Did we really host an FA Cup game live on terrestrial television? Did we really knock a National League side out of the FA Cup to earn that TV game? And did we really compete in the league with full-time professional squads? Very quickly my mind rushes back from the memories and switches to thoughts of, how can we do it all over again next season? What can we do to IMPROVE on last season?

If you haven’t already, do check out the new website at cheshamunited.co.uk, a lot of work has gone into the new site and it will continue to develop over the summer, but it has given us a good platform to have a central place for all the key information and communications from across the entire club, and our all-important sponsor partners. Please bear with us, as content continues to be updated over the coming days. If you have any feedback or something you’d like to see on the website, then email press@cheshamunited.co.uk or message Ryan Woolnough and we will see if it can be done.

Announced this week, with full details on the website, were our pre-season friendly fixtures that kick-off on Saturday 12^th July – just 7 weeks time – away at Beaconsfield Town. This game is quickly followed by more away games at Uxbridge, Royston and Berkhamsted before we host two home matches against Oxford City and Billericay Town. Pre-season finishes with two games at our friends Merthyr Town where the full squad of both sides will be able to get good match time ahead of the season starting.

In the build up to pre-season the management team are still busy building the squad, finalising deals, retentions and new signings. As soon as all the I’s are dotted and T’s crossed, we will announce these details, as with last season we are keen to do that ahead of the pre-season period so that the squad can gel over these games, and you as supporters can come along to the friendlies with a good idea of who you are watching and how the squad is developing.

The Women’s 1st team are also taking some time out, but the coaches will be running some open training sessions this week and next at St Clement Danes for U18s to U23s who want to be considered for a place in either the U23s or 1st team squads for next season. The pre-season schedule is beginning to come together for them too as we wait for the FAWNL league allocations – I know they expect to see that information sometime in June before the FAWNL AGM later in the month.

Commercially the club is also a hive of activity, and I could not be more pleased with the support we are receiving from local businesses with Michele and the team doing a fantastic job out there of talking to the business community and putting together bespoke sponsorship packages that work for both parties, including now of course increased exposure on the new website. Income from this area of the club is looking to meet our planned budget, which is fantastic news at this stage of the season.

With the playing squad getting in position and the commercial business going well, I just hope now we can hit our goals on the most important part of it all – engaging and getting the backing of supporters and all local football fans. Of course the income from season tickets and match ticket sales is fundamental to the operations of the club, but it does more than that. We know the players rise to the occasion when they have a big crowd supporting them, but it also gives the whole club a lift knowing that supporters are behind what we are trying to achieve. Volunteers get a boost when they know the effort they are putting in is being appreciated by a wider audience and it also has a snowball effect with our commercial partners. Quite simply, the more people we have standing on the terraces, the more value that adds to our sponsors and advertisers and the more businesses want to get involved in the club.

I thank you greatly for the tremendous support last year, we had crowds like we have not seen at The Meadow for decades, but I believe we can improve on that. Please, if you can, visit the website and purchase your season tickets now so that you are all set for the season ahead. We have a Super Earlybird offer if you purchase your tickets before the end of June, the response so far has been fantastic so do please visit the new website and book your tickets for what promises to be another exciting season ahead.

Also available on the website are tickets for the wonderful Treorchy Choir who come to the Broadway Baptist Church on Saturday 7^th June, it is a real honour for the town to host this internationally renowned choir, please do help to spread the word and encourage your friends and family to attend the concert from which all profits go to Bucks Mind, our club charity partner.

Please also look out soon for details of work parties around the ground as we continue to improve the matchday experience for supporters. I mentioned last week the work that was happening on the playing surfaces, this now includes 80 tonnes of rootzone which has been spread over the entire pitch – a big thank you to our kitman Fred who is doing a tremendous job of keeping the pitch watered over the dry spell we are having. A rain forecast over the Bank Holiday might not be good for everyone, but our pitch will be delighted with the news.

Elsewhere the new bar being installed next to the main stand and is going to be a fantastic addition when it is finished over the next couple of weeks and we also have plans afoot to finish the toilet block in the far corner of the ground. I know there is some history behind this as funding to do this was provided to the club by the Supporters’ Club of some twenty plus years ago and there was much anger at the time at the way the money was taken and not used as intended. That may well be history, but I am keen to rectify that situation and I know there will be members of the old Supporters Club out there who still feel aggrieved, and I hope will be pleased to see the project finally completed.

Finally I wish Neil Calder all the very best for a successful knee replacement operation next week. Neil is my mainstay on club finances and does a huge amount behind the scenes which prevents my job from being a lot harder than it currently is.

Thank you for your support, enjoy the long weekend

Peter Brown