IT'S been six years of relegation, promotions, deep heat and dropped trophies - all of which made up Jamie Speare's spell at Accrington Stanley.

The popular goalkeeper will officially say good-bye to Stanley tomorrow as the Accrington team which won promotion to the UniBond Premier League in 2000 take on the current Conference championship chasers.

And included in "Jamie's" side will be former Everton stars Neville Southall and Dave Watson along with actors from Hollyoaks and Dreamteam.

"I wanted to get the side together who started it all off," said the keeper who made more than 320 appearances for the Reds after signing from Sligo Rangers in 1998.

"The side who got promoted from the UniBond First Division were the side which have helped to get Accrington where they are today."

"They were the beginning of what the club has gone on to achieve."

The former Goodison trainee was signed by Billy Rodaway and suffered relegation in his first season at the then Crown Ground.

But the next season he was joined by the likes of Mark Shirley, Brett Baxter, Jay Flannery, Russell Payne and Mark Ceraolo in celebrating promotion in John Coleman's first season in charge.

"That was a good season. It was my mini mission to help us get promoted again and I think we lost to Radcliffe at Christmas and then never lost again that season."

"We went about 22 games unbeaten and won the last five games which we needed to. It is not an achievement to be sniffed at to win any league," said Speare who won the Player's Player of the Year that season.

Speare was then a regular as the Reds won promotion from the Premier Division to the Conference.

"We won the first 13 games and hit a sticky patch but we had gone well clear. It was great to win that league."

"I enjoyed being a part of the Conference side but it was hard as well," continued Speare after summer signing Jon Kennedy took over the number one spot.

"I played in three or four of the high profile television games but I would have swapped them for another 20-odd games in the Conference."

He has now parted company with Stanley after the club and he failed to agree terms in the summer and he has moved onto Lancaster but leaves with some happy memories.

"Paul Burns was perhaps the funniest player I have played with - you always had to watch him!"

"Smithy once tried to get him back on the final game of one season at Worksop by putting deep heat in his underpants. The problem was he put it in mine instead. Fortunately, I spotted it but I've never seen a joke backfire so badly."

Another moment which amused Speare was Andy Procter's moment in the spotlight.

"When we went to Ewood Park we did a lap of honour with the Conference trophy. All the attention was on Andy Procter and he was on the big screen. Then he tripped up and dropped it. It was the funniest moment. There must have been a crowd of 20,000 there and half of them must have been Andy's mates as they all started texting him and laughing at him."

Speare struggles to pick out who are the "best" players he has played alongside.

"There are too many - so many who have been good in their own right. For sheer skill, it would have to be Mark Shirley and Russell Payne. But Lutel James and Paul Mullin have both been great. I have just been lucky really to play alongside so many good players."

And he counts himself lucky with the friends he has made along the way.

"Rocky (Robbie Williams) was my room mate and we had some good laughs together. Then I travelled in with Steve Hollis as well and we became good friends and Mark Brennan. But I made a lot of friends both on and off the pitch at Accrington."

Speare admits he will be sad to say goodbye to the Reds but is looking forward to a good season with Nationwide North side Lancaster.

"It will be weird, running out tomorrow and testimonials do usually mean the end of an era but there is no point in looking back now."

"I have some fantastic memories but now I am positive and have new challenges at Lancaster."

"I want to get them into the Conference and win another championship medal."