IN THE wake of last weekend's 2-0 defeat at Barnsley, James Chester had an ill feeling he could not shake.
Promotion to the Premier League had beckoned for Hull City at Oakwell but, in front of 6,000 expectant away fans, the chance was allowed to fall agonisingly through their fingers.
"I felt physically sick at how we performed and the thought that we might be letting this chance slip," admitted Chester.
But, mercifully, one last shot at redemption comes this lunchtime. One more golden opportunity to join the club's immortals.
In keeping with tradition, City have declined to take the easy path. But conquer Cardiff at the KC today and nothing else will matter. Promotion will finally be theirs to treasure.
"It would be massive for all of us," said Chester. "There's a few of us who have been at big clubs in the Premier League and never got a chance to play at that level.
"We're all eager to show we're good enough to play there again. There would be no better way to reach the top than to get promoted with Hull.
"It would be a dream for me. As young kids we all watch the Premier League and it's where we all want to be. We've put ourselves in a great position to reach that now."
This great position, second and a point ahead of third-placed Watford, is one City have held since winning 1-0 at Burnley seven weeks ago. Only today's opponents Cardiff have been in front of the Tigers since March 11.
The lead has ebbed and flowed, briefly extending as far as seven points a fortnight ago, but a three-game win-less run few could have foreseen has cued up a finale that promises to live long in the memory.
City may have relinquished the momentum to a resurgent Watford but, as Chester points out, they still boast the initiative.
"It's not something I've been involved with in my career so we'll just go out and try and achieve the victory that we need," he said.
"The manager has been saying for the last few weeks that we need to enjoy it. They'll take the heat if anything goes wrong and just to go out there and enjoy it.
"Anyone would give their right arm to play football as a job and it's something we love to do. It's certainly enjoyable for me."
If that was manager Steve Bruce's softer side, Monday morning revealed far sterner words.
A dressing-down followed last weekend's loss at Barnsley, with City's experienced boss spelling out just what was at stake.
Asked if he could provide insight to the squad meeting, Chester joked: "Not if you want to print any of it.
"He just said that we've worked so hard to get where we are and we might never get this opportunity again in our careers.
"We've got to go out there and show what we've shown for the most part of the season.
"We need to be a bit more intense without the ball and make it more difficult for teams when they've got the ball. We need to turn them a bit more and get behind them."
Chester was yesterday at a loss to explain City's failings against Wolves, Bristol City and Barnsley, where two defeats and a draw failed to even bring a goal, and bristled at the notion his side were wobbling. A defence of the Tigers' character is instead drawn from a season of responses.
"Sometimes these things just happen," said Chester, when asked if City were feeling the pressure.
"The game at Barnsley was disappointing for us all. We took so many fans and we didn't turn up.
"We didn't perform to the levels we have done this season but we've always come back strongly from defeats. That's why we're second."
So long as Chester is able to repeat such a boast by 3pm this afternoon, thoughts of a debut season in the Premier League can dominate his summer.
Playing in 43 of the 45 league games this season, no player in Bruce's squad has played a greater role in taking City this far and success would complete the 24-year-old's journey back to the top flight.
Since departing Manchester United in January 2011 in a £300,000 deal, Chester has racked up 113 appearances for City. A return to Old Trafford next season would top the lot.
He said: "I owe Manchester United a lot. I was there from eight or nine years old and I learned an awful lot when I was there.
"Seeing the joys of playing top-flight football and then coming down has given me an even bigger hunger to get back there.
"As a young lad I was never involved with the first team going out and winning titles, but even watching the first-team squad and how they deal with it is nice to see. You can learn from things like that.
"It would be nice to get back there. As a Manchester United fan, it would be brilliant to walk out at Old Trafford and play against them."
First comes a day to define the future of both City and Chester. If a 25th win of the season can be secured against the Championship's best side, Watford's late attempts to snatch second will be deemed futile. Anything less and the fortunes of the Hornets at home to Leeds United could yet have the final say on the automatic promotion race.
It is not an afternoon for the faint-hearted, but Chester said: "I can't wait. It's a huge opportunity for us all to make our friends and family proud of us.
"It's exciting more than anything to be one win away from the Premier League. If you weren't excited there's probably something wrong with us."
