If the signing of Sam Parkin, Eric Sabin and Stefani Miglioranzi had excited fans a year earlier, then the captures of Tommy Mooney, Sammy Igoe and Brian Howard in the summer of 2003 left most of us feeling like a child in a sweet shop.

A packed County Ground made their voices heard with the visit of Sheffield Wednesday on the opening day of the season, but sadly the day will be remembered for tragedy.News filtered through to the terraces that Jimmy Davis, so instrumental for Town a year earlier, had been involved in a fatal car collision en route to Vicarage Road, where he was due to embark on the next stage of his flourishing career. Town lost 3-2 to the Owls; few cared.

There were, however signs in that defeat that Town were going to be more of an attacking force. With Mooney feeding off Parkin and the Igoe /Howard combo supplying the duo with the ammunition that would see them score 43 goals between them in all competitions - Town left opposing defences whimpering like a naughty dog.

Town started the season strongly and went 11 games without defeat until rivals and fellow promotion candidates Bristol City stopped the juggernaut. Four games without a win followed but Town kept themselves in the play-off hunt with four wins in their next six games.

Consistency was still an issue but another thumping win away at Stockport saw the Robins win four in six - a run that would see them finish in the top six despite a poor denouement. Needing a point on the last day, both Town and Hartlepool played out a 1-1 draw that saw Port Vale miss out on the top six. Funny that?

Town faced Brighton in the play-offs and despite dominating the home tie Town visited a rain-soaked Withdean Stadium a goal down from the first leg. A Parkin goal took the tie into extra time and when Rory Fallon gave Town the lead in the 97^th minute, the visiting faithful dreamed of a derby against City in Wales for the final - the Reds partying like it was 1999. Unfortunately Adam Virgo scored with a last-gasp goal to take the game to penalties and Town fell foul where England had done so many times before them - Andy Gurney missing the crucial kick.