I hadn’t realised how important it was at the time, but I’d been working for those players for years. I knew every one of them, and they knew I had their back. That made it easier for me to step into the role of caretaker manager, because there was already a connection. They knew what I expected, the way I worked, and they knew they could trust me.

A few days after Lee left, we had a game against Bury. It would be so important to win that and make sure we carried on the form that had got us six wins out of our last six in the league.

We did: 3-0. Even though I didn’t know how long I was going to be in the job, from then on, every decision I made was about doing what was right for the club – not for the next game, but long-term.

Because I think that’s your job.

A few months later, the club asked me to take the role on a permanent basis. I said I would think about it. At that point I still wasn’t sure if management was for me – and, more importantly, whether the club was capable of being successful.

Remember, I knew all about the club and how it was run. The good and the bad.

“That was the first time it really hit me. Wow, yeah. This is a big deal”

As soon as you step into the role of manager and pop your head above that parapet, your life changes. You’ve got to be responsible for everyone. You can be in and out of work in a matter of months. It can affect your family.

I had to be ready. To know that’s what I wanted to do, and that my family understood.

I knew one thing for sure, though. If we got promoted, there was no way I wasn’t doing it.

That hadn’t looked likely in December, when we were bottom of the table. But we’d become a tougher, stronger team since then. We’d always had good players, but instead of just wanting to look good we’d become really effective. We were a much better team out of possession, comfortable keeping it, strong at set-plays and a real threat on the counter. The players were becoming really comfortable in their roles.

By March, we were fighting for a playoff spot.

I remember the exact game where I started to believe. We beat Coventry – who had been up near the top all season – at home, to move into seventh.

Then you’re thinking, why can’t we?