THE wait is almost over. Accrington Stanley will run out against Chester tomorrow to end 44 years of hurt and make their return to the Football League.
Manager John Coleman admits it will be an emotional day but now Stanley have made it into Coca Cola League Two, he has set his sights on taking the the club even higher.
"It will be a proud achievement for me when we run out tomorrow," said Coleman. "What we have achieved will go down in history and it can't be taken away but I wouldn't like to think that's where my role with Accrington ends.
"I would like to think that it is only the start. We want to be successful in the Football League and I think in any walk of life, and especially in football, you want to do the best that you can and you don't want to settle for what you have got.
"I am no exception and Mr Whalley, the chairman, is the same. He is ambitious and wants to do well and I am sure all the players want to play as high as they can.
"Our job is to get people talking about us regularly for being a good football side and not being the butt of a milk joke or being founder members of the League as Accrington FC or because we went out of the League in 1962.
"We just want to get ourselves known for winning games."
Stanley make the short trip to Chester tomorrow - with all the players battling to be the first person to score a goal for the Reds back in the League - and their first home game back in League Two is against one of the promotion favourites Darlington on Tuesday.
The Reds boss knows there will be the usual media hype surrounding Stanley for their historic return to the League but he is just concentrating on the football.
"The media attention didn't bother us last season so I know we can handle it but it is a difficult start for us. I watched Chester two weeks ago and they will feel they are strong and they have made a few additions. They will be up for it because of the media attention surrounding us and they will be wanting to spoil our party just like Woking did last season."
Chester boss Mark Wright is certainly not under-estimating the League new boys.
Wright, who celebrated his 43rd birthday this week, admitted: "I think Accrington will go after us, they'll be full of confidence, physical, aggressive, and they'll have people in wide positions who can hurt us.
"I remember when Chester won the Conference and I'm aware that Accrington are now in the same position - they are on a roll and stepping forward and that is hard to stop. All I'm hoping is that we can get a result against them - that's all that matters.
"I really believe that several clubs will be shocked by Accrington. I've seen them play in pre-season and I think they are a good side."
Coleman is hoping this is true - but he is aware that promoted teams have also faced a battle in League Two.
"Teams have come up from the Conference and done well like Yeovil, Doncaster and Cheltenham but teams have also come in and struggled and so it counts for nothing," said Coleman.
"We have just got to get our heads down and try and win as many games as we can and see what position that puts us in by Christmas.
"Whether we are in a position to press on and try and make the play-offs or if we battling to stay up, whatever, we will always give our best.
"Everyone is tipping Swindon, Bristol Rovers and Wycombe to win the league - teams of that ilk - but time will tell how the league will pan out.
"I think our odds of 16 to 20-1 is a true reflection and it will be wide open - a bit like the Grand National - and anyone who holds their nerve can go on and win it.
"Nobody would have been tipping us for the league last season but we went and romped it so we have got to keep our feet firmly on the ground and got to get as many wins as we can starting tomorrow."
He added: "My own personal target is that me and Jimmy (Bell) have been managers for ten years now and we haven't finished in the bottom half of the table so I think it will be a shame to start it now."
Winger Gary Roberts, who is hoping for a one-year extension to his contract to end speculation linking him to Yeovil, and Ian Craney had outstanding campaigns last season but Coleman is concentrating on his team and not individuals.
"I don't think anyone thought Gary Roberts would do as well as he did do last year and Ian Craney started the season out of the team for the last ten games and he came in and won Conference Player of the Year.
"So I don't think you are looking for individuals. I think as a collective unit you are looking to be strong, work hard for each other and certainly, the team spirit helped us last year. The characters grew a lot and the confidence and the belief in themselves as a team."
He continued: "It is great that, if on any given day, two or three of them shine and they go and win you a game but for everyone who is flamboyant or a showman or wins you the game with the spectacular stuff, someone is blocking a tackle or heading one off the line and that maybe goes unseen.
"They all have to work together, hand in hand, and all the players know what their jobs are and they are keen to do it."
And he is hoping the winning mentality from last season will carry on.
"You hope the habit of winning and the belief that we can still win games will still be there.
"And the euphoria of being in a new League, the novelty of playing against teams and the adventure of going to new grounds might stand us in good stead and carry us through the first two or three months. After that you are going to need quality and hopefully we have got that."
Defender Michael Welch is battling with a groin strain he picked up against Partick Thistle while goalkeeper Rob Elliot is desperate to play after having a scan on his ankle he injured against Blackpool.
But Coleman thinks his squad is capable of coping. "I think we are going in the right direction as a football club and as a team. We can get better and I might have to bring in a bit more quality but we will have to wait and see."
