This weekend we are heading west and over the Severn Bridge for a couple of back-to-back games against Merthyr Town, a great opportunity for the full squad to get a good run-out as we ramp up preparations, kick offs tomorrow are at 12pm and 2pm. I am very much looking forward to seeing some familiar faces there, both from our hosts and from amongst our own travelling supporters. The hospitality at Merthyr is always first-class, and we thank them for hosting us once again. After the matches, the players & management will be heading into Cardiff for a team night out – a great chance to bond and unwind together as a squad before things get serious.
Back at home, we are keeping up the momentum. On Tuesday evening we are hosting our ever-popular Open Training Night from 6.30pm, involving our Women’s and Youth teams. It is always a wonderful community event, and this year we will once again be using the event to start handing out free players card to our Youth & Girls players. They are a vital part of this club’s future, and we hope they will use the tickets throughout the season – and maybe bring friends and family along too. The more the merrier, and the louder the better.
A huge thank you to the 650+ supporters who attended our two home pre-season matches this past week. A 1–0 win over Oxford City last Saturday, followed by a 2–1 comeback victory against Billericay Town on Tuesday night – two very encouraging performances as the squad starts to find rhythm and build confidence ahead of our opening fixture at Maidenhead. The new season is almost here.
The pitch has now had its final fertiliser and weed treatment and is looking so much better than the end of last season as I hope you will have seen during the pre-season games. There is still much to be done, Craig is working tremendously hard and we are all grateful for the recent rain, and the forthcoming rain in the forecast. Again as I hope you will have seen in the friendlies, the pitch now is far more conducive to good quality football.
Once again a massive thank you to Bucks Garden Rooms for their incredible donation of the Wallis Bar, which is already proving a real asset. I had the honour of meeting the Wallis family properly last week at the funeral of Bryn. It was an emotional day, and it was humbling to hear just how much the new bar meant to the family. Bryn was a true servant of Chesham United, and to deliver something in his name that the whole club will benefit from for years to come felt fitting. A heartfelt thank you as well to Gavin Jones and Alan Calder for helping me prepare and deliver a eulogy on behalf of the club.
A quick note on travel – there will be no supporters’ coach for the opening day away fixture at Maidenhead due to limited demand, but we are looking ahead to the next two away matches and gauging interest. Please do let us know as soon as possible if you are interested – early commitment makes all the difference with planning and costs. Meanwhile, if you are not making the trip to Wales this weekend and are free on Saturday morning or early afternoon, we will be running a last-minute work party at the ground. A big thank you to Mark Lacey who has given up so much of his time and will be there from 8.00am, there is still work to be done – a coat of paint on the first set of turnstiles, freshening up the men’s toilets, and a final few line markings. If you have a paintbrush, gloves or just some time to spare, please do come along. It would be great to give the “old girl” (Mark’s words!) one final polish ahead of the season’s curtain-raiser.
If you are craving a bit of football at The Meadow while the men’s team are away, the Women’s First Team are in action this weekend with a friendly against Atlético London – kick-off is at 2.00pm. Their FAWNL campaign gets underway in just two weeks, with London Bees visiting us on Sunday 17th August, also a 2.00pm kick-off. Get behind them when you can – there is a lot of exciting potential in that side.
As enjoyable as these pre-season games are, and they certainly give us cause for optimism, they really are just the appetiser. The main course is coming. The new season in the National League South is going to be tougher than ever. Some of the clubs, squads and budgets being talked about are staggering – Dagenham & Redbridge have just signed Andy Carroll, a former England and West Ham striker who once sold for £35 million. That tells you everything you need to know about the level we are now playing at.
We are under no illusions about the challenge ahead – it will be unforgiving. But we worked incredibly hard to earn our place at this level, and we are determined to prove that we belong here. Last season we took points off some of the strongest sides in the league, and we are aiming to do exactly that again, starting next week at Maidenhead. No easy starts in this division – just the way we like it. Straight in at the deep end.
Finally, congratulations to the England Lionesses on winning the Euros last weekend – a brilliant achievement and a wonderful advert for the women’s game and it gave the whole country a much-needed lift. Thank you all once again for your amazing support. Whether you are helping with a paintbrush on Saturday morning, cheering from the terraces in Merthyr, or attending Tuesday’s Open Training night – you are what makes this club special.
Peter Brown
