We look forward to welcoming fans, as we take on our old sparring partners from Kidsgrove Athletic. Let’s hope that their journey up the M6 has been uneventful and that we make them very welcome off the pitch.

Kidsgrove have had a very good season and only just dipped out of the hunt for the play offs in the final few games. They will also include ex Blue Callum Leigh in their squad and he is sure to get a great reception. They always seem to have the Indian sign over us, especially away from home, indeed even going back to the eighties and nineties, I cannot recall any great success on their patch. More recently, this was compounded by deadly striker Anthony Malbon, who took a shine to both our side and our club, indeed he was the only away player when substituted here at Shawbridge who got an ovation from the Top Side. He’s no longer with Kidsgrove, but there’s no doubt that our visitors will be looking to end the season with a bang.

Now, when I said that this was the final league game of the season, whilst strictly true, everyone will surely know by now that we finally broke the play off hoodoo, which has dogged us for nineteen years, and finally took the leap into the unknown with a great victory away at Glossop. This was the culmination of a season long effort and especially of the impetus provided by Dave Dempsey and his management team over the past 16 games. His first game in sole charge was against Macclesfield. That baptism of fire was safely negotiated and thereafter a quick calculation shows that in that period, Clitheroe have been the most successful club in the league. There are still some loose ends to tie up around precise fixtures, not least because the final placings will only be decided today. Leek Town are currently in second place and take on Skelmersdale United, whilst Workington take on relegation threatened Colne. We are then in fourth place whist fifth place Runcorn travel to Trafford. We currently have a two point advantage and a better goal difference.

Once the final placings are known, on Tuesday the second placed team will host the fifth placed team, whilst the third placed team will host the fourth. At one level, it makes little difference to us at the semi final stage. We have a players’ coach and a supporters’ coach already booked irrespective of whether we travel to Workington or Leek. The only difference would be in the departure times of both. Again, the supporters’ coach is being provided free of charge by Stewart, which is a phenomenal gesture to match the one he made for the Glossop game. If the atmosphere created matches the superb noise made at the Glossop game it will certainly be a game not to miss, wherever we go.

The final will then take place next Saturday, with the highest placed team from the semi final winners hosting the fixture. Clearly, if we finish fourth, there is a chance that we could host the game if Runcorn win their semi final. The odds might only be 10% or so of both away teams winning their games, but it is worth remembering that in last season’s play offs, both semi finals and final were won by the visiting side. Given the tiny window between play offs and final, the club is already by necessity putting contingency plans in place for staging the game. That is not arrogance, it is simply the practical reality of potentially staging a game of this magnitude. It is likely that the game would be all ticket, with increased numbers of security and potentially a police presence. It is also likely that there would be no tickets on sale on the day, but with plenty of opportunity given to our season ticket holders in the first instance to purchase tickets in the preceding days. The club is also considering whether and how it would segregate the ground whilst ensuring the away fans had access to facilities. None of this thinking will be wasted effort and as the club grows, there are sure to be games of this magnitude again, which we will need to cater for. Rest assured this will be the club’s biggest game since the FA Vase semi final and would require huge planning.

Given our success on the pitch, our usual players award night will not take place after today’s game. Votes will be cast for our player of the season in the usual way, but the date of any awards event will rest very heavily on the events of the next eight days. Exciting stuff!

At the other end of the table, we know that Ramsbottom have been relegated and that the final relegation place rests between Colne and Glossop. Colne have a point advantage but their work cut out up at Workington. Glossop travel to mid table Bootle. Whoever avoids the drop will go into the relegation play off games along with Widnes. From the Premier League, Stalybridge had their relegation confirmed in midweek and unless Nantwich pull the iron out of the fire, they will also be coming down. If nothing else, this will confirm the southern drift of our current league, and given play off results could easily see a desert of Level 4 teams in Lancashire and Cumbria.

OK, back to tomorrow. The gaffer has a fine line to tread today in terms of how to use his squad to ensure the full squad is fit and unnecessary injuries are avoided. Whoever plays is sure to get the full backing of the home crowd, so strap yourselves in for the biggest week in the club’s life for at least 20 years. Game on!

Our Early Bird Season Ticket offer is also LIVE! You can purchase your ticket for next season at an amazing frozen price at the ticket kiosk, or book online here: https://clitheroefc.co.uk/payments/early-bird--adult-season-ticket-2324-91959.html