 |
The 2008/09 Season for Potters Football Club shall long live in the memory of the participating players & following club supporters, as an absolutely fantastic, highly successful campaign, packed full of sky high's & silverware!
Following an inconsistent first season, the Summer of 2008 saw a shake-up off-the-field at club, with club-founder Henry Willard stepping up as Manager aswell as controlling secretarial admin & club finances.
On the field, the first Pre-Season friendly of the 08/09 Season landed on Saturday 23rd August 2008, with a 2-2 draw vs. Tonbridge League side Dowgate proving to be the final outcome. The game saw debuts handed to three players who would notably go on to play a big part during the rest of the campaign, with Jim Cook, Dan McCloy, & Mark Healey all finding themselves in the starting line-up. The later two players inparticular getting themselves on the scoresheet for Potters' two goals vs. Dowgate.
Three further Pre-Season fixtures followed with a mixture of trialists & permanent squad members playing a big part in 5-0 & 6-0 victories over Ashton Prime & Radius FC respectively, before the friendlies drew to a close with a 1-1 draw at home to fellow Sevenoaks Division 3 side AW London Reserves.
Further debuts were handed during these games to Craig Bowman vs Ashton Prime, notably getting himself on the scoresheet in the process, & Mark Howard & Goalkeeper Martin Kirby vs Radius FC.
The first day of the League season arrived on Saturday 20th September with a home fixture vs local rivals Ightham Reserves. Ightham have proven somewhat to be Potters' 'bogey' side in past meetings, particularly in the League, & once again this was to prove the case as Henry Willard suffered a cruel 2-1 defeat in his first competitive game incharge. A highly controversial free-kick decision deep into second half stoppage time provided the direct assist for an Ightham winner at the death, but Potters picked themselves up the following week to grab a 3-2 victory over Ide Hill Reserves.
Into October 2008, & a 6-0 home victory over village rivals Borough Green drew huge smiles all round at the final whistle, with one of the best overall performances of the season. A hatrick from Captain Mike Beverley was a particular highlight along with a man of the match performance from Mark Howard who made his competitive debut.
The 11th October saw Henry Willards men tally 11 goals in two games with no reply as a 5-0 victory over Nomads Reserves bagged a convincing 3 points, with Shaun Smart (2) & Mike Beverley (3) getting on the scoresheet.
The following week saw the arrival of the first Cup game of the campaign, with a Penalty shootout eventually deciding the winner after Potters fought out a 2-2 after 120 minutes vs Ightham Reserves at the 'Ightham Bowl'. Peter de-Kisshazy & a great strike from Henry Willard sent the game to a goalless extra-time, before Goalkeeper Martin Kirby won himself Hero status, saving Ightham's spot kick to send Potters through the Quarter Final, eventually winning 7-6 on Penalties. Mark Howard, Peter de-Kisshazy, Shaun Smart, Mike Beverley, Craig Bowman, Dean Miller, & Keith Larkin all scored their decisive penalties.
Back to the League, & the following week saw a 2-1 away victory vs Seal III bag another 3 points, with Shaun Smart & Mike Beverley both grabbing a goal each.
November 2008 arrived with a bang, as fellow title hopefuls Wilderpark Reserves visited Potters Mede, & left off the back of a 7-2 defeat as Henry Willards men ran riot! Believe it or not, this game at the time was a top-of-the-table clash, with both sides sitting on the same number of points, having played, won, drawn & lost the same amount of games. Goals from Peter de-Kisshazy, Mark Howard, Shaun Smart, Henry Willard, Mike Beverley (2), & a single own goal capped a superb all-round, confident display.
Another break from the League campaign saw Willard's men take on eventual Premier Division runners-up, Sevenoaks Town 'A' at Greatness Park in the Sevenoaks Charity Cup. Despite the absence of the experienced midfield duo of Peter de-Kisshazy & Mark Howard, Potters held their own against far superior opposition for the majority of the game, & stunned Sevenoaks by taking the lead in the first half through Player/Manager Henry Willard. A late flurry of second half goals flattered Sevenoaks Town as they ran out eventual 6-1 winners, in a game that on paper looked far more one sided than actually contested! The game also notably saw a debut handed to Bradley Bowman in the Potters' goal.
