So, after 38 years without the Premier League title, a period that saw the Coleman brothers start and finish their long Dons careers, the wait was finally over on a Tuesday night in early May as Walton failed to thrash fourth placed Knaphill by the sufficient margin and the class of 2010/11 were finally crowned champions after years of near and not so near misses.
The Dons are the longest serving team in the Premier league; not necessarily a good thing as others have overtaken us up the football pyramid, but we have always been a competitive force in the division since returning to the 'top flight' in 2004, even if we hadn't previously done enough to take home the league trophy.
Things looked reasonably positive during pre-season; always resolute and organised at the back, the Dons hadn't really scored enough goals since a young Stevie Farmer partnered Hodgkiss up top 5 years ago, plundering 50 goals between them (unfortunately, in those days we couldn't defend corners and so weren't as successful as their goals should have ensured).
However, new signing Paul Wicks told us that he was a prolific goal scorer and, bearing in mind our status as IT bum boys and with him being a 'bigger boy' none of us were going to argue with him. Further, everyone’s favourite Grover committed to his home team over and above his university side, Farmer was looking lean and ready, and Cookie was in imperious form. As long as everyone stayed fit and committed, our small squad looked like it should be able to compete.
The season started well with a 4 1 win at our old friends from Windlesham, with Wicksey opening his account and Browneye being rinsed about his S**T car. So far, so good.
Next up was early season pacesetters Knaphill; an end to end game resulted in a probably fair goalless draw. Then a well below par Dons team succumbed meekly to New Haw. New Haw were robust and competitive but losing at home to them was not the mark of the champions elect. A terrible Milford and Witley were then dispatched 3 0, with Adam Rogers notching his first Dons goal late on.
The Dons then welcomed a youthful Walton and Hersham side to Badger Park who started with 9 men because half of their team went to the wrong Hambledon!!
By this time, Liam had joined the Dons and must have wondered what on earth he was doing playing with a bunch of guys made to look old and very slow by an impressive, vibrant Walton side who ripped the Dons' defence to pieces and ran out 5-2 winners.
That day we were missing Toffer and the Chuckle brothers, as well as Glenda who ended up so far out of the side that he emigrated to Australia. Unfortunately, our squad just isn't big enough to cope with that many absentees and we found ourselves in midtable at 345pm that Saturday.
As I said in my match report against Shepperton the following Saturday, a week is a long time in football. Shepperton and the Dons don't get on; one group are young, educated and handsome, and the other.... isn't.
They were top of the league and playing some powerful football on their tiny pitch, whilst we were down to a bare 11 plus Clive and really up against it from the off. A hat trick of goal line clearances from Ricketts, a literally massive performance from Parker in the quarterback role, Suarez back to his best and the centre halves of Toast and Kiley dominant, and the Dons were still level at half time. Just.
By this time, Clive’s ageing legs had replaced Will Grove who limped off with a dodgy hammy, and it was Clive who nicked a breakaway goal to give the dons the lead on the hour, resulting in an 11 man bundle. Shepperton weren't amused and kept coming at us but they couldn't find the equaliser. Suddenly, it was 2-0 as Cookie netted and we were nearly home, only for the fattest of Fat Boys to pull one back to ensure a nervy 5 minutes, but we held firm to record a (reasonably) famous, season changing victory.
We knew that Ockham at home would be challenging but maybe we underestimated them; 2-0 down after half an hour was depressing but goals from Liam and a very angry Browneye in the last minute rescued a point, that was turned into three points as they had player a suspended player and two extra, very valuable points came our way.
Millmead followed at home and they ran the show for 15 minutes. Our troubles deepened when Browneye scratched his ear for the second time in a week and had to go and see the nurses. Again. (We need a new hardman- lucky Salmon is back this year!!). Miraculously, we found ourselves two up, with Wicksy finding the back of the net in the league for the first time since the opening game of the season, and getting a smacker from ricketts as a result, together with the obligatory 'you're S**T wicksey' (cos he is). Millmead pulled a goal back before half time and found the equaliser on the hour as the game then meandered to a draw.
Pirbright were next and, on paper, this should have been straightforward. Cue banter about football being played on grass not paper. We were terrible for half an hour on their elongated, narrow pitch, and we just couldn't get going and found ourselves 2 down at half time. Clive changed things around a bit and we pulled one back early in the second half but then, despite enjoying far more possession than our hosts, we simply couldn't find the equaliser until, on 80 minutes Walshy bundled home and then on the stroke of full time we nicked a scarcely deserved winner and smuggled all three points out of Pirbright.
The Dons returned from Christmas knowing that a title challenge was possible but we could ill afford to drop many more points.
Millmead away were first and the Dons defended magnificently against their prolific goal scoring opposition, before Wicksey nicked a winner and 2011 started in the best possible manner.
