Another week of walking around with huge smiles on our faces, despite a disappointing defeat on a very difficult pitch down at Tiverton last weekend. It was not the result we wanted, but it does show the value of what we have achieved across the season and the benefit of not having to rely on getting results in games like this.
Tomorrow we are back at The Meadow for our final home game of the season against Bracknell Town. It goes to show how football really is a “funny old game”. At the end of last season we suffered the heartbreak of losing a play-off semi-final, away at Bracknell Town. Ten months and 42 games of effort all proved to be in vain as one extra-time goal conceded ended our season and promotion hopes. The home fans celebrated as hundreds of Chesham United fans left Bracknell, late at night, completely gutted. No doubt jealous of the home fans. Fast forward twelve months and we are the ones celebrating promotion whilst our visitors hopes of promotion very much hinge on picking up points in these last two games of the season to try and grab the last play-off spot.
And I can assure you we will be celebrating tomorrow. We have a job to do on the pitch, but once that is over the champagne will be popping us on the pitch post-match we will be presented with the league title and continuing the party in The Chess Suite as players, management, officials and supporters come together to celebrate this fantastic achievement. Our last two home games have attracted crowds of over 1,000 people, there is every likelihood that we will do that again tomorrow, so please arrive early (the clubhouse will be open, hot food available from Billy Burger and the Tea Bar open) and buy your tickets in advance – available online.
I already think we produce the best matchday programme in the league, but for tomorrow we have produce a bumper edition and are getting extra copies printed having sold out very quickly at recent home games, but make sure you arrive in good time to get your hands on a copy, it is a great read. Thank you to everyone involved in the production of this programme, and Trevor Hyde who supplies so many of the wonderful photographs.
After tomorrow we have a week to get over the celebrations to travel to Gosport Borough for the final league match of the season. For our hosts that day it will not be their final game as they have already secured a play-off spot, but will be looking to secure a home tie and go into the play-offs in winning form. The Supporters Trust are running a coach, so please, come and join us one last time this season. Leaving the Meadow at 11am, £10 for CUST Members & U18s, £15 for Non-Members. More information can be found, and bookings placed, on the Trust website at custrust.co.uk.
While the men’s home games are finished for the season the Ladies still have 2 more great matches to come. We welcome QPR FC Women to The Meadow on Sunday afternoon at 2:00pm and then next weekend we host Norwich City Women. Do come along and give your support on Sunday, it is not every week that we get to host a club like Queens Park Rangers!
Tomorrow is going to be a great day and we should all be very proud of what we have achieved. Winning the league is not a fluke. A lot of work has gone on behind the scenes and on the pitch. We have not had the highest playing budget in the league, but we have proven what you can achieve with a good attitude and consistency. I am very pleased with the position we find ourselves in, and am confident that we are in a position to push on.
We all know that financial diligence is essential in non-league football. The sums very rarely add up when you balance income against desired expenditure (playing budget), but we have successfully increased our income streams to remove that reliance on individual donations. Hopefully that is evident for everyone to see.
Our commercial activity and sponsorship is hitting record highs thanks to the work Michelle Brooks is doing in the business community, merchandise sales have gone through the roof this year, Tanya and the team behind the bar have done a superb job of generating increased, bar sales, attendances have been on the up, FA Cup prize money was most welcomed and we must never underestimate the Alex Horne and Taskmaster effect.
All of this has put us in a position to tackle life in the National League South without fear. There is still a huge amount of work to do, but I am confident in the foundations we have in place and we should all look forward to next season with great excitement. It will be a new challenge and one we have been itching to take on for many years now. That said, in truth, when looking at the whole structure of the club, we are in so much of a better place to establish ourselves in the league above than we have been over the past few years, or even twelve months ago. Maybe for that, in hindsight, last year’s play-off heartbreak was a blessing in disguise!
Thanks for your support.
Peter Brown, Chairman