The League Cup Quarter Finals followed on 15th November, aswell as more familiar winning ways, as Potters enjoyed a 6-1 home victory over Seal III, with Shaun Smart, Dan McCloy (2), & Mike Beverley (3) all getting on the scoresheet.
During the week that followed, two players left Potters Mede for pastures new, with brothers Danny Miller & Dean Miller both moving to Seal III for first-team football following an approach from Seal's Manager during Potters' 6-1 Cup Quarter Final victory.
Saturday 22nd November saw a return to the League campaign, & despite a good performance, Willards' men slipped to a hugely unfortunate 3-2 defeat away to League leaders Westerham IV. Young Dean Miller inparticular played his final game for the club, whilst Alex Beharrell & Robbie Smith both came within a whisker of grabbing their first goals for the club as Potters threw absolutely everything at Westerham, only to huff & puff & somehow leave Westerham with no points gained. Peter de-Kisshazy grabbed both goals for Potters.
The final game in November saw Potters battle to victory at Radius FC, coming away with a 5-2 victory in extremely poor playing conditions with Shaun Smart (3) & Mike Beverley (2) getting on the scoresheet.
The month of December saw Potters grab their first ever piece of silverware, prior to a 3-2 home victory over Tonbridge Baptist Church Reserves in the League, & a 5-1 away win at Borough Green in the League Cup Semi-Final.
Huge credit was deserved for Craig Bowman who grabbed the winner in the last minute of Injury time vs Tonbridge to secure a precious 3 points, whilst the return of three long-term absentees helped guide Henry Willards side to Cup Semi-Final success over local rivals Borough Green at Wrotham Recreation Ground. University students Bradley Bowman, & Mark Healey returned fit & available for selection for the Christmas period, as did Luke Gordon who returned from working abroad. Goals from Peter de-Kisshazy, Craig Bowman, Dan McCloy, & skipper Mike Beverley (2) sent Potters through to their first ever Cup Final.
The League Cup Final itself followed just a week later on Saturday 27th December to round-off a clean sweep of Holiday period success for Potters Football Club, as Henry Willard's side battled to victory over Wilderpark Reserves at Greatness Park.
On a bitterly cold afternoon, Potters were unfortunately unable to replicate the performance that saw them defeat their opponents 7-2 in the League earlier in the season, with the score level at 2-2 after 120 minutes. Within normal time Wilderpark were handed a controversial goal that was clearly offside, with a guilty linesman decision preventing Potters from lifting the trophy after 90 minutes, however justice was done as the sun went down over Sevenoaks, & Goalkeeper Bradley Bowman was the spot-kick Hero as the game went to penalties. Saving Wilderpark's second & fifth pens, Potters' players rushed to congratulate Bowman upon saving the final kick, & just 18 months on from the founding of the club, Potters FC proudly lifted their first ever piece of Silverware - League Cup Winners 08/09!
The year 2009 arrived with a home tie vs AW London. The Potters Mede pitch passed an inspection prior to kickoff following an overnight frost, & Potters FC passed the tricky test of mid-table side AW who were beaten by goals from Henry Willard & Dan McCloy in a 3-2 victory for Willard's men.
Just three weeks on from their meeting in the Cup Final, & Potters once again faced familiar opponents Wilderpark Reserves, this time in the League as Potters made the journey to Sevenoaks.
The game saw a debut handed to new signing Goalkeeper Jack Baker, with Martin Kirby having left the club on mutual terms due to injury & work commitments.
16yr old Baker signed unattached on Saturdays, having been scouted playing for Borough Green Under 18's by Potters' influential engine Mike Bateman.
