Wow, I can’t believe that we are just a week away from the new season, after such a long-time shutdown we are now into that period where I find myself waking up in the middle of the night worrying about something else that we might not have in place ready for the big kick-off! Thank you to the team around that have been helping with the preparations, but we are always on the lookout for more admin support and volunteers to take on some of the everyday responsibilities that will help to ease the burden on the few, if you have some time to spare, please don’t be a stranger.
I am, at last, delighted to say that all season tickets are available to collect either from the club this evening (Friday) between 5pm and 7pm or they will be on the turnstiles for the Farnborough game a week on Thursday. This year the tickets have predominantly been printed by yours truly as I come to terms with the Duracard printing machine that I had never even heard of a couple of weeks ago, let alone knew how to operate!
It is very much our goal this season to support as many local businesses as possible when making our buying choices. Indeed, we purchased the equipment we needed for printing the season tickets from JPS Stationers in town, a big thank you to Ray Williams there for helping us out with some excellent prices and service. I know that JPS Stationers have been very active within the national Keep It Local campaign organised by stationers all over the UK, as well as the local ‘Shop Local’ push in Chesham.
In other local news we have just today finalised our plans for printing the programme and I am delighted to say that the printing will this coming season take place much more locally as we build an exciting new partnership with Inklink Printers in Waterside, Chesham. A big thank you to Cliff Davies and the team at Inklink, I know there is a very close relationship with Chesham Stags, but I hope we can tempt you down to The Meadow to watch the round ball game at some point during the season as well! Now the hard work begins for the team putting the programme artwork together ready for the first game.
We do still have other roles that we are desperate to fill to make sure that we are match ready and compliant for our first home game a week on Tuesday. We need somebody that is prepared to prepare and supply the hospitality food in the boardroom and for the players in the clubhouse after matches. This is a position we are prepared to pay for as an important requirement from the league, and we will also offer a free season ticket to the partner of whoever takes the job so that you can both spend the day together at the club on matchdays! Please do get in touch, chairman@cheshamunited.co.uk if you can help out, or know someone who can.
I am also very interested in talking to any individuals that would be interested in joining the board or management team to take on a pro-active role within the club. We are building a good team of representatives from around the club, but we are still in need of more people willing to take on responsibility for small areas of the club, on the basis that many hands make light work. I am not looking for people to commit huge amounts of time, but if there is one job you are willing to take responsibility for so that I know it will be done without me having to worry about it, I would love to hear from you.
On the field preparations continue for the start of the season next week, the game against Tiverton will see the start of the 100th league season for Chesham United. Our resident statto, I mean historian, Giles Stevenson has been busy pulling together some statistics, so here goes…the game at Tiverton will be the clubs 3336th league game of which it will be the 694th Southern league game we have played, the first Southern League game being on 14 August 2004. Of the 3335 league games played to date, Chesham have won 1514, drawn 633 & lost 1188, scoring 6456 against 5368 let in.
A big thank you to Giles and all the supporters that have donated old Chesham United programmes to his research, I know Giles is still on the lookout for more programmes so if you have any that you no longer want, he will gladly take them off you, simply drop to the Supporters’ Trust club shop on a matchday and they will be sure to go to a good home.
Tomorrow we travel to Bowers & Pitsea for our final pre-season friendly before the game at Tiverton next weekend. Thank you for the support over the past couple of seasons, it has been tough for all of us, but there is very much a light at the end of the tunnel.
