South Shields Women head coach Alex Miller described the side’s 2023-24 campaign as a “rollercoaster” and it’s easy to see why.
Heading into the new year, the lasses were undefeated and were in a great position to secure the league title and get that long-awaited promotion into the National League.
By March, the club had a new head coach to steer the proverbial ship (Miller), and the team put together a run of six wins in nine matches from that point.
It wasn't enough for the title, but it could be enough for third place in the table if things go Shields' way over the coming weeks.
“As everyone knows in life, you get obstacles and it’s not always smooth sailing,” she said, “but the main takeaway thing is that the lasses have stuck together and they’ve ground out results when we’ve needed it.
“They’ve kept fighting all the way until the end and I think the game against West End epitomises that (a 3-2 win on May 8th).
“[At] half-time, we weren’t 100% sure on things but they dug in deep and we got that result and I think overall that represents how we’ve been.
“It gives us a really good foundation for going forward as well.”
It is imaginably a difficult position to find yourself when you are asked to step up as head coach for the second time, but Miller managed to lead things successfully in the circumstances.
She added: “I’m quite pleased with it. It’s a really big task stepping up, especially when it’s part way through the season as well.
“My overall thing that I wanted to do was to keep the team stable. The team is good enough to sort all of the football inside-out themselves.
“I do have a bit of an input in that but we’ve got some really talented players, some really switched on players who know how the game works and can help form the team into the way that we have been.
“Having Becki [McMahon] alongside me has always been great; it’s what it’s always been while we’ve been at Shields, just working together!
“Definitely pleased with where we are and excited to see how we go forward!”
And finally she had a message for the players, the supporters and everybody connected with the club now the season is all done and dusted.
“Thank you for sticking with us,” she finished.
“Thank you for being there for us each and every week, home and away, and for helping us grind out those results, and for being the twelfth person on the pitch when we needed it.
“It does have an impact - I say it all the time - the lasses absolutely love it so thank you very much to all the supporters, parents who’ve come along [and] given us a hand.
“It wouldn’t be possible for all of those people supporting us and helping us along the way.”