Goals from Peter de-Kisshazy, Mike Beverley & Henry Willard helped guide Potters to a deserved 3-2 away victory, but a man of the match performance from young debutant Baker stole the show as he saved two penalties to keep his new side in the game, & steer Potters FC to yet another victory over Wilderpark.
Saturday 24th January spelled a home defeat for Potters in a nasty game of football that will unfortunately be remembered for everything but that; League new-boys Swanley Oaks visited Potters Mede & went home with three points after a 6-3 victory. On a boggy surface, Swanley bullied their way to victory with one eye on the ball, & one eye on the man as the match official also had a game to forget. A 22-man brawl was the unfortunate highlight of the game, as verbal abuse aswell as legs & punches were thrown from the visitors. Potters did well to grab three second-half goals, but overall, a game to simply forget, with water under the bridge. Notably however, new signing Glenn Bunn made his full debut for the club.
The overall performances throughout the month of January 2009 had admittedly not been at their peak, & two defeats in two games left a slight element of worry in the Potters' camp. With Manager Henry Willard was absent for the week, bottom-of-the-league Ide Hill Reserves snatched a 2-1 win at Potters' expense on January 31st. Shaun Smart got the visitors goal.
Two weeks off, & then a return to action on Saturday 14th February. Refreshed, reshuffled & recuperated, a lengthy changing room team talk from Manager Henry Willard prior to kick-off had the desired positive effects, & Potters were back to their best, & back to winning ways with a superb 6-0 away victory at Tonbridge Baptist Church Reserves! Goals from Shaun Smart, & a resounding 5 goals from skipper Mike Beverley secured a vital confidence boosting win, with 3 points in the bag. An all-round great performance, & a first clean-sheet for new Goalkeeper Jack Baker.
Further February victories over AW London Reserves & Radius FC saw leading scorer Mike Beverley add another four goals to his tally, as he contributed to 3-1 & 2-1 wins respectively. Two sublime direct free kicks & a magnificent match winning solo run at home to Radius were a particular highlight.
As the final League table began to take shape, Potters FC sat in a strong title challenging position thanks to a great sweep of February victories. March 2009 arrived with an eagerly awaited trip to Swanley Oaks. Mark Howard, Shaun Smart & injury victim Joe Gransden were absent, however Bradley Bowman returned from University to start his first game outfield under Henry Willard.
Robbie Smith was enjoying a good run in the side & started his third game in a row in the right hand side of midfield, with the familiar back line of Jim Cook, Peter de-Kisshazy, Craig Bowman & Keith Larkin in defence. Since the dip in form over January, Willard reverted de-Kisshazy to centre-back for the remainder of the season alongside Craig Bowman, with Mike Bateman pushing up into central midfield to partner most recent signing Glenn Bunn. A strong, formidable central structure to Potters' game no doubt helped secure the abundance of victories that came Potters' way in the latter & most vital stage of the season, & a confident 2-0 victory at Swanley helped continue the positive form, with Henry Willard & Mike Beverley getting on the scoresheet that afternoon.
Another trip to the 'Ightham Bowl' followed on 14th March with a League tie against Ightham Reserves, who once again proved extremely unpopular with local neighbours Potters FC, & ran out 3-1 winners to throw a spanner in the works for their rivals' title challenge. Before the game Potters sat in a Promotion spot of 2nd place with Ightham not far behind in 5th. A single Dan McCloy goal wasn't enough for Potters', who's slightly reshuffled line-up were unable to find further openings in statistically at the time, the best defence in the League. Despite the result, a man of the match performance from Mark Weller at left back was a great positive.
The following week saw the heavily delayed Fisher Shield cup competition make its' way onto the fixture board, with Potters' drawn at home to familiar opponents Seal III. Traditionally contested between all sides from the Sevenoaks & District Division 2 & Division 3, due to a backlog of delayed fixtures in the Second Division, the Fisher Shield went ahead with just teams from the Third Division competing against each other for the Cup, & Potters FC progressed through from the First Round after a 3-2 victory thanks to goals from Shaun Smart (2) & Mike Beverley.
