Dave Nicholas, Director of Football looks back over a season of growth and progress
With spring in the air and the sun shining on the final stretch of the season, it’s a good time to reflect on the journey so far. It’s been a season of challenges, resilience, and ultimately, progress across all three of our senior teams at Cranleigh FC.
First team: a turning point
The First Team had a tough start, and by mid-November, things were looking bleak after a heavy defeat to Wimbledon Casuals and an unfulfilled fixture the following week due to injuries and absences. Sometimes, though, you need to hit rock bottom to spark a turnaround, and that’s exactly what happened.
The introduction of a bold (and somewhat controversial!) pink away kit, thanks to the generous sponsorship from Big Fish Recruitment Consultants (big thanks to James Andrews for securing this), seemed to lift the squad. A hard-fought win over CB Hounslow injected much-needed confidence, and with the support of some Development Team players, we followed it up with another victory in the return fixture.
These wins came at a crucial moment, not just in terms of points, but in shaping our future. Sam Carpenter (Carpo) was already in discussions about joining the club, and after meeting with Paul Jones (Jonesy) and me, it became clear this was a perfect fit. Sam committed, brought in new talent, and helped gel them seamlessly with the existing squad. Matchday and training attendance has soared, and performances have followed suit. With 25 points on the board and six games left, we’re finishing strong, having just held the league leaders to a draw last weekend.
Reserves: a season of determination
Following their double-winning exploits last year, this season was always going to be a challenge for the Reserves. With the First Team struggling, it made things even tougher, but as always, our core group of players stepped up.
Results in the league haven’t always gone our way, Joe Sutton’s temporary absence for studies and an extremely disruptive winter period didn’t help. Between November and January, the team went six weeks without a single game! But despite that, they’ve kept their heads up and are now pushing for a Top 4 finish while also preparing for a second successive cup final at Westfield on 24th April.
Beyond results, the Reserves continue to play a vital role in developing young talent, reinforcing our commitment to a ‘home-grown’ ethos. A huge congratulations must also go to Manager Ben Horne and his wife Carly on the birth of baby Jenson, a future Cranes star in the making!
Development team: building for the future
Our newly formed Development Team faced an uphill battle in their first season of adult football, but they’ve shown remarkable growth. Training and matchday commitment has been outstanding, and despite being an incredibly young squad (average age 18-19), they’ve adapted brilliantly.
Their results have improved significantly, and with their season almost wrapped up (the benefits of playing on the 3G pitch!), they look set for a mid-table finish, an excellent achievement. A huge well done to Andy Lee and his coaching staff for their efforts in bridging the gap from youth to adult football. There’s a bright future ahead for this group.
A final thank you
Running an adult club with three senior teams is no easy feat, and it simply wouldn’t be possible without the incredible support of our sponsors. A massive thank you to ARC, Big Fish, Kerbside, CSC Garages, Lady Alisha Wolfson, DSG Bathrooms, Cranleigh Sports and Social, Bush Business, and Comast ,your backing keeps this club moving forward.
As we approach the final games of the season, let’s continue to build on our momentum, enjoy the football, and finish strong. Up the Cranes!
— Dave Nicholas, Director of Football
