Weston-super-Mare tasted glory on Tuesday night after clinching the Southern League Premier South title with a 4-1 victory over Hendon, but the inevitable was confirmed for Yeovil Town as they were relegated from the National League with a 3-0 defeat at Wrexham.
As a result, the teams will be playing together in the National League South next year along with fellow Somerset rivals Bath City and Taunton Town, something that would have seemed inconceivable 10 years ago when the Glovers were promoted to the Championship.
For the Seagulls, it has been a sensational season under the leadership of Scott Bartlett and player-coach Scott Laird, returning to the sixth tier four years on from the first relegation in the club's history. Spurred on by play-off semi-final heartbreak a year ago, Bartlett assembled an excellent squad that was once again spearheaded by the dynamic Dayle Grubb who has 20 goals for the campaign.
Although Weston-born Grubb is the star, there have been many fine contributions from across a squad boasting a healthy blend of youth and experience, with long-serving Luke Purnell, Jacob Jagger-Cane and Jason Pope among the heroes.
Following second-placed Bracknell Town's defeat against Truro City on Monday, the Seagulls knew a win over Hendon at the Optima Stadium would be enough to secure the title, and Bartlett's side made an incredible start through Marlon Jackson inside a minute. The former Bristol City striker would go on to make it a hat-trick, with defender Pope also getting on the scoresheet on a jubilant night for Weston in front of a crowd of 1,490.
Those celebrations led to the supporters' bar, with players, staff and fans toasting their triumph in unison after setting the pace atop the table all season.
After more than a decade spent treading water in the sixth tier before their relegation, Weston return to the level with huge momentum and a galvanised fanbase. Attendances have dramatically improved since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to years previously.
After receiving their winners' medals, Bartlett – in his second spell in charge of the club – told his players their journey together was only beginning.
"There's a little bit of relief," Bartlett told club media after the trophy presentation. "It's not easy to win a league at any level. It's been 41 games and the lads have been magnificent.
"I'm just really pleased for them. Good things over time happen to good people and we've got a really good set of lads; you just can't question their work ethic.
"Technically and physically, they are very good, but that doesn't always win you a league. We've had times where we've been under a little bit of pressure, we've had times in games when we've needed big players to come up with big moments and that's happened for us.
"The performance tonight was outstanding in a pressure situation and to do it in front of our fans with another amazing crowd, it was a great night and everyone is going to enjoy that for a while longer yet.
"I'm really pleased because the majority of the group are going to be with us already next season, so my message to them has been that this is the start of a journey, it's not done."
For Yeovil, the mood could not be more different, with chaos off the field and a dispirited fanbase – although 217 still made the trip to North Wales – following the club's downward spiral in recent years.
Their fate was almost certain before taking on title-chasing Wrexham thanks to a nine-game winless run under manager Mark Cooper, who has been in charge of the club in a time of uncertainty with consortium SU Glovers claiming it has taken control of the club from Scott Priestnall, although the change of ownership is yet to be confirmed on Companies House.
"Obviously, I'm disappointed," Cooper told reporters beside the pitch at The Racecourse Ground. "Death by a thousand cuts, really. We've known it's been coming since a way out with all that's been going on. It's been really tough for the boys.
"For the supporters' sake, the turmoil needs to end, whatever it is and they need a football club to be proud of again and start afresh, putting the right people in the right places, whoever that is, and start to build again."