The 28th March saw a return to the League Campaign, & a return to Potters Mede for Seal III. Just 7 days on from knocking Seal out of the Fisher Shield, 3 vital points were added to the League Table for Henry Willard's Potters side who grabbed a well deserved 2-1 win thanks to goals from Mark Howard, & Player/Manager Willard himself. With various comings & goings in terms of availability for this fixture, a rather stretched squad included versatile playmaker Bob Piper who slotted in at left back & opened up a world of creativity. Man of the match was duly awarded to Piper for a tremendous display.
April 2009 began for Potters with a Quarter Final exit from the controversially amended Fisher Shield cup competition, with Wilderpark Reserves eventually getting a win at Potters Mede as they progressed to the Semi-Final after a 4-1 victory. Bradley Bowman grabbed his first Potters' goal however with a very well taken strike. It was clear from the performance where Potters' priorities were placed, & despite a calm display, sights were firmly on challenging for the League, with just three domestic fixtures remaining.
Westerham IV had led proceedings at the top of Division 3 since mid-November, having largely played two more games than the chasing pack of Wilderpark Reserves, Ightham Reserves, & Potters FC.
By Saturday 11th April 2009, Ightham had tailed off to leave the League Cup Final pairing of Wilderpark & Potters breathing down Westerhams' necks.
Westerham travelled to Potters Mede to contest in what was their final game of the season, knowing that a win would ultimately secure them the title. For Henry Willard's men, even a draw would spell an end to Potters' title challenge, making the pre-game briefing a rather simple one - Win! Three precious points were required for Potters to jump into pole position & take a giant step towards League success.
A strong Potters' side went in at half-time with the score level at 1-1. Mike Bateman headed in his first goal of the season to give the home side the lead, before Westerham levelled just after the half hour mark.
An extremely professional performance from Potters FC helped them take a 2-1 lead in the second half, before a bizarre deflected goal found its way past Jack Baker between the sticks to make it 2-2 with 20mins left on the clock. Hearts were in mouths for both sides, with absolutely everything still to play for; It took until the 83rd minute for another goal to arrive, & when it did, it was the home side who were celebrating. A terrific run from influential midfielder Mike Bateman found its way into the feet of Mike Beverley. Holding the ball up well, a deflected shot eventually found its way into the feet of Shaun Smart who spun expertly to bury the ball into the bottom far hand corner of the net from just inside the box, & send the Potters FC players & fans into raptures! In the dying few seconds Westerham struck the post in a goalmouth scramble, but writing began appearing on the wall that this was quite possible Potters' year, as the referee called time on the game moments later to cue celebrations from the home side.
Just two games left of the season, & two glorious milestones were on the cards; An evening fixture away to local rivals Borough Green on Thursday 16th April resulted in a confident 5-1 victory for the visitors, & celebration at the final whistle as Potters FC jumped to the top of the table & achieved promotion to the Second Division thanks to goals from Peter de-Kisshazy, Henry Willard, Mike Bateman, & Shaun Smart (2). Smart opened the scoring within the opening 30 seconds, neatly chipping the goalkeeper, whilst two further goals followed shortly after. 4-1 at Half-time, a slightly more relaxed second half saw Borough Green deflated with nothing to play for, & a Potters side playing with great confidence, & enjoying their football. Mike Bateman grabbed the fifth goal in the second half; his second goal in successive games, his second goal of the season, & a great goal against his former club. A very well balanced performance with further highlighted contribution from Glenn Bunn, Craig Bowman, & man of the match Peter de-Kisshazy who all played particularly well.
