IT’S the most obvious answer to the most obvious question.
“Totally honest, getting p****d,” laughs joint-boss Micky Chapman when asked how Lowestoft Town celebrated promotion to Step 2 after three consecutive years of heart-ache.
Play-off defeats to AFC Hornchurch, Tonbridge Angels and last season Concord Rangers, in their own backyard, have seen the Trawler Boys as the ultimate nearly men.
But at a packed Crown Meadow it was fourth time lucky after beating Hornchurch 3-0 with goals from Robert Eagle, Jake Reed and Curtis Haynes-Brown.
“We all went in the clubhouse and had a party,” Chapman told The NLP. “It was fantastic. To do it in front of our own fans made it even more special. Especially with last year’s disappointment of losing to Concord on our own patch and watching them celebrate.
“It drove us on. It’s been a tough nut to crack but we stuck to it and we’ve achieved what we wanted to. We’ll enjoy what’s happened. It’s a new adventure now.
“We don’t know whether we’ll be Conference North or South. We think South is the most logical but we’d have taken Scottish Division One before the game on Monday!”
Chapman had a brief playing spell at the club in 1981 before returning two years later to where he’s been ever since.
Joint-boss Ady Gallagher arrived in 1999 and the duo have led the club from the Eastern Counties League to the Conference via the hallowed turf of Wembley and 2008 FA Vase final.
“When I came to the club it was a pipe dream for the club to think about getting to the Vase final, it was a pipe dream to get back to the FA Cup first round and to win the league,” Gallagher said.
“They’ve all been achieved and surpassed. The next dream was Conference football and that’s exactly what we’ve been able to do achieve – I’m thrilled to bits.
“I’ve been involved in probably the most successful period of the club’s history and that’s wonderful. Especially being a local lad and working with Mick so closely. It just means the world to us.
“When I first came to the club I felt they were stuck in the past – through no fault of anyone there. But I felt they were still talking about the glory years of the 1960s. As a football club you can’t live in the past. You have to strive and set new goals. The way the club has been transformed is marvellous – we’re creating history year after year and long may it continue.”
Off the pitch the pair are best mates. Gallagher was Chapman’s best man when he tied the knot last year and the speech will be returned next year.
But they also point out the work of director of football Craig Fleming and Dave Carolan, who left in February to concentrate on his sports scientist role at Colchester United and development of an FA coaching app.
Chapman said: “It’s been a group effort over four years. Dave Carolan needs a mention. He was with us when we started the journey. Flem has been incredible ever since he came. He’s brought such professionalism.
“The lads this year have been phenomenal. Everything was against them, no one believed we would do it. In the last 21 games we lost twice. Everyone has contributed. It’s a dream come true for so many of us.”
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