Thatcham Town Football Club have been unsuccessful in their appeal against a league move to the Southern League Division One South.
The move will see the club face sides from Devon and Cornwall, amounting to 4492 miles of away travel, a 110% increase from last season.
Chairman Paul Ayres was “very disappointed”, saying “we still believe that we had a case, but we’re grateful to the FA for allowing us an appeal and giving us time.”
For Ayres, the increase in travel costs is the most obvious factor, but he is also concerned regarding the “personal strain, not only for the players, but the management team, officials and volunteers who all have to travel.”
“People have working commitments. Personal lives and family lives.
“We’re talking about trips to Cornwall and Devon, it really pushes that.”
Despite the news, manager Yashwa Romeo is more than up for the challenge.
“I’m a person who doesn’t dwell on things too much!”, he said.
“I pull my sleeves up. It’s a new challenge, so let’s get on with it!
“This is an opportunity to do something a little bit different.
“One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced as a Head Coach? I would definitely say so.”
Retaining a good core of last year’s squad is of primary importance, but Romeo is optimistic.
“We’ve lost four or five players, but I’ve already got players coming in.
“That happens every year anyway. I’ve just got to back myself!”
Ayres is similarly confident, saying how “now more than ever, people need to be committed.”
“What we’ve really enjoyed over the last two years is the bond which the squad has.
“It really did feel like a cliché ‘football family’. That’s the biggest thing we can offer players.”
Romeo agrees, “the players like the feeling, they want to stick around”, he said.
“The boys know we’re on to a good thing.”
“For recruitment, the trick is to go with the younger guys, as the older ones might have families and be less willing to travel.”
A vital part of facing this season’s challenge will be down to the wider community.
“This year we’ve got to push past our normal revenues”, said Ayres.
“We’ve got to be proactive from day one, trying to source help and support from local businesses.
“We’re grateful for our current sponsors. We wouldn’t even be in this position now without them.”
Romeo is keen to get as many people down to The Mettal Stadium as possible, in a bid to boost ticket sales.
“What it needs is a community push.
“If Reading aren’t playing at home, little things like that.
“We need people to come out, come to home games.”
All at the club share Ayres’ view that regardless of the FA’s decision, “we’ve got to take it on the chin”.
“We lost our appeal, but let’s go and win the season”, he said.
Romeo’s fighting spirit seems to be just what the club needs, treating the most difficult season in the club’s recent history as an opportunity to unite the community and the club itself.