With promotion secured, celebration & a sense of relief followed with an extremely long, grueling campaign drawing to an end. With atleast second spot guaranteed to add to the League Cup winning achievement in December, it was now down to Potters' final game of the season away to bottom-of-the-league Nomads Reserves;
With Henry Willard's men proudly sitting at the top of the table, just two points separated them from title rivals Westerham IV & Wilderpark Reserves - The latter still with one fixture left, unlike Westerham who's last game of the season ended in a notable 3-2 defeat at Potters Mede. A Potters victory on this final day would see them lift the title & be crowned Division 3 Champions, just 20 months to the day since their first ever game in history, ironically on the very same pitch vs a Nomads side in a pre-season friendly back on Saturday 25th August 2007.
Six players from the squad that day travelled to Edenbridge for this latest fixture, as a healthy 15-man Potters' side prepared for this crucial tie. A win would guarantee the title for Willard's side, however a draw or defeat would leave chasing Wilderpark Reserves requiring just a simple 3 points from their game with lowly Ide Hill Reserves in their last game of the season on 2nd May to snatch the title at the death.
Potters however were in a buoyant mood, & there was only one forced change to the side that started so well to defeat Borough Green on 16th April & secure Promotion.
Jack Baker started in goal, with Mark Healey, Craig Bowman, Peter de-Kisshazy & Mark Weller in defence. In midfield, Henry Willard & Bradley Bowman started on the wings, with Glenn Bunn & Vice-Captain Mike Bateman in the centre. Upfront, the experienced Mark Howard returned to the side after 2 games out to replace the injured Mike Beverley, with the recently impressive Shaun Smart completing the starting XI. On the bench there were three faces returning to the side after lengthy spells out; Joe Gransden was returning from injury, Luke Gordon was temporarily back in the country having worked abroad since the turn of the year, & Alex Beharrell's work commitments were put on hold for the final day of the season. Robbie Smith completed the strong four-man substitutes bench, as the glorious Spring sunshine shone down upon Edenbridge & both sides took to the pitch with the 2.30pm kick-off imminent.
The game got underway in a fairly lethargic fashion, with neither side really able to get their foot on the ball & create much from the midfield in the opening few minutes, however an early scare for the visitors with just four minutes on the clock came about following a quick Nomads break away which saw their pacy forward home in on Jack Baker's goal, only to be denied by the woodwork as the low shot from 9yrds out sent an early wake-up call to the visitors. Mark Healey did do well to keep the pressure on the attack however, & force the striker wider than he would have probably liked.
Up the other end Potters went on to enjoy a succession of corners. Shaun Smart's great running & constant hassling of the shaky defence forced clearances in the Nomads back-line, & it was Smart who himself delivered the cross for the games opening goal - A corner whipped in with pace was met brilliantly by centre-back Craig Bowman who volleyed in from close range to give Potters FC a great early boost with just over 5 minutes played.
1-0 the scoreline, & a chance for the visitors to push on & rally forward in search of a second goal.
Nomads caught themselves out on numerous occasions with their #9 central midfielder committing several fouls in the centre of the park, whilst going forward were also failing to create very little besides using their two wingers as extra strikers to create a four-man strike-force. The home side were however pushing forward & making the most of the space on their long & narrow pitch, with particular gaps appearing in the Potters' midfield.
The back line were holding together well however, with Bowman & de-Kisshazy winning everything in the air as the long balls came in.
Potters' counter-attacked when given the chance, & Mike Bateman was having another great game alongside Glenn Bunn. Mark Howard in a somewhat unfamiliar advanced role in the final third was knocking some terrific balls through to Shaun Smart on the last man, & Smart could well have added to his five goals in as many games with a well controlled pass setting himself up for a volley infront of goal, but the final connection on the shot was not as clean as he would have liked, & the goalkeeper scooped the ball up on his line.
Still pressing, Potters' found themselves in Nomads' box on several occasions, & on 20minutes Mike Bateman was clearly pushed in the back in the penalty area as he looked to control a Mark Healey ball in, & the referee quite rightly pointed to the spot, giving Bateman the oppertunity to double his side's scoreline from 12yrds out. Wearing the captains armband, Potters' #15 stepped up to cooly send the 'keeper the wrong way, & Bateman grabbed his third goal of the season.
