"There's been pressure, there's been high energy around the place and now it's elation combined with relief because we've set out to achieve what we wanted to achieve." Those were the words of Mike Williamson before Gateshead Football club held aloft the National League title, defying all odds in a league dominated by former Football League sides and clubs with much bigger budgets than themselves.
There have been memorable nights on the banks of the river Tyne for the Heed but the struggles of recent seasons have made winning the title that little bit sweeter. The story of Gateshead's near dice with extinction is well documented, combined with the crippling effect Covid-19 has had on clubs up and down the country, to then go up as Champions as a fan owned club - is a remarkable achievement.
The Heed were 10/1 to win the National League North back in November and were even greater odds when the season began. But this season has been all about defying the odds and the manner in which they've done it has been incredible, scoring 99 goals along the way.
READ MORE: Adam Campbell on the Newcastle United core behind Gateshead's title win
"In pre-season we played Newcastle here and we'd brought in Cedwyn Scott and Adam Campbell, we already had Macauley Langstaff and Paul Blackett," said Gateshead's assistant manager Ian Watson. "I was working with them a lot in pre-season and I've been at the club a long time - there's been some incredible forwards, Danny Johnson and Ryan Bowman - I was watching them finish and I thought these are the best I've seen in terms of finishing.
"I thought if they can hit the ground running we've got a chance. We played Newcastle and scored some really good goals, we could be a really good side the way we play football.
"Then when we started the season we played a couple of big teams - I'll not mention them - but a couple of them made comments 'You're a good little side' or 'You're a decent little side.' In my head I'm thinking, they think we're going to fall away and they're going to kick on."
In November, Gateshead were drawn against Altrincham FC in the FA Cup First Round - from the division above in the National League - with the Heed winning the replay away in Greater Manchester to set up a tie with League One side Charlton Athletic at the Gateshead International Stadium. That Friday night in December was the first real statement Williamson's side would send out to those watching on.
Gateshead were arguably the better side against the Addicks and had ample opportunities to score, but Johnnie Jackson's side showed their quality in terms of finishing to come through the tie as victors. It was far from plain sailing for Charlton with Jackson heaping praise on the Heed for their performance.
Speaking after the game he said: "I wasn’t [surprised by Gateshead’s style of play] because I’d watched them. I’d done my homework and knew what they were about.
“It’s really impressive the way Mike [Williamson] has got them playing. I said that to him at the end there. It’s credit to him and his coaching staff and their players. Their supporters got right behind them. They’re doing a lot of things right and I’m pleased that they’re doing well in the league and playing that type of style. I hope they get promoted."
The national media interest would die down but Jackson's 'promotion' comments would resonate with the Heed Army. They may have been knocked out of the FA Cup, but that didn't dampen spirits.
Promotion became the sole focus. Chronicle Live sat down with Williamson in February - with the Heed in a four way fight for the top spot - and despite their plaudits, the former Newcastle United defender played down the praise claiming "It means nothing," and that 'it was just the halfway point.'
Williamson himself was part of the playing staff during the torrid campaign in which the Heed were demoted, but looking back at the journey and how far they've come, has been "crazy". He said: "When you've been in football for a long time and you get kicked out of your stadium and we had to train at Hebburn.
"The lads here have been different class. It's been phenomenal, it's the personal stories, you've got to go into the detail of the lads who have been here through thick and thin. I could go through all of them, everyone has played their part."
AFC Fylde were the first team to crumble under the pressure, a mini blip in their season saw Gateshead move clear at the top alongside Kidderminster and Brackley Town. The Harriers were making their own waves in the FA Cup, reaching the FA Cup Fourth Round where they were knocked out by West Ham United.
A month later, the Harriers would finish the International Stadium, knowing that they were in with a title shout - if they won their games in hand - the winners of the tie would send out a message to the rest of the division. Gateshead made sure that was them. The Heed ran rampant with one of their best performances of the season, thrashing Kidderminster 4-0.
Captain Greg Olley said: "It's hard to pinpoint a game where it was the best [turning point]. Kidderminster at home cemented 'we are a good team,' for us at that point they'd just come off the back of the West Ham defeat and we were going thinking it's going to be tough. To blow them away like we did, stamped where we were in the league, winning that game 4-0 set the rest of the season up to go on and not have any fear."
Assistant manager Watson also believes it was a big moment during the campaign. He said: "The Kidderminster game was the game where the boys really believed. We've had a conversation with the boys this morning and said was there a point?
"They all said that game. I was in the category where I thought, Kidderminster had been unbelievable in the cup and we'd beaten them at their place, but I don't think we deserved the result based on the performance - they were the better side.
"In my head, I was thinking they're the best team and we need to get as close to them as we can. When they came here, the fact we won 4-0, the way we played, we were unbelievable, the relentless performance that it was, put more belief in the boys. It wasn't like a freak result, we kept winning and them we went and did that. That was massive for the boys."
Then there were two. Neither Gateshead or Brackley would wilt under the pressure in the coming weeks, with the two sides meeting at St. James' Park last month, both sides knowing a win could be a huge psychological advantage over the other.
At the time, Gateshead were top of the pile, the Saints three points behind with a game in hand. A win for the hosts would leave them in pole position in the title race, defeat for Williamson's side would leave them needing a favour elsewhere. The result went the way of Brackley, who then moved a point clear after drawing their game in hand.
