At the beginning of each season I enter a competition run by a vice-president of Harrow Borough who I used to work with. The idea is that you tip the top side and bottom side in the Premiership through to the Conference and meandering down the back alleys of the Ryman League Premier Division. 5 points if you are right and then 4, 3, 2, 1 depending on how close your prediction came.

Last season, my entry was met with much derision. "you're a bit optimistic not picking Dagenham to come straight back down aren't you?". No, I replied and we went into that long discussion about the second season being the hardest because everyone will have you sussed by then. Last season, for me, blew all expectation out of the water - 3rd in the league, 3rd round of the FA Cup, national recognition. I thought long and hard about my entry this year. You can imagine the glee with which Simon greeted my form. "STEVENAGE ? After the year you had!" (Feeling the need to protect my credibility, I have also predicted that Stalybridge would be bottom; Canvey would win the Ryman and Harrow would finish bottom. Also picked out York to be relegated etc……)

I expected a mid-table consolidatory cruise. Seeing the money flashed around by Doncaster and Boston in the summer, it was hard to imagine that we would be looking at a challenge for honours. Paul Fairclough's return to Broadhall Way heralded more than it has delivered. At this stage of the season to see Doncaster having to clear out their better players; and to hear that the Malkinson family, Boston's patrons of longstanding are no longer willing to put up the money; makes Garry Hill's fiscal management even more appreciated. No boom or bust for Daggers - just steady improvement.

We all heard the rumours about contract negotiations in the summer and I didn't think that Lee Matthews - among others - would still be with us. Along with most of the people I stand with, I expected an exodus of players to league football leaving a re-build for Garry to manage. But the big clubs have not come searching at Daggers and we are storming.

We saw just the one signing in the early close season - one that I am still unhappy about. The right keeper is first choice in both performance and reliability - you can't be reliable if you're playing in Hayes or in the bar making promises that you don't keep. I hope that we are serious enough not to make Gothard first choice next season if we are in the League.

It seemed as if we were lining up for a season of safety. We are carrying injuries but it hasn't made the impact that we expected on the terraces. Our back four has rarely had four defenders in it at any time this season, but we have been solid with Steve Heffer slotting in seamlessly wherever he's needed. Smudger has looked as solid as he always did at Stevenage - what kind of idiot lets a player like Mark go? The signing of Mark Stein and Ken Charlery has given us more punch up front, that we have missed since the Shipp & Cobb partnership was cast aside, although the goals throughout the team seem to have dried up where it was a strength last season. Mark Janney has been playing in the kind of form that leaves you in no doubt that he was a Tottenham player.

The football's not always pretty but when we keep it on the ground we are more than a match for anyone. Luton, Orient and Exeter have been put to the sword or, not to put too fine a point on it have been well and truly daggered! Ask Ipswich about pressure. This year's performance against Premiership opposition was superb. For 20 minutes they were unable to get out of their half and, in spite of their position, few clubs have put them under the cosh like that this season.

To have come this far into the season, losing just two league games is fantastic. The Leigh match was a freak, but I think the diehards have seen our thumping by Teflon coming. Still if you have to concede five, let's get them all out the way in one hit, eh? Weighed up against the results that have been coming our way, you can gloss over the occasional blip. It is encouraging to see players like Jim Rodwell coming to our club, albeit on loan - a demonstration of the high standing that we are held in. To hear about us associated with the Doncaster centre back Barry Miller and Geoff Pitcher, rather than shopping at Leyton Pennant (remembering Paul Salmon and Ben Barnett; rather than our lord Timmy Cole) is an indication of how our aspirations are now at a higher level.

The character shown this season has been magnificent, not just by our players, not just by the supporters; but by everyone involved in the Club at every level. With unbeaten away form, Victoria Road is fast becoming a ground to which teams are scared to come - and it looks the part. The new stand is impressive and I expect that more development is in the wings.

My wife has framed for me the interview with Garry Hill in the Non-League Paper in which he said "I don't sign softies" and we are seeing his words bear fruit. We are playing with passion, power and pride; on the pitch, on the terraces and all the way to the top of the league. Bring on the third division (and a different tune to run out to)!