2008 was certainly a year Accrington Stanley hit the headlines. From match-fixing allegations, to their captain being whipped on television, to conceding eight goals in one match and then to almost upsetting Championship side Wolves - they certainly kept themselves in the spotlight over the course of the year.
The match-fixing allegations were the ones that made national headlines and it is still ongoing with the Football Association investigating claims of irregular betting on their final match of last season.
Around £300,000 was bet on a Bury win - usually around £20,000 is bet on a League Two game - which led to a national furore.
Mind you, a Bury victory at the FES was nothing unusual with Stanley having a harsh home record last season where survival was the key.
2008 certainly didn’t start too well with January including an 8-2 thumping by Peterborough on a wet Tuesday night leaving the Stanley management shell-shocked.
The Reds only chalked up their first League Two win of the year against Chester on 9 February as they languished too close to comfort to the bottom places.
Ian Craney was back at Stanley while Charlton loanee Aswad Thomas was trying to make a name for himself with the Reds but, after scoring two goals in that win over Chester, it did all go wrong for the winger with a sending off and a return to the Addicks.
The Reds suffered eight defeats in 10 league games before a rare Leam Richardson goal got them back on the winning trail against Brentford and, by the end of February, Stanley were more-or-less safe from the threat of relegation.
The Reds fans then got their walking shoes on to trek to Rochdale for charity but the team never got out of walking pace as surprise surprise they lost at bogey ground Spotland. And then followed an angry spat as Stanley squandered a two goal lead and boss John Coleman was sent to the stands at Chesterfield - and later got a two game ban and a £750 fine.
This was followed by the ‘dug-out’ battle between then MK Dons boss Paul Ince and Coleman - with the Reds chief again sent away from the dug outs and it was all turning nasty.
But, despite defeats, a 3-1 win at Wrexham sealed survival and a boost was the debuts of several young Stanley players - with high hopes for the future.
Then came the controversy over the Bury game - which is still ongoing.
Coleman promised wholesale changes as he wanted his side to challenge at the right end of the table after finishing 17th.
So 11 players left in summer cull and there was a happy reunion of brothers with the younger John Mullin lining up alongside Stanley stalwart Paul as they looked to make progress in the new season.
Colin Murdock, Chris King and Jimmy Ryan came in but the news that Luton (-30), Bournemouth and Rotherham (-17 each) had all been deducted points meant that the Reds should be safe this season.
The opening day loss to Aldershot was one to forget but then a battling display at seemingly Premiership-bound Wolves in the Carling Cup - where the Championship club needed extra-time to see off the threat - gave the Reds plenty of hope.
Their first win came at Port Vale but after that record £85,000 signing Ian Craney moved to Huddersfield for a fee rising to £200,000 while Bobby Grant needed knee surgery leaving Stanley short on numbers.
But they seemed unhindered as they suddenly landed at the dizzy heights of seventh spot when they saw off Macclesfield at home - but dwindling crowds still represented a problem.
The Granada documentary "Accrington Stanley - Exactly" started in October looking behind the scenes at the club but there were lots of beeps as the swearing reached its peak - and the chairman Eric Whalley made the disclosure that his dog had eaten his false teeth and produced a comedy tv moment while Stanley captain Peter Cavanagh was whipped on his stag party.
Coleman’s 400th league game in charge was a loss to bogey side Rochdale and then a Bradford defeat hurt Coleman - the Reds were 2-0 up after 80 minutes but lost 3-2 - and he admitted it was "the worst I have ever felt in football."
The introduction of Kieran Charnock meant the defence tightened up and there was the rare sight of some clean sheets.
Three in a row and Coleman has promised Scottish keeper Kenny Arthur he would wear a kilt on the touchline - but that hasn’t happened yet.
The best result - probably of the year - was the 3-0 thumping of Bournemouth with three well worked goals in the opening 20 minutes and one 25-yard scorcher that loan man Rostyn Griffiths won't forget.
The Reds are still in the wrong half of the League Two table and Coleman has made no secret of his desire to move onwards and upwards but injuries hampered the back end to the season.
But one thing is certain - it is never dull at Accrington Stanley.
