Chesham United Football Club is delighted to announce that management duo James Duncan and Michael Murray have agreed a contract extension until the end of the 2026/27 season.
“This is fantastic news for the club” said Chairman Peter Brown, “when we appointed James and Michael we were facing a relegation scrap to avoid dropping to Step 4 of the Non-League game. We made it clear back then that our long-term commitment was to take Chesham United up to the National League South, Step 2.
Many people thought we were crazy, but James & Michael shared our vision and belief. Now we have achieved that goal, I am truly excited about what we can achieve in the next chapter of the story as we make our way in the Conference South next season with a successful management duo locked down for the next three seasons”
After signing their new deal, James & Michael said, “We’re absolutely delighted to commit our future to the club with this extension. Our thanks go to the Chairman and the Board, we had great success last year and it seemed like a no-brainer to carry that with this great club.
We are entering exciting times with the step up to the National League, but we are under no illusion at the tough task ahead of us next season as we go into a very competitive level against some exceptionally strong sides, but we go into the season with the aim of establishing ourselves in the league both on and off the field.
A big thank you to all of the Chesham supporters for your continued backing and commitment to the club. It really means a lot to us and the squad to hear your support at games home and away, and your support next year is going to be as important as ever as we adjust to Step 2 football. Up the Chesh”
JD & Muzza were originally appointed as Joint Managers in October 2018, enjoying a fantastic start to their time at the Meadow, guiding the Generals from bottom of the table with 1 win from 11 leagues games at their appointment to a 10th place finish with a fantastic run of form to escape relegation in their first season.
In their first “full” season at the Meadow, James and Michael guided the club to 2nd place at curtailment of the 2019/20 season, before another strong start to the 2020/21 season before COVID-19 lockdowns again curtailed the season.
2021/22 saw the Generals miss out on the play-offs on the last day to Weston-super-Mare, missing out by a single point as the Generals built on two incomplete seasons. 2022/23 saw JD & Muzza guide the Generals one place higher in the 2022/23 table, before a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat in extra time at Bracknell Town.
2023/24 saw the Generals put the competition to the sword winning the league with 4 games to go, a 4-1 win away at Harrow Borough sealed the title and a place in the second tier of Non-League for the first time since the early 2000s. Celebrations ran long into the night as 5½ years of hard work was rewarded, the Generals lifted the trophy last Saturday against last-seasons play off semi final victors Bracknell Town to complete a season to be remembered with promotion stacked alongside a run to the FA Cup 1st Round Proper.
Prior to joining Chesham, James and Michael both played in Non-League for a number of years, coming up against the Generals across their playing careers. They reunited in management at Potters Bar Town, where in the 2017/18 season they led the Hertfordshire club to promotion into the Bostik Premier Division, before leaving with Potters Bar comfortably settled into the top ten of the new higher division.
You can find a full interview with the managers below
