The excitement and tension in the area is building outside the Deva Stadium as I wait for access to the media area for the play off game against Buxton. The recently added fan canopy is bustling, mascot Lupus is meeting and greeting and I chat to fellow fans. “Pessimism is built into our blood” says one senior Blue, a sentiment I sympathise with, given that my first full season as a supporter, saw the club relegated from the football league. Could Chester FC make history and win their first ever play off game?

Inside the ground, the sense of anticipation and excitement makes the pessimism fade. Sitting in the stand close to the media professionals, I meet the club’s stadium announcer for the last 36 years Robbie Clegg. He’s busy prepping for the game, hands full of paperwork highlighted in various colours, but we agree to do an interview in the future. Nearby, Shane Pinnington from Dee106.3 sits next to guest commentator and Chester legend Neil Young, who led the reformed club to 3 successive promotions.

I am joined by one of the directors of our fan owned club, Oliver Hill. Oliver was elected onto the Board 2 and a half years ago. “My first game was when we won promotion in 2004, the Scarborough one nil game. When you’re 10/11 you think you’re gonna get promotion every year! Any Chester fan will tell you that’s not the case, there are many many lows along the way!

“Its nice that we can have these evenings and I want to give a shout out to Cestrians 1885, they’re a great group of lads who really want to bring an atmosphere here” Cestrians 1885, the clubs”12th man” produce flags, and merchandise and lead the chanting from the Harry McNally terrace. Oliver is optimistic about the club’s successful growing role in the community. “Attendances are growing, our engagement in the community is increasing. We are not just a football club, we are a community asset.” We speak about the women’s team and the work being done at the King George V Community sports hub in Blacon.

“We made a decision that we wanted to improve the facilities so we put in the fan zone. We invited a couple of local businesses in there, including Spookton Brewery. We are looking to increase our presence in the city centre and within the walls. Its an old stadium so the facilities aren’t great. We have the Cestrian Bar which is great but has a small capacity, this has been a way of increasing what we offer.” There is a longer term plan in place to hopefully build a permanent fanzone in the future.

” Its been a great season and the weathers played ball, and it feels like a really big occasion. I am as confident as I can be, I’m nervous. But we are in great form, 4 wins on a bounce, plus since Christmas , 50 points from 23 games. That’s a tremendous amount of points. !”

Another fan tells me he has been supporting the club for an amazing 64 years, seeing his first match when he was 7. ” We have had a lot of downs!” he laughs. “The worst was 1970 something when we got beat 4 nil at Southend on a Tuesday night and I was there! We’re gonna win 3 -1″ he predicts . The highlight of the 64 years ? ” The semi final away at Aston Villa in 1975. We stuffed Leeds who were league champions, 3 nothing! We played Giles and Bremner off the pitch. We beat Newcastle as well, and then we had Villa. We drew 2-2 here and we went there. We went there and scored 2 of course! We lost 5-4 on aggregate against Villa who were to top of the division was amazing.” Is the club moving in the right direction I ask. “Yes from a football point of view. I’m a fan owner but the stewards were having a meeting so the turnstiles didn’t open til 5 to 7! It’s typical of us! We do firefighting here, the seats are 30 years old , the ground is getting old and needs things doing to it. ” Kick off is delayed until 8pm.

The sun slowly sets behind the Harry Mac as the chanting and flag waving and excitement builds. “BELIEF NEVER DIES” says a huge banner created by Cestrians 1885 draped across the terrace, depicting city landmarks in blue silhouettes. The haze of the sun combined with the roar of the crowd adding up some kind of magical atmosphere. We take the lead after just 3 minutes – am I allowed to celebrate in the media seats? Buxton equalise after 18 minutes with the first half ending all square. The second half is a balanced end to end affair that ends in stalemate.

A predictably tense extra 30 minutes saw local hero Harrison Burke put Chester ahead, who held on to secure the historic victory. The scenes are wild as manager Calum McIntyre takes a deserved victory lap, punching the air and stirring the emotions as he high fives youth players gathered by the dug out.

I am too emotional to attend the post match press conference and end the night walking up Bumpers Lane surrounded by the club’s hardcore support. They chant non stop about how we hate Wrexham and Callum’s big head/ choice of drinks. Chester, you made me forget myself.