Operation 'redemption' just one final step away for Moneyfields Women after manager Karl Watson was close to quitting game completely last summer

It was only last summer Watson was weighing his future in the game after Moneys had been denied 'upward movement' from the Southern Region Premier Division they currently find themselves.

Moneyfields Women had won all of their 10 league fixtures before the 2019/20 was prematurely ended because of the coronavirus pandemic.

But the FA opted to award then-league rivals AFC Bournemouth Women promotion as part of a restructure to the National League level for this season.

Yet after some persuading from his players, Watson has stuck around and Moneys Women are now standing on the cusp of finally gaining a much-deserved promotion.

They head into their final game of the season at bottom-side Woodley United on Sunday knowing victory will see them crowned champions - while a point could be enough with second-placed Abingdon United sitting five points behind them with two games left to play, although Moneys has a far superior goal difference.

Watson admitted it's been far from an 'enjoyable' season but he will not care as long as his side achieve their sought 'redemption' goal set with all involved hurting after not being granted promotion last season.

And with the major multi-million pound Dover Road redevelopment set to be completed later this year, Watson believes moving into the swanky new John Jenkins Stadium facility as Women's National League members would be huge for the club moving forward.

‘We lost players, we had to rebuild, I lost motivation myself - I wasn't even interested in football myself after that (being denied promotion past two seasons),’ said Moneyfields Women boss Watson.

‘As it turned out, some really nice messages from players last year when I was going to quit - (the) players talked me into staying.

‘We went again - it's not been a very enjoyable season - there are points where it's been tough and we've thrown silly points away.

‘The season was named 'redemption' and the group chat is called 'redemption' - it's the season of redemption - that's how we've worked it all season because we believe we had a massive sin conducted against us.

‘It’s everything the club deserves, it's everything the players deserves, we've always beaten clubs from one or two leagues above and we're only going to get better and bigger.’

Should Moneyfields Women be crowned Southern Region Premier champions this weekend it would represent the club's third promotion in five seasons since forming prior to the 2017-18 campaign.