The season of 2011/2012 was a dark, dark campaign in the proud history of Newtown Football Club.
It began with a manager moving on after 17 days, and another experienced coach coming in.
When he joined the club he had less than five players to work with, but steadily built a side, however worse was to come.
Docked three points for fielding an ineligible player, a rock bottom finish, and them three points still wouldn't have saved them from propping up the table.
However the gods shone down on the Robins, and they were given a reprieve, and anyone looking from the outside would have seen that as a turning point.
Since then they flirted with relegation, secured two top six finishes against the odds, and now they are left with a chance to put their names in Mid Wales footballing history.
The side came from behind to beat Bangor on Saturday and book their place in the Welsh Cup Semi-Final for the first time since 1998, when ironically they lost to Bangor in extra time.
However the win is a monumental achievement for a side that has been gelled together, put in consistently good performances, and improved immensely, and that all on a shoe string budget.
Credit should go to everyone in that side for the work they have done, and determination that has been shown to create a great team their own way, not throwing huge amounts of money at it like other clubs.
It started with McNally, who gave youngsters a chance and set a good platform up for Chris Hughes, who has taken the mantle, and moved Newtown on to a place that they could not have envisaged being in three years ago.
They face Rhyl in the semi-final, which on paper, they should be favourites for, and if they could upset the apple cart and snatch a famous Welsh Cup victory, it could go down as the highlight in the famous history of one of the Welsh Premier League's biggest clubs.
In other results this week, it was poor, a dour game in fact at Deeside between GAP and TNS, and that was summed up in Craig Harrison's post match comments.
He said that to say it wasn't a classic cup tie was an understatement, and he was right.
The Saints should have had it all but wrapped up by the break, but the second half was awful.
It went off with the feeling of a pre-season friendly. There was no urgency and no go in either of the sides in the swirling Deeside wind.
However as people know, it is a results business, and the Saints got the result and put themselves in the hat for the last four, and will now take on Airbus in another cup semi-final.
The sides were separated by two goals a week last Sunday, but this time it could be different, because in terms of performance, the sides are evenly matched.
And it is a one off game and anything can happen.
In the other semi-final, Rhyl will take on Newtown, so their could be an interesting possibility of a Mid Wales derby.
Attentions this week will turn back to Saturday and Bala as the Saints look to wrap up the title by mid March.
A win will secure the title against Bala, their main rivals, and it will secure the Oswestry sides second trophy out of three in one of the best seasons the club have ever had.
Bala have matched TNS this season, drawing at The Venue so it could make for an interesting affair.
I spoke about it last week and I will again this week. Guilsfield are totally flying, and a win at the weekend could have seen them on the brink of history.
But what a season it has been for the small village club from Mid Wales.
Again they have done things in a similar vein to Newtown, but on a smaller scale.
Kept a good core of players over the years, built themselves up, step by step, and now the current crop and manager Mike Parry are reaping the rewards.
Ten points behind with two games in hand on Llandudno, who they drew with on Saturday is no mean feat for again, a side on a shoestring budget.
It has shown that you don't have to throw stacks of cash to get places in football.
A solid club foundation, with a host of players of want to play for the shirt has seen them fly this season, while other clubs, who will remain nameless, have suffered from big players on big wages not performing.
Even if they don't overturn a 10 point lead that Llandudno have it will go down as one of the best seasons the club have had.
They are still in two cups, one being a final, and the credit must go to everyone at the club for the terrific season they have had.
And a small mention for another Mid Wales side Llanidloes, who seem to have all but been dragged out of the mire by Mike Barton.
When he joined the club were adrift in the bottom three, and staring relegation in the face, but he has solidified the side, and despite losing to Conwy this weekend, they are six points clear.
They should stay up now, and it will be a superb achievement if they do.
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