Player of the Season Phil Edwards is ambitious to lead Accrington Stanley into League One next season as he knows it was a chance missed in the current campaign.

The defender is the only ever-present in the Reds league campaign and helped steer the side to the verge of the top seven.

But a nine game winless run meant the Reds couldn’t be the surprise package of the season and will have to start planning for League Two again in the summer.

"It has been a really good season apart from the last two months where we hit the dodgy patch and only picked up one point in nine games," said the 24-year-old.

"When we look back we will look at it as a big chance missed as 10 more points will have got us up there and so it was so frustrating to have that dip in form.

"No one has really run away with the play-off places and that’s disappointing for us.

"But next season, I think it will be a lot more of an even keel. The big money clubs like Notts County have gone and we know about the likes of Wycombe who are coming down. There are no really big teams and I think it will be a lot more even and we have got to take our chance.

"And I think we stand a decent chance if the gaffer keeps the majority of the players from this season, we get a few more players in and a few more loans in and we have a decent budget for the gaffer to work with."

Edwards, who signed from Wigan in 2005, has been a revelation in the last two seasons after having a hit and miss start to his Stanley career.

"When we were in the Conference, I was in and out of the side and it was painful. I hate watching football and I just want to play, and so never getting a run in the side made it hard for me.

"But I think now I have learnt from that and I have grown in experience. I was only young when I joined and then, when I started playing week in week out, that’s helped me a lot.

"Its good to be the only ever present in the team this season and I played all last season as well but I have been lucky to avoid injuries and suspensions. I am made up really.

"And to win the Player of the Season award capped it off as it is unusual for a defender to get it.

"There was a lot of competition with our top goalscorer Michael Symes and Bobby Grant has done really well this season so I am just pleased to be rewarded, especially from the fans."

Edwards, as well as being a star in defence, has also been a goal-den boy with nine goals this season, his highest ever tally.

"I am used to just getting one a season!" said Edwards. "But obviously I was on penalty duties and that helped me. I did miss two though and there was a few who wanted their chance so I couldn’t really complain when I was taken off them.

"But I also scored two goals in a game which I haven’t done before since junior days and as that was against Morecambe, our local rivals, on Boxing Day, and that was special for me."

While enjoying most of the league campaign, he admits the highlights of the season were the Johnstone Paint Trophy semi-final at Leeds and the FA¿Cup game against Fulham.

"Those were great games - it was good to play in those as the club had been through such a lot behind the scenes and those games were also for the fans and I enjoyed them.

"I suppose Fulham was the most special because I was up against Zolten Gera and Erik Nevland - where one national newspaper said I pinned him in the corner to grab his shirt which I didn’t - as those are the teams you aspire to play and want to test yourself against. And we were unlucky to not get anything out of the game."

The Reds have won their last two games to sent them once again to another high position continuing John Coleman’s record of improving the club in every one of his 11 years at the Crown Ground.

They travel to Cheltenham tomorrow who could still be relegated - they need a point for safety.

"We are going there to win," added Edwards. "We want to finish our season on a hight then we can take it into next season. And we owe it to the fans to finish on a high."