I would like to take this opportunity to wish absolutely everyone connected to AFC Wimbledon - fans, players, management, staff and our marvellous volunteers - a wonderful Christmas Day tomorrow.
It feels like a massive relief simply to be saying these words after the misery of last season when we were all denied the chance to enjoy this special time of year with treasured family and friends.
I know we haven’t quite reached 2022 just yet but so much has happened in the past 12 months to make us feel extremely proud.
Top of the list, of course, was that long-awaited game on 14 August when all our fans could finally come to The Cherry Red Records Stadium and see a league game in our new home. The home they had been dreaming about for the past 30 years - the home they helped build and make possible.
We call it The Greatest Story in Football and it truly is. Ok, we didn’t get everything 100 per cent perfect when the stadium first opened but we very quickly ironed out any imperfections and we will continue to do so as the season unfolds.
Besides, the sight of nearly 8,000 fans at almost every game so far - not to mention the electric atmosphere they generated almost immediately - was where the triumph truly lay. To put it in context, our attendances are almost double what we could squeeze into our old Kingsmeadow home.
When AFC Wimbledon fans unite the force they create is unstoppable and our new stadium is testament to that. As are all the incredible people who make our Foundation and the Dons Local Action Group such exemplary forces for good in the community.
Clearly the New Year is going to present new challenges. Sadly, the Covid curse is still lingering and, as you all know, the Omicron variant is posing a real threat as more and more games are cancelled beyond our control.
But let’s not dwell on the problems, let’s today enjoy our achievements and march forward into the new era that your loyalty, support and sheer hard work has made possible.
Happy Christmas to you all and stay safe.
Joe