On behalf of Burgess Hill Town Football Club, I would like to wish supporters, volunteers, staff, sponsors, players and management a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
I also want to take this opportunity to give you all an update on the season so far!
It has been a very encouraging season so far with the first team. Unbelievably, the first team have already played 33 games (pre season and all competitions) this season! The team has won 22 of those games. 18 of the 33 games being at home. Most importantly, we have played 17 league games and we have won 11 of them, which has propelled us to 5th in the table, if we win our 2 games in hand we will be 3rd. All of us are very determined to build on this great start and keep pushing as hard as we can to finish in the play-offs. We have very talented players, who are being coached to a very high level each week, and we have a great following, at home and away matches from our supporters, so we are in great shape to finish the season strongly, starting with getting 9 points from the 3 Christmas fixtures!
Our Isthmian u18s have also had an amazing season so far, most notably the breakthrough of Joe Overy, Noah Hoffman, Harry Lawson and Damien Theodore into first team regulars, and of course the history making FA Youth cup run, incredibly reaching the 3rd round. The Isthmian U18s have played 11 games with 5 of them being at home. Our County U18s have played 9 games with 3 of those being at home and currently sit top of their league. The County level team is very important for our pathway as it allows us to give u18 experience to u16 and u18 year 1 players before progressing them to the Isthmian level.
Similarly, our brand new women’s team have had an brilliant start too! 11 games played with 3 of those at home, still going strong in the cup and contesting to win their league, well worth a watch on Sunday afternoons.
So on the pitch, all our teams have had great starts and now all need to capitalize and keep working and pushing as hard as they can.
What is clear, the stronger we become as a club the harder it gets, our facilities are dated with very little development in them since our arrival here at Leylands in 1971. We want to continue to be a community club however the pitch and our facilities need improvement as currently it is not sustainable. We have played 29 home games in total across all our teams and at a time where we have had some of the wettest weather on record, last Saturdays game vs Herne Bay, that was annoyingly called off, was the first senior game we have called off out of the 18 home games we have played this season. I would like to thank, in particular Richard Mamoaney, for leading our pitch management, Ryan Box and Colin Obbard for their time and effort supporting Richard with all the pitch maintenance duties. We will need the help from all our supporters once our planning application has gone in for a 3G surface, this will enable all our teams and our Junior teams to play regularly at the stadium, as well as opportunities for other groups to come in and enjoy the facilities, watch this space
Off the pitch there is also progress. Dave Bradbury is develop the bar offering, most recently adding the Hazy Hillians beer to the range, we have regular Bingo and Quiz nights. David and Vicky have improved the club shop (operated by Debbie and Andy), Back of the Net food and drinks hut. Tim Spencer our club secretary, has been active everyday organising fixtures and signing players, Tommy Manneh has kept the Monday club volunteers busy, Nat Ellis now washes 5 kits regularly, Dan Cross and Les Sharma get the kit too and from games, John Buck is still working his magic in the John Buck Suite on match days, supported by Lynda and Emily. Finally, our Vice-Chairman, John Goss is still as busy as ever and still has time to collect cans for recycling, what a legend! A huge thank you to all our volunteers that have helped the club progress so much this year, you are the football club.
Lots to look forward too in 2025, thank you all for being part of the journey, I am sure there will be ups and downs but lets all stay together, we are really showing what a great club we are and how much being a Hillian means to us all.
See you all soon, have a wonderful Christmas and take care
Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiilll
Vince
