The backing you continue to give the players, home and away, is absolutely superb. Tuesday night’s trip to Totton was a perfect example – a long journey for a midweek fixture, but the vocal support helped lift the team to what I felt was a dominant performance, even if we only came away with a point. We showed real character and control throughout the match and deserved more than the 1-1 draw. On Saturday at Chelmsford we gave ourselves a mountain to climb after conceding two early goals, but again the fight and resilience was there, pulling one back and pushing for the equaliser right until the end.

Tomorrow we welcome Bath City to The Meadow in the league, and we are keen to get another victory under our belt. This match also marks the 300th game in charge for our management duo James Duncan and Michael Murray – an incredible achievement in this day and age. I want to publicly thank both of them for their loyalty, hard work and continued belief in what we are building at Chesham. They are more than just managers, they are part of our community and the identity of this football club. Saturday is also a special day for another long-serving member of our team – our match secretary, match reporter, programme contributor and all-round club stalwart, Simon Newbury, celebrates his 70th birthday on Sunday. Simon has been producing our match reports since 2003 and over the years has taken on many different roles behind the scenes. His commitment to Chesham United is unwavering and I am sure you will all join me in wishing him a very happy birthday.

Talking of programmes, having travelled to all our away fixtures so far this season, I cannot help but notice the contrast in quality. At some clubs, the majority of the pages are adverts with very little genuine content – a quick flick through at half-time and you are done. At Chesham, we remain proud of the fact that our programme is a proper part of the matchday experience: notes from the manager and chairman, opposition features, alternate views, supporter contributions and historical pieces. For me, a programme should be a keepsake and a genuine read. It’s not about cramming in adverts, it’s about giving supporters something they can engage with, and I think ours is up there with the best. Long may it continue, but we do need people to keep buying them, even pre-ordering where possible, to make sure it remains viable.

On the footballing front, I must give a mention to our very young Under-18s side, made up largely of Under-17 players, who put on a thrilling display this week in a 3-3 draw at The Meadow. The goalkeepers on either side deservedly getting respective Man of the Match awards, but it was end-to-end excitement with some superb goals, including one of the best penalties you will ever see taken here. It was a reminder that great value can be found in watching football across all levels at the club, not just the first team.

Our women’s teams were also in action last Sunday. The First Team got their season up and running with a hard-fought 1-1 draw at The Meadow against AFC Sudbury. A first-half strike from Jenny Nagle had us in front, Erin Radbourne saved a first half penalty and it looked like being enough until the referee spoiled the afternoon with a very harsh handball decision in the box. Erin went the right way again but Sudbury converted the penalty and the points were shared. The Development side also kicked off their Southern Region Women’s Football League campaign with a defeat at home to Penn & Tylers. This Sunday the First Team are on the road to Watford (at Kings Langley) in the FA WNL Cup, while the Devs take on Larkspur Rovers at Chiltern Hills Academy. Best of luck to both teams.

Off the pitch, our clubhouse continues to go from strength to strength. Sky Sports has already been a big success, with supporters enjoying the chance to stay after games or come down on other days to watch football in the comfort of The Chess Suite. Soon we will also have a dartboard and pool table installed to make the space even more attractive as a community sports bar. I really want our clubhouse to be a go-to place in Chesham – somewhere you can watch football, have a drink, enjoy some of the best-priced pints in town and spend time with friends. The clubhouse is an important part of the club’s financial strength, and its success helps us to do more on and off the pitch.

I would also like to thank our ground staff for their tireless work on the pitch. The recent rain has really made a difference after such a hot summer, and the surface is looking the best it has for a long time, fast and true. It has not been easy, with local water pressure issues – out of our control – limiting our irrigation during the summer months, but the quality of the surface now is testament to the hard work that has gone in.

There are always plenty of challenges at this level of football, not least with the relentless Saturday-Tuesday schedule we have faced recently. A couple of niggling injuries are inevitable, especially with late-night returns from long away trips, including not getting back to the club until 1.00am Wednesday morning after the midweek trip to Totton. But the squad is showing resilience, and the character within this group of players is something we should all be very proud of.

I would also like to take this chance to wish one of our loyal supporters and volunteers, Andy, the very best with his upcoming operation. We look forward to seeing you back at The Meadow soon Andy, in good health and good spirits. Also a word of congratulations to Phil Jones, one of our volunteer stewards, who has recently qualified as a Fire Marshal. Alongside our Safety Officer Alan Davies, this is another small but important step towards ensuring The Meadow is a safe and professional environment for everyone who attends.

Finally, while tomorrow is about Bath City in the league, next Saturday we turn our attention to the FA Cup when we welcome King’s Lynn Town to The Meadow. The FA Cup always brings with it a special kind of excitement – it’s about memories, moments and the chance to put our club in the national spotlight. It is also hugely important financially, with prize money and potential revenue from further progress making a real difference to clubs like ours. That is why your support is so important. Please, spread the word, bring friends, family, neighbours and colleagues – let’s pack The Meadow and create the kind of atmosphere that gives our players the best possible chance of writing another special chapter in Chesham United’s FA Cup history.

Thank you, as always, for your outstanding support.

Peter Brown