I HAVE always loved Exeter! Wonderful city, charming people, some interesting journeys on the supporters coach, not least finding ourselves in what appeared to a pedestrian precinct once, and of course they have a brilliant football team.

And said team thankfully fought back against Grimsby Town on Tuesday night to calm all but our tiniest of nerves.

It would be great to go there next season and thank them in person, especially over a beer in their real ale supporters bar, but we might be thwarted as they look like being possible play-off contenders again.

The U’s could have, and perhaps should have, been similar contenders again but for one of the most unenjoyable and quite frankly most disappointing seasons I can remember.

It’s been tough for everyone. Definitely one to confine to the deepest and darkest parts of our memories, with the hope that the reset button can be pushed during the summer to start afresh and compete at the right end of the league table.

With only a couple of freak results within the U’s, Scunthorpe (who have dropped like a stone) and Southend, putting us at risk, I am hoping that we can play well again tomorrow Salford City, get a positive result which will also help our new Exeter friends, and then head to Tranmere for an almost no pressure finale, followed by a small break from all of the stress.

Still a shame that fans could not be allowed back into stadiums for these final games up and down the country, especially when it has worked before.

Personally I would have loved to have watched the final home game of the season.

The re-build can then start and the lessons from this season can hopefully be actioned.

Gazette:

There is much for the U’s to contend with during the off season, not least who gets the manager/coaching reigns and which of the dozen first team players will have a new contract offered to them. Add to that that two of the squad last weekend are currently with us on loan.

That’s a frightening number to think about in my opinion. I know who I would want to keep but I really have no idea what the finances will say is possible, and whether of course they want to stay.

Anyway, back to the current football, and despite the end result and despite the fact that I was supping a couple of ales which may have influenced my perception whilst watching it on iFollow, I thought that U’s battled well at Cheltenham last Saturday.

I agree that we hardly posed a goal threat ourselves and that goalkeeper Shamal George once again proved his credentials with some top saves but for a now promoted team, they really found it really hard to get through us.

Cheltenham clearly love their set piece corners and long throws, so perhaps it was inevitable that they would eventually scramble one in close to the end.

After defending them so well for so long, I reckon our guys were pretty annoyed at the late kick in the teeth.

Back at home for the U’s tomorrow, where I am hoping they can play with the same intensity that we saw during the Walsall and Southend wins.

We play so much better when we are positive, and this helps when we have two up top who are willing to run the channels and test the opposition back line.

More of that please and if I am lucky, a couple more ales tomorrow afternoon with results elsewhere finally ensuring our safety, and I will be a very happy U’s fan.

Thanks as always for your continued support. Up the U’s!