IT WILL be the end of an era at Highworth Town this weekend when manager John Fisher takes charge of his final match.

Fisher returned for a second stint as Worthians chief in 2012 – having previously won the Hellenic League Premier Division with the club in 2004/05 – but announced his decision to retire earlier this season.

Having become a cult figure on the local football scene, Fisher will be much missed on the touchline at the Elms and the man himself admits he may even be holding back a tear following Saturday’s match at home to Ardley United.

“After doing it for as long as I have, it is going to be emotional,” said Fisher, whose number two Kevin Moloney is also standing down.

“We’ve accepted it but come Saturday, it will be a bit strange. I just can’t do it anymore.

“It will be difficult but it’s not just me. Kev has been doing it with me for six years and been involved with local football for 20 years and has put an awful lot in.

“He has been fantastic to work with. We will both have a bit of emotion on Saturday but we know it’s the right time.

“I won’t miss the hassle that comes with it but I will miss the changing room and the banter.

“I went to watch Supermarine the other day and I saw Dave Webb in the dugout with his players and I realised I’m not going to do that again.

“When I started, I didn’t think this would ever come, I thought I would do it forever but it is what it is, I’ve got to do it.”

Fisher came within a whisker of leading Highworth out at Wembley last season when they reached the semi-finals of the FA Vase, only to lose against North Shields over two legs.

Although the Worthians have not hit those heights this term, and are limping towards the finishing line of the season with a six-match winless run, Fisher says their Vase heroics will live long in the memory.

“The way it’s finished is disappointing but I have no regrets,” said Fisher.

“When we started this season winning six out of six, you’d never have thought we’d finish it losing six out of six.

“The players are disappointed. They have let themselves down, they haven’t let me down. They know what they could have achieved and they haven’t.

“I don’t think the lads thought I’d go. They thought I might go last year after what we did in the Vase but when I stayed, they thought I’d be here forever.

“When you win the league that really does prove you’re the best team but as a one-off achievement, what we did last year was unbelievable.

“To get one win from Wembley for a club of our size was fantastic. No one can ever take that away from us.

“It’s not just for us, it’s for Swindon too. It’s hard to do and I’d be surprised if we saw a Swindon team do it again.

“I hope we finish with a win. The lads will give it their best. If we win, great, but if we don’t, it won’t ruin the celebrations.

“People are saying it’s a big weekend for me but it’s a bigger one next weekend as my daughter is getting married. I can’t get that team-talk wrong.

“If I mess it up on Saturday I can give another one at half-time but I will only get one chance at the wedding.”

Royal Wootton Bassett brought the curtain down on their Premier Division season with a 3-0 loss at Bracknell Town last night.

Fairford Town reached the final of the Bluefin Supplementary Challenge Cup after a 3-2 extra-time win.