As the game resumed, there was a feeling that Potters' could go on to score quite a number of goals if they could raise their game another notch, but just before the half-hour mark the game took an interesting turn as the home side stuck one foot back in the game; A lovely passing attack from the visitors eventually ended up in a mix-up on the wing, & Nomads capitalized to break with their wingers again pushing forward to form a four-man forward line.
Some good passing across the pitch eventually ended up at the feet of Nomads' winger, who one-on-one with Jack Baker, came out on top as he tucked the ball away to reduce the scoreline to 2-1.
The goal has stunned Potters, but the visitors now had to pick themselves up & push on to regain their two-goal advantage.
Thankfully, it didn't take long for the fourth goal of the game to arrive, & it was the home sides' goalkeeper who was once again picking the ball out of the back of the net;
A wonderful cross into the box was met at close range by Peter de-Kisshazy, & on 37mins the central defender rose above Nomads' young goalkeeper to beat him in the air & nod the ball home, making the score 3-1. Appeals from the 'keeper claiming he had two hands on the ball were rightly waved away by the referee, & with not long to go until half-time, Potters' two-goal advantage was restored.
Shortly before the break Nomads broke forward in attack down the left wing, surging forward with pace in numbers, but a superb last ditch tackle from Craig Bowman thwarted any goal bound effort, & Bowman carried the ball out following the terrifically timed challenge.
The half-time whistle followed shortly after, & the players took to the sidelines to re-hydrate & reflect on the first 45minutes.
The second half saw one tactical change for Potters FC, with Mark Howard dropping to the centre of midfield alongside Mike Bateman, & Glenn Bunn pushing forward to support Shaun Smart upfront.
Captain Mike Bateman was doing a great job of rallying the troops, with every single player focused on the final 45minutes of the season. Potters looked to resume play in an up-tempo fashion with Shaun Smart's pace the catalyst, but several attacks broke down too easily as passes went astray, & lack of control sometimes got the better of both sides.
In controversial style, the next goal of the game saw the home side once again reduce the deficit to just a single goal, as the score became 3-2 with just 5minutes of the second half played;
A long ball into Jack Baker's penalty area saw the Potters' 'keeper come to collect the ball, only to be backed into & clearly obstructed by Nomads' forward. Gaining the advantage, the home side's short striker managed to flick a header at the front post over the helpless Jack Baker, & into the back of the net, much to the fury of the Potters' #1.
Questions were immediately asked following the clear impedance on Baker's ability to gather the long ball freely, however the referee was unwilling to listen to the protests, & the game was all of a sudden back in the balance.
Player/Manager Henry Willard immediately recognized the need for the back line to be further up the field, & instructed the back four to step up & close the gap between the defence & midfield.
As Potters' substitutes warmed up following the home sides' second goal, the 10 outfield players on the pitch looked to pull together & regain a more comfortable lead with still a long way to go until the final whistle.
In a great oppertunity in the Nomads penalty area, Shaun Smart found himself positioned brilliantly on the edge of the box following a quick break. Mark Howard & Henry Willard both timed their runs to perfection as they found acres of space 15yrds from goal, but Smart opted to shoot at goal, seeing his effort blocked well by the goalkeeper & forcing a corner.
From the same attack, Craig Bowman came close to grabbing his second goal of the game, rising above everyone from the corner only to see his bullet header sail inches wide of the post.
In a good spell of pressure from Potters FC, their fourth goal did arrive not long after Bowman's effort, & the goal that all but secured victory came just before the hour mark;
A terrific attack down the right wing saw Shaun Smart's persistence pay off as he got himself in a great position to cross the ball into the penalty area, & in doing so, his low drive across the box was met gratefully at the back post by Glenn Bunn, who knocked the ball into the back of the net to grab his first goal of the seasons, & make the scoreline a slightly more comfortable 4-2 to Potters.
