotion-winning side and that will always be something special.
It wasn’t just about the final, though. It was relentless all season long. The pressure on every single Scunthorpe United game at this level was immense. The outside expectation that we’d blow away every opponent was never realistic. Teams made it tough, especially from home awa, but the players found a way to deal with that pressure and it all culminated in yesterday’s triumph.
And perhaps there was no more fitting goalscorer than our man Carlton Ubaezuonu. For various reasons, he struggled in the first half of the season. But, like his manager, he never hid. He kept getting into the right positions, kept believing, and ever since his goal against Scarborough in mid-February, he hasn’t looked back.
Looking to the future, this club is alive again and I believe there’s so much more to come. I’m not being unrealistic; there’s still rebuilding to do before we can start seriously thinking about a return to the Football League. But promotion brings with it momentum and belief and when those two things combine with a passionate, well-backed fanbase, anything is possible.
For now, it’s time to rest our voices and enjoy the summer. I’m sure the squad will look different come August. Players will come and go but one thing will remain the same: us, the fans. It’s going to take every single one of us as we enter the National League, but if we all go together, days like yesterday can come again.
It was special. It was emotional. It was Scunthorpe United at its very best. United we stood, as we roared the lads to victory and I’m sure it’s a day that will be etched into the club’s history forever. The sun is finally shining again on Scunthorpe United in its 125th year.
Up the Iron!
Alex Cole
A much better way to join the NL than the last time we did it.