I don’t think anybody can believe it! It’s a fairytale for a small club like ours, says Terry Hill

THAMESMEAD TOWN chairman Terry Hill says their promotion to the Ryman Premier League has been a fairytale.


The Mead finished their Ryman League Division One North campaign in third-place, which in itself was a remarkable achievement given their small budget and off-the-field problems with the ongoing saga with the new development at Bayliss Avenue.

It could have been so easy for everyone at the club to throw in the towel when financial problems came to light earlier on in the season, but credit must go to manager Keith McMahon, his squad and committee to battle against all the odds to put their problems to the back of their mind and do the business out on the pitch.

Thamesmead Town defeated Witham Town 3-2 in a thrilling semi-final seven days ago and travelled to Essex for Sunday’s final knowing that league runners-up Maldon & Tiptree were undefeated at home in the league.

Terry Spillane’s side raced into a 2-0 lead within 13 minutes when experienced campaigners Ollie Berquez and Lee Boylan scored, as James Robinson’s skill and movement off the ball tore The Mead to shreads.

The Essex side missed a sitter at 3-0 – but Thamesmead Town were not going to give up without a fight.

For those supporters who are fed up with watching mercenary footballers, then they should head to Bayliss Avenue next season and watch a team that have togetherness and fighting spirit and are one big family.

Stuart Zanone walloped his 47^th goal of the season into the roof of the net with a thumping right-footed angled drive from 15 yards, which crashed into the roof of the net to give the Mead hope on the half-hour mark.

Referee Constantine Hatzidakis then awarded a soft penalty, which Chris Edwards converted to bring Thamesmead back from the dead in the 39^th minute.

Thamesmead keeper Rob Budd made a fine diving save to deny substitute Kevin McLeod scoring with a header at the end of the first period of extra-time.

Maldon & Tiptree keeper Joe Wright made a world-class save to deny Edwards scoring from a 28-yard free-kick with the last kick of the game so the game was settled by a seven-kick penalty shoot-out.

Practice certainly came in handy for Thamesmead Town because stand-in skipper James Donovan lead by example and the centre half scored the first kick, and Maldon & Tiptree levelled through substitute Jamie Guy.

Baff Addae, substitute Tyrus Gordon and Edwards all scored, while 29-year-old stopper Budd dived to keep out McLeod and another substitute Ben Bowditch to secure Thamesmead Town a 4-1 win on penalties to spark wild scenes on the pitch.

Thamesmead Town also reached the semi-finals of the Ryman League Cup and Kent Senior Cup this season, losing to Dulwich Hamlet (on penalties) and Charlton Athletic respectively.

Dulwich Hamlet went on to win the Ryman League Division One South title and Charlton Athletic thrashed Conference South Tonbridge Angels 7-1 in the final at Longmead Stadium last week.

Mr Hill said: “It’s unbelievable! As we said before for a small club like ours, it’s a fantastic achievement!

“Even up until Sunday, we’ve had a fantastic season, two semi-finals and to actually reach the play-offs is an absolute dream.

“I’m so pleased for Keith, the players and the committee.

“Everybody knows the problems that we’ve had off-the-pith with the new stadium being built so that’s always going on in the background with meetings and stuff like that, but this is the icing on the cake.”

Heroic Essex-based keeper Budd said on Sunday that he is playing for a family and the chairman echoed such comments.

Mr Hill said: “They’re unbelievable!  We always have a tight dressing room. They go out for drinks, the commitment is there. They fight for every single one of another. They’re just a good bunch of boys.”

Reflecting on the game and the dramatic penalty-shoot out, Mr Hill said: “They missed another chance after going 2-0 up and had they got that then it would’ve been very difficult but to be honest we’re a never say die side and we just keep fighting, we battle for one another.

“The way Stuart took his goal, no-one was going to save that!  It was an absolute rocket. It nearly ripped the back of the net out!

“We were maybe slightly fortunate with the penalty, although they (Maldon & Tiptree) didn’t really make too much of a moan about it but my heart was beating from day one.

“Buddy is fantastic. He’s pulled off two great saves!  First one, Donners (Donovan), captain for the day, I thought to myself centre back it’s either going to go in or either it’s going to go over the bar, but he was nice and calm and he stuck it away. They were all great pens!”

The club now start planning for their inaugural Ryman Premier League campaign – only five years since clinching promotion from the Kent League.

“I don’t think anybody can believe it! It’s a fairytale for a small club like ours,” said Mr Hill.

“Let’s hope we get a few more people come and watch us now.  We play some good football.”

Manager McMahon pledged his future to the club following his side’s victory.

“We’ll sit down within a week and see where we’re going to go. It’s a bit scary, but maybe I have to put my hand in my pocket,” added Mr Hill.

“We’re very fortunate to get (former Maidstone United and Ashford United chairman) Paul Bowden-Brown on board with us and he’s helped Keith tremendously with the accounts to get everything up to date, which is required.  We’ve done all that, we’ve got a clean slate now so he’s been a great addition to the club.”

Visit Thamesmead Town’s website: www.pitchero.com/clubs/thamesmeadtown/