It was Bunn who grabbed Potters' first ever goal in their history back on August 25th 2007 on the same pitch vs the Nomads team of that day, but his celebrations following his goal in this game appeared understandably more significant!
Shortly after the goal, Player/Manager Henry Willard withdrew himself, & Luke Gordon came on in his place for the final half hour, making his first appearance since the Cup Final victory in late December 2008.
Slotting straight in on the right hand side of midfield, Gordon made an immediate impact, linking up well with his midfield counterparts & showing an abundance of pace & energy on the wing.
Following the fourth goal, Potters FC appeared to sit back once again & soak up any pressure from the home side when they attacked on rare occasions.
Sitting rock bottom of the league, Nomads Reserves looked a side with little confidence & ambition, but you sensed that on their day, with more of a determined drive about their play they could match sides higher in the league & put up a stronger fight.
Various long balls were dealt with well by Jack Baker in the Potters' goal however, & the home sides best chance of the second half landed at the feet of their central midfielder who homed in on goal, only to slice his final shot high & wide from the edge of the box with the Potters' defence still ahead of him.
Still suffering from blisters picked up in previous weeks, Bradley Bowman was replaced by the eager Robbie Smith with just over 20minutes still left to play, with Smith slotting in on the right wing, & Luke Gordon coming over to the left hand side of midfield.
Both substitutes were showing positive touches on the ball, with good composure & running off the ball to great effect.
Mark Healey & Mark Weller continued to put in solid performances in both full back positions, whilst in the centre of midfield Mark Howard looked more comfortable in the middle of the park, working well alongside the driving force of Mike Bateman.
Very few chances to report materialized as the game wore on; The hosts appeared resigned to defeat, whilst Potters were standing firm to protect their lead without posing much attacking threat.
On 83 minutes Alex Beharrell made his first appearance since 31st January 2009, replacing Glenn Bunn upfront for the remainder of the game, & was immediately involved in what was to be the last real attack of the game; Beharrell linked up well with Robbie Smith on the right hand side of midfield before making a darting run into space on the edge of the box, only to see the reverse through ball into his feet snuffed out at the last minute.
Final substitute Joe Gransden had gracefully opted out of making one last appearance of the season with his broken Shoulder Bone still on the mend, but Gransden along with fellow injury victims Mike Beverley & Keith Larkin on the sidelines, joined in the celebrations as the referee blew the final whistle to call an end to an incredible season for Potters FC, which see's the club successfully achieve 'The Double' in only their second ever season of existence!!
Post-match champagne filled celebrations were thoroughly enjoyed, with every single player's hard work, commitment, effort, & fantastic performances throughout the entire season finally paying off with victory on the final day, seeing Potters Football Club crowned Champions of Division 3, confirming top spot & promotion to Division 2 at the final whistle.
The Final Word
Well, what can I say?! The 2008/09 season was an absolutely phenominal achievement, & the manner in which each game was approached was simply fantastic! The positivity around the camp remained consistently high, with every single player pulling together & driving forward towards success as one - As a team!
The League Cup in December was a proud day in the club's short history, securing our first ever piece of silverware, but to push on with still four months of League football to play in search of the title, the ultimate prize has deservedly come to Potters Mede, crowing this fantastic Football Club Sevenoaks & District Division 3 Champions 08/09 - An absolutely superb achievement, & a proud one that will long stay with myself for many, many, many years!
To each & every single one of you that represented Potters Football Club during the 2008/09 season in our drive, ambition, up's, down's, banter, laughs, fond memories & ultimate success - I cannot thank you enough! I am so so proud of what you have all helped bring to this club - A club so very close to my heart. Each & every week I have lived & breathed Potters FC, & the success you all helped us achieve is simply overwhelming. It goes without question, that I would like to say a massive, massive - THANK YOU!
I sincerely look forward to the challenge of Division 2 with a few new faces during Pre-Season 09/10, & long may this great club continue to enjoy success in such a fantastic manner.
-Hen |
E-mail
Print
