which instilled confidence and belief amongst the side, helping to see off tough opponents, Nottingham Forest and Barnet in the League Cup.  The prospect of playing Leeds Carnegie in the semi-final was quite a nervy, unsure one, however the attitude and determination the girls showed that day, was top class.  At the time we were facing a Leeds side that were undefeated and top of the 1st Division, so obviously we went into the game major underdogs.  This, however, did not prevent us from putting in an excellent performance, battling hard and refusing to give in.  I can confidently say that we were the better side that day, however we just missed out on going to the final, with the game being cruelly determined in the penalty shootout.  Despite the fact we were beaten, this game was a personal highlight of the season.  I was so proud of the girls and the spirit and tenacity that they had shown was unquestionable.  In fact, I remember telling everybody that I'd go to war with them after that game!
       
From then on the league wins came thick and fast, going on a run of nine straight victories.  On the 26th April we faced a Birmingham side that were currently topping the table, but had no remaining fixtures.  This meant if we avoided defeat we would be crowned Division 2 Champs, and to our delight our 1-0 victory firmly sealed our place in the 1st Division for the forthcoming season.
       
There were times within the season that really summed up the loyalty and grit of the team.  At the latter end of the fixtures we went into games without an assigned goalkeeper, meaning one of the outfield players had to take one for the team and put the gloves on.  There were other occasions that injuries prevented us from having a full team, causing us to play with 9 or 10 players.  And there was one instance where we had to play two games in the space of three days.  In my eyes, this illustrates how each and everybody in the team were willing to work towards our ultimate goal of promotion.
       
On and off the pitch the team has been united.  Morale has often been kept high on away trips by immense "bus banter" and the girls obviously loved my incessant sing-alongs!  Huge thanks must also be given to the gaffer, as Mark has not only just put up with us, but helped us gel into an excellent footballing side and his hard work and dedication has been clear throughout the season.
       
The new season kicks off this Sunday against Blackburn, and it’s quite clear that the girls are relishing the prospect of playing against the ‘bigger’ teams, hoping to reflect last season's success and prove to all, that we deserve to be in the 1st Division.