Manager Joe Conneely expressed his pride in everyone at Hinckley AFC after lifting the Midland League Cup at the Bescot Stadium.
Hinckley ended the season with silverware after goals from Isa Abraham and Adam Barber, who netted his first for the club, secured a 2-0 win over Whitchurch Alport.
It provided a memorable night for players, staff and fans alike in Walsall and means AFC lift the League Cup six years after falling at the final hurdle against Alvechurch.
For Conneely, the fact his side were crowned winners despite there being 20 higher ranked sides in the competition was a source of immense pride.
He said: “To win a cup for our league and the league above, when you see names who have won it in the past, I’m really proud and really happy.
“It’s a fantastic feeling. This club has gone too long without winning anything. This is for the fans, the staff, the players and people like Dave Gunn who has been here since day dot. To see him lift the trophy was fantastic. This is for them.
“It makes up for the heartbreak of last week (losing to Droitwich in the play-offs). It was a tough week. We trained on Monday and it was flat based off what happened but this makes up for that slightly.
“I’m just proud of everyone involved. Thank you to everyone who’s been part of the club this year who’s got us here.”
When Conneely took over as manager last May, he had to conduct a major rebuild after losing 13 players to steps four and five clubs last summer.
After a difficult start, the side’s run of form since November meant Hinckley ended with a third-place finish and a trophy to go with it – just reward for his hard work since taking over.
“It wasn’t just players, we had to replace staff as well. Massive credit to people like Tom Weale who stood up when we needed him. He was my assistant at a key stage, was there for me every day, and when it was time to get him fit and playing again we did that and Courtney came back in.
“Bringing Courtney back in November was a big turning point for us. He was key to push onto the next level.
“It’s not me managing, we do it together. Whether it’s his name above the door or mine, we do it together. It’s a team effort from the whole staff. And we all deserve this. Let this be a building block and let’s see what we can do over the summer.”
A bumper crowd of 700 watched on at the Bescot Stadium, with a strong Hinckley following backing their team throughout.
Conneely was delighted to be able to give the supporters a memorable night to end the season, and put smiles on faces over the summer.
“It was incredible. They’ve followed us in numbers all year. Hopefully that’s put a smile on people’s faces and we can all come back to Kirkby Road next season.
“They didn’t stop singing all day. People think the lads don’t hear it but it really does push them on to go and do good things.
“Since we took over they’ve been unbelievable and that’s for them. They deserve success and hopefully they’ll enjoy the night.”
