Chairmans notes ahead of AFC Sudburys FA Cup visit

Today we welcome our Suffolk neighbours, AFC Sudbury to the real Theatre of Dreams, the Riverside Stadium, for a first qualifying round of the FA Cup. To give you an understanding of where we are in the competition, the winners of the 4th qualifying round go into the hat of the first round proper. That is only a technicality however, as our only goal at this moment is to be in the 2nd qualifying round. We also welcome the officials, management, players and of course supporters to the club. We have played many matches against AFC over the last few years, in the Isthmian League during our short two year stay, the FA Cup and in the Suffolk Premier Cup. We did play them three times in 8 days back in 2018, twice in the FA cup and away in the League. We did well but came away empty handed in the Cup.

I also would like to thank today's match sponsor, Kevin Dean, who is a good friend of myself and Joffy, and also he is a darts team mate of Duncan, Graham, Hebby and Sam Darkins at the Newmarket New Wellington. Kevin has the distinction of having visited every Racecourse in the British Isles, some feat, only half of them with me though. It really is important for us to get match sponsors to help us maintain the progress we are making on the pitch. If anybody is interested in a match sponsorship, please contact any committee member, or even Gavin Butler behind the bar.

Sudbury will prove to be very tough opposition today. They currently play in the step 3 Southern League Central division, having played 6, with 1 win, 3 draws and 2 defeats. They gained promotion from the Isthmian North last season through the playoffs. They have a relatively young side now, but are finding their feet quickly under manager Marc Abbott, who was appointed after the previous management team left after the season ended. We would like to welcome Ricky Cornish back today, but he left the club as well. AFC Sudbury are an extremely well managed club at all levels, and they will carry on their upward trajectory in the football world for a good while yet, I am sure.

We know today will be a real challenge but we come here on the back of a great start to the season. Without getting ahead of ourselves, we have nine points form three games, as well as three wins in the cup competitions. I think we can all agree that the football has been terrific, and the new signings have really lifted us to new performance levels. We do have a decent record over the years in the FA Cup so we go into this match full of hope for a successful outcome.

The League of course is the main competition for us. The Cup is about glory, but the League is about progress. Our little area is flying at the moment with ourselves, Lakenheath and Thetford all sporting 100 per cent records. Thetford and Lakenheath top the table with 15 points from five, whereas we have 9 from 3. Although early days, I see no reason that all three clubs will NOT finish in the top 5 this season. Of the other teams, Dereham are looking strong, Newmarket are going well so it will be a good contest this season.

We beat Soham on Tuesday night, here at home, in front of a good crowd of 227. After taking a comfortable two goal lead before half time, we went a bit flat for a few minutes after half time, Soham grabbing one back, before we finished really strongly to score twice more for a 4-1 victory. Man of the match was Darryl Coakley, who incidentally will be facing his old club AFC Sudbury today.

All good so far on the first team front. Our under 18s will have had their first league match this week, so hopefully they will have had a positive start as well.

I could go on about ULEZ, the ridiculous witch hunt (should be warlock hunt?) of senior officials in the Spanish FA , the Gambling Commission, but why bother. Not today anyway.

Enjoy the day. This is the real magic of the FA Cup, not the three Wembley matches at the end of the competition, so what's not to like?

BILL FLYNN

ChairMAN.