One of the longest seasons I have known finally draws to a halt over the next few days, with just a few weeks to spare before 2023/24 gets under way.
The campaign just gone began for me with Stuart McKenzie’s Cove Rangers testimonial match against Dunfermline on June 25, and 73 games later it will end with Scotland’s qualifier against Georgia at Hampden Park.
Following the significant change I made to both my career, and my life, last summer, more than half the matches I attended were Cove games, and what a rollercoaster that turned out to be.
The Championship season began with what would be one of the highs of the entire adventure, the unfurling of the League One flag and an opening day victory over Raith Rovers in the Balmoral Stadium sunshine.
What could possibly go wrong after that? We were about to find out…
Four straight defeats came as a reality check, although not a huge surprise to anyone at the club, as we all knew it was going to be the toughest challenge in their 100-year history.
There were moments of joy and elation scattered across the campaign: two late Mark Reynolds goals to earn an unlikely draw at Firhill, Jamie Masson’s thunderbolt against Hamilton, the back-to-back wins over Arbroath and Dundee when Connor Scully had the week of his career, and later, what might have been significant victories over Partick Thistle and Arbroath.
But, stacked against that were the concession of too many goals, including throwing away a 4-1 lead at Hamilton, and a succession of heavy defeats. Being part-time in the Championship was a step too far for a club that had got there two years ahead of expectation, and the eventual relegation, confirmed on a dismal foggy night at Balmoral, in the end came as no real surprise.
Despite the numerous painful afternoons and evenings, it was a season like no other for me, one I relished and enjoyed, and a real eye-opener discovering what really goes on behind the scenes at a football club.
Overall, the move back home to the north-east has worked out better than I might have imagined. I am working with good people, and have had the chance to renew old friendships and make new ones, which has been a more than pleasant surprise.
Alongside my Cove duties, I was still kept busy by the BBC, covering matches on Sundays and midweek, and took in some outstanding games and performances.
One of the highlights was watching Real Madrid in full flow as they comfortably dealt with Celtic in the Champions League, and I also attended two outstanding Scotland displays; the 3-0 Nations League win over Ukraine, and the memorable 2-0 victory against Spain back in March.
There was the drama of the Dons’ stoppage time loss to Rangers just before Christmas, and much more enjoyably, the comprehensive win in April during Barry Robson’s remarkable revival of his team.
I was also fortunate to cover the conclusion to the Premiership season. I saw Kilmarnock trounce Dundee United to all but relegate them, then a few days later was behind the mic as Killie consigned Ross County to the play-offs.
At that point, I gave County no chance of survival. They had been woeful at Rugby Park, and would lose their first-leg against Partick Thistle. But Malky MacKay’s team showed astonishing resilience, and the climax to the domestic campaign in Dingwall took my breath away.
I have been on the radio for 35 years, but only rarely have I experienced anything quite like that, and County’s comeback will live with me forever.
It was also the perfect way to draw the curtain on what has been a truly memorable and unpredictable season.
Aside from what I have covered above, there was a World Cup finals, the introduction of VAR – which, if nothing else, has certainly provided plenty material for my column – and the usual weekly serving-up of the dramatic twists and turns that Scottish football does better than anywhere else.
In no time, we’ll be up and running again, and the only guarantee is that 23/24 will be just as crazy and entertaining as all its predecessors.
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