New haw were next and would provide a stern test after beating us at home in September. New haw raced out of the blocks and the dons had to defend superbly to keep the scores level at half time. Oli Cav came on at half time to replace the debutant Ben, who had dribbled himself into the ground, (and had also taken the worst throw in, in the history of man) and then, early in the second half, New Haws best player imploded and tried to decapitate Kiley. Down to 10 men, New Haw looked a shambles, leaking 7 goals in the second half (Oli Cav perfect hat trick amongst them) and offering nothing at the other end. Very odd.
Next up were league leaders Knaphill away. Knaphill started the brighter and should have taken the lead inside 15 seconds but hit the crossbar as the Dons ignored all of Clive's wise words. Knaphill did indeed take the lead on the half hour and it wasn't until the 85th minute that Wicksy scored a deserved equalised, much to the visitors' relief.
We should probably have gone on to win the game as Grover and Toffer came on for the last 20 minutes to provide fresh impetus, but in the end a draw away at the league leaders was a decent enough result.
The next three home games were must win; Shepperton, Pirbright and Windlesham in quick succession. By now, everyone was back and the Dons looked sharp, scoring 13 times with only one goal scored in response, as the Dons collected maximum points and began their sprint to the finish.
This set up a top of the table clash against a rampant Walton at their stadium in front of a bumper crowd. The kids were out of the blocks quickly, scoring twice in 15 minutes as for once the Dons' defence switched off. We pulled one back on the half hour through Browneye but a little bit of magic from Walton’s number 9 on the half hour knocked the stuffing out of us. The boys rallied and pulled another goal back through Wicksy and had 4 one on one chances before half time but couldn't find the equaliser. The second half was more of the same, with a blatant penalty turned down for a foul on Wicksey but the game petered out and the Dons were left wondering if those defensive lapses would ultimately cost us.
A poor Holmbury were next up and were put to the sword by 5 goals to 1, having put the frighteners’ on us by equalising on the half hour. Then came Ockham away on a very windy afternoon. They huffed and puffed and kept us level for an hour before Cookie finally woke up from his slumber and taught them a lesson twice (in a really nice way, obviously). The game was running its course when Ricketts produced the best goal line clearance EVER, somehow defying gravity and logic to prevent Ockham’s portly sub from scoring a last minute consolation from the goal line.
The return of Holmbury was next up on a glorious badger park afternoon. Sun-cream applied, the boys got going but it was more of a Sunday afternoon stroll as we won, somewhat unconvincingly, 2-0 to give ourselves a real shot at the title.
The final game was at home to Milford & Witley; pointless and not really fussed about playing. They did us a favour and got a team out. We knew that however many we won by, Walton would have to match the result in midweek to nick the title off us. Nail-biting stuff.
On another glorious afternoon the boys started slowly, showing some understandable nerves but we got our noses in front on the half hour and were 6 up by the 70 minute mark, which remained the score at the final whistle. 6 goals- was it enough? A nervous wait ensued as the Dons enjoyed a BBQ burger (well most of us got one; Parker ate 4 which meant some of the lads missed out).
Before finding out whether we would be crowned champions, the Dons played a league cup semi final against our friends from Walton and Hersham. We had enjoyed a good cup run in the County cup, beating Reigate Sala, Ockley (THEYRE IN SUSSEX- Walshy, who's manager complained that we bullied them. Has he ever played against Bedfont or Shepperton?!) and Repton before failing to turn up against Real Holmesdale in the 'last 16'. They were not particularly good but we undid all the good work of the previous rounds by having one of those afternoons where if it could go wrong, it did. Nuff said. Move on.
The league cup seemed straightforward enough; an excellent win against Millmead. A scratch team dispacted NLU with a last minute Wicksy penalty and then a classic cup quarter final against our old friends from Pirbright. We lost by the odd goal in 5 but by all accounts it was a great game. Unfortunately for 'Bright' they got kicked out for fielding an ineligible player, giving the Dons their shot at the semi final on another piping hot Saturday afternoon.
After a very even half hour Walton took the lead but the Dons kept going and had chances to draw level but it wasn't to be. We lost Browneye just before half time and then Toffer at the break and, truthfully, ran out of steam in the second half. Walton scored two fluky goals and had a perfectly good goal disallowed as they ran out comfortable winners, as our cup dream ended for another season.
Back to the league; Walton knew they had to beat Knaphill by 7 goals to snatch the title from under our noses. In truth, it was never really on as Knaphill did us proud, keeping the score to 3-1 and allowing the Dons to celebrate well into the late Spring evening.
From humble beginnings, the Dons stepped up a gear from December onwards, dropping only 5 points since 13th November when we drew with Millmead. I think that the win at Shepperton gave us the belief that we had at times been missing, aided by the competitive spirit of Wicksey and Liam, who both made a major difference to the team this season.
Going forward, every team will want to beat the champions; it wont be easy, but I am convinced that if we can keep the squad together and everyone can commit that bit more than we did last Autumn, and maybe get that bit fitter during pre-season, then we will have one hell of a chance of retaining our title.
Here is my challenge to you all: let’s score more than last season and concede fewer. Do that and we will have a chance.
Come on you Dons, let’s not rest on our laurels. Champions!!
