Our luck was always going to run out. Four years we have been in this situation. This year we were not celebrating another great escape.

On the final day we faced Northampton Town away. We travelled there feeling optimistic about our chances. Before kick-off the crowd was electric but, unfortunately, this did not resonate with a strong start.

We were timid, devoid of confidence and passion. Rarely did we make any impact on the game, with the situation overpowering many of the players.

Our League Two status was intact until a disastrous six-minute period. If it wasn’t bad enough that AFC Wimbledon went in front, we conceded twice against a Northampton team rejuvenated by substitute Adebayo Akinfenwo.

Everyone was deflated. We all felt and knew our eight year stay in the Football League was coming to an end. A miracle was needed. It never came.

I didn’t know what it felt like to experience relegation. It is a feeling I never want to experience again.

It‘s hard to believe that 22 men on a football pitch can evoke so many emotions. It’s just a game, they say. How wrong were they?

Impacts of relegation

We lose a staggering amount of money by dropping out the league. Cuts have to be made and jobs unfortunately may be lost. Relegation affects the lives of everyone involved with the club.

For us fans we will have to get used to the reduced quality of football. Instead of facing former FA Cup winners Portsmouth we will face former FA Vase winners Tamworth.

The thing I worry about most are the attendances. With many Barnet fans boycotting a move to The Hive, we expected a drop.

This, coupled with relegation, will see fewer fans pay to watch the club. Many neutrals will not fancy visiting Barnet to watch Blue Square Premier football.

Why we went down

Under Robson, we picked up three points in 12 games: a dire record. It was like starting with a point’s deduction. We had a young team not up to the standards and rigours of League Two.

In a four game spell, towards the end of the season, our ethos changed. We had such a great fear of losing that we neglected our attacking intent and style of play for this.

The first game this occurred was a 0-0 draw at home to Dagenham: had we won, it would have been them - and not us - who would be playing in the Blue Square Premier next season.

They were not the only team around us we failed to beat. We dropped many points against Aldershot Town and Accrington Stanley among others.

I also over-think the tedious things, given the slim margins which sent us down. Had we not conceded last-minute goals to Oxford United and Bristol Rovers? What if Ricky Holmes not been injured? What if we had gained an extra point under Mark Robson?

All of these factors – plus more – can be mulled over incessantly but it does not change anything. From now we have to look ahead and to regaining our league status.

The future

We are in a much better position than many clubs which have dropped into the Blue Square Premier.

Unlike Hereford United, Lincoln City, Stockport County and numerous others we are not struggling financially. Our academy is burgeoning and we should utilise this to our advantage.

If we can keep Edgar Davids and a lot of the current squad it will stand us in good stead for the upcoming season.

It is perhaps befitting that our last season at Underhill coincides with our relegation.

We need everyone, from newcomers to people with grievances about The Hive, to get behind the team in order to help us regain our league status.

Next season we will be in new ground, a new league, and hopefully, the dawn of a new and successful era.