TOM Killick has tasked Poole Town with ending his 11 years of self-inflicted pressure in tomorrow’s do-or-die championship decider with Corby.

A draw would see Dolphins secure a fifth league title and fourth promotion since their talismanic manager took charge of a club in the Wessex League's second flight in 2004.

Despite the club’s meteoric rise, Killick revealed he had found it difficult to enjoy Poole’s past achievements and that the spectre of his ultimate target – Conference South football – had always loomed large. 

But the Tatnam boss reckons that could finally change should his charges weave their magic and end the club’s 23-year exile from non-league’s second tier. 

In a candid assessment of what winning the Southern League would mean, Killick told the Daily Echo: “We feel we are ready and deserve promotion. There is just that one last step we have to take now. 

“It is all about making sure we prepare as thoroughly as possible, stay calm and play with the intelligence the occasion warrants against a good side.

“From day one, I felt Conference South would be an appropriate level for the club and for me personally. I will not feel in any way satisfied until we get there.

“If we managed it, I would feel less pressure because so far, in every season and in every league, I have felt a very significant drive to get promoted. 

“That’s not to say our ambition would end if we went up, but perhaps it would be a bit more enjoyable from a personal perspective. 

“I remember being in Division Two of the Wessex when I arrived and I didn’t want to be there. Without sounding egotistical, I didn’t want to manage at that level and didn’t feel the club should be there either. 

“I always felt a massive pressure, even when we first went up to Southern South & West. But if we reached the next level, it would all change. We would have it all on to establish ourselves and perhaps that would take time.

“Bar one season, it would be the first time I could feel relaxed about not being promoted and that takes its toll. For the past 11 years, an enormous pressure has surrounded every game and a part of me just hankers for that to be reduced.

“That said, who knows how I would feel if we were to achieve it? I might have this ridiculous thought that we should be progressing beyond the next level.

“It is all pie in the sky at the moment. The Corby game is everything and such a massive hurdle to overcome so we can't get too carried away but this has been the dream for so long now and I desperately want it to happen for everyone involved.”

KILLICK'S LEAGUE RECORD 
                                        P   W  D  L  Pts  Pos
2004-05 Wessex Two   42 33 4  5 103 2nd (Promoted)
2005-06 Wessex One   42 21 8 13  71 8th
2006-07 Wessex Prem 38 23 4 11  73 4th
2007-08 Wessex Prem 44 29 9  6  96  4th
2008-09 Wessex Prem 42 38 2 2 116  1st (Champions)
2009-10 Wessex Prem 42 35 4 3 109  1st (Champions)
2010-11 Wessex Prem 42 33 5 4 104  1st (Champions & promoted)
2011-12 South S&W    40 25 6 9  81  2nd
2012-13 South S&W    42 30 8 4  98  1st (Champions & promoted)
2013-14 South Prem   44 25 10 9  82*7th
*Three points deducted.