WITH the news of Taunton Town club legend Lloyd Irish leaving the club fresh in the minds of all Peacocks fans, we thought it was a good time to look back at the incredible 2017/18 season.

It was a season that saw Taunton win the Evo-Stik Southern League West title with ease, racking up 104 points and going 33 league games unbeaten.

Lloyd Irish kept 17 clean sheets in the league that year and went on to win the Ernie Price Memorial Award as well.

Taunton bounced back from 2016/17 playoff heartache to romp to the league by a total of 19 points over second placed Salisbury.

Victory in the final league game over Slimbridge took them to 33 consecutive league games without defeat; which far exceeded the previous record of 23 league games unbeaten set by Russell Musker’s 1999/2000 Western League winners.

To add to all of that, Taunton were the only team in the UK (Steps 1-6 of the Non-League pyramid) not to have lost an away match this season.

In any competition. Just remarkable.

Lloyd Irish said after the season ended in 2018: "There’s a bond between the players and fans here that I’ve never seen before in my career.

"Leigh makes sure we always socialise with the fans in the bar after the game.

"The fans sing their hearts out home and away – it’s no coincidence we haven’t lost away.

"I’m not sure the fans realise how important they are to the players, like in the Shortwood game when they never stopped singing for us."

Of course there is an element of hindsight involved, and after the Peacocks drew 1-1 at North Leigh in February 2018, Salisbury were still just about within touching distance.

Had they beaten Town in March 2018, the gap would have been down to five points – but the 2-2 draw between the sides maintained the Peacocks’ eight-point cushion and this was in part due to some fine saves from Lloyd Irish.

Another point to draw from that game is about the Taunton supporters this season.

There were 768 in the Ray Mac for the table-toppers’ clash, and almost all of the noise came from the travelling fans.

That loyal band of support have travelled across the South West this season, and their influence in drumming up the Peacocks’ impressive away performances should not be overlooked.

Crowds at home have climbed steadily over the season, up to 638 for last Saturday’s title party, and there is a real feeling of momentum at the then named Viridor Stadium.

Chairman Kevin Sturmey, manager Leigh Robinson and their support staff did a magnificent job in transforming the club from Southern League also-rans with a dodgy pitch into champions.

Then Taunton Town captain Matt Wright hailed the Peacocks’ will to win in the season, on picking up the Evo-Stik Southern League silverware, he said: "It’s been a great week, and a great season; we’ve all enjoyed our football and worked so hard for it.

"We set the target of promotion as champions, and to do it the way we have, with the unbeaten run, shows we have a great squad.

"We’re a team full of winners and we hate dropping points.

"Leigh [Robinson, manager], Meaks [Michael Meaker, assistant manager] and Rob Dray [coach] set that winning mentality; they know what we’re capable of and set high standards for us.

"Compared to last season, we’ve all worked for the team; we had a few individuals last year.

"This year it didn’t matter who scored the goals, all that mattered was the three points."

Throughout the season there were several games where the team have looked a little lacklustre, or appeared to run into brick walls.

But they kept running, and somehow found a way to get the job done.

They were consistent and tenacious, and were worthy champions.