At the Advertiser it was two years of build up. From our two live debates, to politicians doing battle in our pages, not to mention the constant flow of letters from campaigners on showing just how significant September 18 would be for the area.

So when polling day finally arrived, there was a strange feeling in the air – it had arrived. Not just in Helensburgh but when I went to cast my vote before arriving in work, my home town was quiet as all the debates, conversations and heated arguments were put to one side and it was now up to us to make a decision.

Arriving at the Victoria Halls before travelling to Lochgilphead for the count, there was a buzz of activity, with recogniseable faces canvassing outside the polling stations on both sides in the hope they could change the minds of any undecided voters in the last few minutes.

Speaking to people, some believed it was good to finally be voting and get it over and done with, others were going to miss the debate.

But when we arrived in Lochgilphead Joint Campus for the count itself – my first experience of a count – I expected there to be lots of nervous faces and pacing up and down as the counting got under way. But in fact again the place was calm.

As the results trickled in from other local authorities, the no campaigners starting filling the room as the Yes campaigners sat in their corner with heads in hands or on their phones as the hope of an independent Scotland dwindled away.

I have never covered or attended an election count, so with this being the first, I did expect the atmosphere to be more electric.

I think tiredness had set in for most people and when the announcement was finally made at 5.55am, a sense of relief was seen from the No camp, as the yes supporters hugged and cried at the loss of another local authority to the Better Together campaign.

It was an exciting event to be part of, and I can look back in years to come and remember where I was when Scotland decided its future.