MICHAEL Welch has been a revelation in Stanley's side this season.

He was a late signing in the summer and, after playing in the league with Macclesfield, wasn't sure what his Stanley future would hold.

This was especially as travelling from Cheshire everyday on his own took its toll.

But he soon won over the manager and the Stanley fans with his powerful shows in the heart of the defence and has sorted out his travel problems as he, Steve Jagielka, Andy Tretton, Daivd Brown and Danny Alcock have become car buddies.

And he admits it has been the most memorable season of his career.

Welch takes a look at the turning points of Stanley's history-making season.

ALTRINCHAM AWAY

Stanley won 1-0 - second game of the season

'I have to mention this one as it was my only league goal! And it was defintely mine. I remember there was a bit of a debate about it as it was an 85th minute header but no one was ever going to take that away me as I don't score many. Even now I go up for set pieces and they either hit it short or way beyond me. I think there is a vendetta against me scoring another!

The Altrincham win was a good one for us. It was our second game of the season and I hadn't been at the club long at all and was still getting used to all the lads. I don't think we as a team had enough confidence in our own ability at that stage as we were all just getting to know each other so it was an important win.'

GRAYS AWAY

Stanley won 2-1 live on Sky.

'We had lost to Worcester in the FA Cup - where I had scored again! - and had bounced back by beating York. But this was our big game.

They were unbeaten and had been on a great run and all the pressure was on them. I think when we beat them on television, people finally began to take notice of us and I think it was a huge boost to our own confidence. We could have won by a clearer margin too.

It was also the first time people saw Gary Roberts and what he can do. Up until then he was in and out of games, but with the cameras on him, he suddenly came to everyone's notice. It was brilliant his build up for the first goal which Paul Mullin scored.'

HALIFAX AWAY

Stanley drew 2-2 thanks to a last minute Gary Roberts free kick.

'We didn't play that well and I have got to admit, I didn't fancy Gary for the free kick as he had had a few in the games before and they had gone nowhere near. I was in the wall and I didn't expect a lot. So it was great when it went in as it kept our unbeaten run going.'

HALIFAX HOME

Stanley drew 1-1 thanks to a Peter Cavanagh penalty on 80 minutes

'They were difficult games against Halifax. We have needed quite a few late goals to save us but they say you have got to take the luck when it comes your way. And all these points added up at the end of the season - they became huge points for us.'

EXETER AWAY

Stanley won 3-1 live on Sky.

'I think this was our best performance of the season over the whole game. For 75 minutes we dominated that game - we were miles better than them and they were then our closest contenders and we played them off the park.'

GRAVESEND AWAY

Stanley won 3-1

'This was a Friday night match and we expected a much tougher game than we got. They had been on a good run - I think they had won three or four on the bounce - and everyone kept saying it was a tough place to go to and that we had never won there. Mind you, they said that about a few places and it didn't seem to bother us.

It is weird coming out of the league as you tend not to know many of the teams or the players and it is all new. On paper, they looked a really good side but we were excellent and it was another important win with more good goals.'

MORECAMBE HOME

Stanley won 2-0 in front of the television cameras

'This was on a Monday night and I never have any worries about Sky games. Whenever we are on telly, the Scousers are like giddy six-year-olds and so you always know they are going to perform!

Again it was another one where they were our closest challengers and we saw them off. They are a good strong side but the TV cameras worked again!'

BURTON HOME

Stanley won 2-1 with a last gasp Paul Mullin goal after being outplayed.

'We certainly rode our luck in this one. The old saying goes that to be successful, you need a bit of luck and I think we used every inch of luck up against Burton as, after that game, we got players sent off left right and centre.'

HEREFORD AWAY

Stanley were 2-0 up but drew 2-2.

'This was a clear sign of us having used up our luck. Some of the referee's decisions were poor and everything seemed to go against us. It felt like a defeat at the end of the game and if you look back now, if it hadn't been for the referee, we would have had the title sewn up sooner.

I was also mad about the Conference record as we wanted to get 11 straight wins. It would have been great to win the league and break a couple of Conference records along the way but it only made us more determined.'

STEVENAGE HOME

Stanley drew 1-1 with ten men for most of the game

'They were a good side and it was another game where we had to battle with ten men for most of the match. Their goal was a debatable one - it should have been hand ball - and then Leam (Richardson) got sent off. The odds were stacked against us but we managed to get another point and keep our unbeaten run going. I don't think we would have drawn that game in the first couple of months of the season and it showed how we had developed as a side.'

YORK AWAY

Stanley were trailing 2-1 at the break but won 4-2.

'We had just lost to Southport which was a disastrous game. To end the unbeaten run was hard but to go 20 games unbeaten with the small squad we have, with injuries and suspensions, was already a brilliant achievement. It was never going to last.

But we had to bounce back and we did against York. It has always been a happy hunting ground for me as I have never lost there. When I was at Macclesfield, we had a relegation decider at York. I think there was about five games left, we won and they went down so it has always been a good ground for me.

I do think the second half was one of our best performances of the season. And it was made even better by Hereford losing. It was brilliant.'