Chris Todd column

By Chris Todd
Torquay United defender

It's been an absolute rollercoaster of a year for me and maybe winning promotion at Wembley was written in the stars

The 48 hours since we beat Cambridge in the play-off final have just been incredible.

Getting back into the Football League is something I've strived to do for the past six years and actually doing it is extra special.

Winning at Wembley is something that you dream of and this weekend was the icing on the cake. It was a special day for myself and my family.

If you'd said to me six months ago when I was diagnosed with leukaemia that this would have happened, I'd probably have laughed at you.

Obviously it was something that I'd hoped would happen, but you never actually believe it.

It's been an absolute rollercoaster of a year for me and maybe winning promotion at Wembley was written in the stars.

My treatment is going really well now and everything is fine. In fact, I probably feel better now than I have done for many years.

I've kept a diary of everything that's happened over the past six months and hopefully that's going to be published soon with a lot of the money going to charity.

My treatment is going really well now and everything is fine. In fact I probably feel better now than I have done for many years

On Sunday I was very nervous before the match. All the team were apprehensive and we just wanted it to go well because of what had happened last year when we lost to Exeter in the semi-final.

So when the final whistle went and we'd secured promotion it was the best feeling ever. It was a relief and I fell to my knees.

It's a weird feeling that we're back in the League. We worked so hard for it all season, and in just one game it's happened.

But you've got to feel sorry for Cambridge because losing in the play-off final is not nice.

I would like to dedicate the game to the fans who've stuck by me through everything. They were so good to me when I got back from my illness.

They sent me letters, cards and gifts so it's a big thank you to all of them.

Chris Todd was talking to BBC South West's Phil Tuckett.