"We were walking off the pitch and we didn't deserve to lose the game, we performed really well," Watson said looking back at the defeat. "We were walking off and they were celebrating quite a lot.
"Their manager was really good he was very respectful and their fans were singing 'We are top of the league' and 'We're going to win the league.' A couple of members of their staff sprayed water on their players as if it was champagne. In my head I thought 'That's not going to be a good thing for you.' We always talk about getting beat, that it can be the best thing for you.
"The five minutes we had in the changing room after the Brackley game was really important. We spoke about the feeling we had in our stomach, which was horrible, we talked about the best way to eradicate it.
"We take the next game and we use it to perform better and we knew then that it wasn't over. They weren't going to win every game, if they did, it was going to be a ridiculous unbeaten run that they'd have.
"We knew that game wasn't the be all and end all. When we were walking off the pitch and celebrating they thought that they'd done it. To be fair to Brackley they've been tremendous over the season and they deserve to get promoted this season."
Every side that wins a title needs a slice of good fortune along the way and Gateshead dusted themselves down with the Saints dropping points along the way. The Heed knew they could in theory clinch the league title on the penultimate game of the season at Chorley with a win, a draw would mean Brackley would need to overturn a 20 plus goal difference on the final day, but a late equaliser in their game with Hereford saw the title head back to Tyneside in dramatic fashion.
"It was a relief to know that we'd probably done it," said Olley. "When the fans ran on and told us that Brackley had drawn and we'd won it outright it was really joyous. Again, I cuddled literally every fan walking round, I really enjoyed it and it was a special moment for everyone involved."
"When the end of the season comes you are nervous knowing you can win the league. It was hard [to pick themselves up after Brackley]. We probably should have done enough to win the game, neither side was particularly great but we still had chances to win the game.
"We knew it [the title race] wasn't going to be determined on one penalty or one goal, we just had to concentrate on ourselves. We've gone unbeaten since then and it just shows how much character we have. We had to hope they slipped up and they did.
"At the final whistle for us it was a bit subdued, we thought it would go to goal difference but as the fans filtered over they told us they'd drawn 2-2 and the celebrations picked up a notch. It was a relief for me to be over the like and know that we've won it, the celebrations began on the pitch.
"It was a bit surreal because it was a build up of pressure of about eight weeks," said Watson. "Previously, I've felt that pressure as a player when I've been in the play-offs but it's only ever been a week, this was prolonged.
"I knew that a draw would kind of almost guarantee us the title on goal difference, but when the whistle went I thought Brackley had won, were we allowed to celebrate? I saw everyone run on the pitch and the boys going crazy. It wasn't until I'd say about five minutes into the celebrations I heard someone say 'I can't believe Brackley lost a two goal lead.' I said 'They won 2-1' and they responded 'They didn't they drew 2-2.'
"I'd heard on the tannoy say Brackley had won 2-1, he showed me his phone and it didn't really sink in. It felt all very surreal, it's probably still not sunk in now."
For Gateshead chairman Neil Pinkerton, who took up the role prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, he admits it's been a learning curve along the way. The club had no playing staff or backroom staff when he took up his role but fast forward three years and he believes we've seen the 'fruits of labour.
He said: "It's been a learning process and learning on the job, we don't want to keep going over it but we picked up a new club, with all the overheads that came with it. Having the break with Covid allowed Mike and Ian to really put their stamp on the team and I think with that we've seen the fruits of their labour.
"We took a large following [to Chorley] and went a goal down, but the way the lads have played this season even going a goal down, we always felt we were going to get something out of it. I had a target at the turn of the year that I didn't share with anyone, that I thought we'd need to get to, especially with the form Brackley were in. It's testament to the lads.
"To be honest I've not really celebrated, in my head that was always going to be done after the season. There's just so much work to do, it was taking one game at a time and planning for one of two scenarios next season in the background.
"We know where we're going to be now and the recruitment has been going well. Being in the National League opens up doors that may not have necessarily been open for us to push at, with regards to loan players."
For the Heed Army, promotion means so much more than a return to the top flight of Non-League football after a three-year absence. It's about 'righting the wrongs' after their cruel demotion under Ranjan Varghese and Joe Cala, a shot at redemption and proving they've got what it takes to try and make Gateshead a Football League club.
"I think on the bus on the way back from Chorley I took a moment to reflect," said Olley. "I sat down at the bottom of the bus with Mike [Williamson], Busted [Ian Watson], Louis [Storey] and Ben Clark. We just reflected on where it all began and some of the stuff that went on was laughed about and joked about, but it was serious at the time. To have all that whitewashed and start again now we can hopefully have a good go at it next year."
The Heed's return to the top tier of Non-League football will see them rub shoulders with some of the biggest clubs to have graced the fifth tier of English football. While Williamson refuses to predict what will happen next season, he's refusing to move away from the philosophy and standards that have been a success so far.
"We'll find out," he said. "I'm not here to give predictions, I'm not here before you with a crystal ball. What I do know is that we'll have the lads turn up on the first day of the season with their running trainers, a bunch of values and hopefully smiles on their faces.
"We're going to empty the tank every day and that's how we're going to face it, just like we have this season, you can only control the controllables. You've got to roll up your sleeves and face what's in front of you and we'll do that from the first day of pre-season until the last day of the season."
