This bunch of lads and management team are fantastic

Kyle Storer says that completing the great escape with Solihull Moors ‘ranks right up there’ in terms of his footballing career.

The midfielder has been instrumental in helping the club retain their National League status for another season after arriving in January.

Speaking after the final day defeat against Eastleigh, Storer said: “Unfortunately we lost the game today but you can tell it was the end of the season. The job was done.

“The main objective was to stay up and we achieved that earlier on in the week, so we’re disappointed today but happy days.

“It’s just been all hands to the pump and we had to do everything we can. We’ve had tough times. Me personally, the own goal at Gateshead with the last kick of the game and you think if it’s ever going to turn for you.

“This bunch of lads and the management team are fantastic and they’ve put everything into it. We fully deserve to stay up as well; we’ve been a credit to ourselves.”

When asked to pinpoint a key moment during his time so far, Storer looked back on the trip to Victoria Park earlier in the month that produced some dramatic scenes.

“For me the crucial game was Hartlepool away. It was 0-0 at the time, we were close to them in the league and missed numerous amounts of chances that day.

“Then for Adi Yussuf to come up in the last minute with a goal, that kick-started our little run really which got us nine points out of nine.

“That gave us the boost that we needed at the current time.

“When you lose games and don’t get what you think you deserve, it’s hard to take when you’re down there.

“Like I say, we’ve come back fighting and thoroughly deserved to stay up.”

It’s been all hands on deck for the 31-year-old who joined the club at a stage where each and every game was pivotal if the Moors were going to have any of survival, however it was a task that Storer relished.

He continued: “Before I joined we were 15 points from safety and I was speaking to the gaffer about joining. I was thinking it’s a massive point difference and Solihull went and beat Leyton Orient and Barrow.

“That reduced it to seven and I said to my wife ‘we’ve got to give it a go’. It was still a big ask but I said if we do it, it’ll rank right up there.

“It’s a massive weight off everyone’s shoulders now, me personally I didn’t want to drop down again. Massive credit to everyone.

“Since the gaffer, Tim and Gaz came in I think we’ve lost six in 27 or something like that. When we won the league with Cheltenham, we only lost six all season so we’ve been on Championship form.

“We’ve got to keep the bunch of lads together. I’m sure the gaffer will be improving the squad in the summer and we’ll come back fitter and stronger ready to go for next season.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do. We want to kick on and achieve something good next season because I think we’ve got a great bunch of lads and a good management team.”