Shoreham FC are champs and boss Death has messages for his players – and their doubters

Michael Death’s side clinched the Southern Combination division one title with a game to spare when they beat Mile Oak 3-2 at Middle Road on Tuesday night.

It means they will be back at step five – in the SCFL premier – in 2023-24, and joint owner Stuart Slaney has revealed their ambitions don’t end there.

Death took time out from the celebrations to tell us of his delight at the triumph: “Done. Top of the league. Promotion secured. Champions. Most goals scored. Fewest goals conceded. Last team in the entire country unbeaten, professional or semi-professional.

“The players have done that, they’ve earned that. They’ve done everything I’ve asked, bought into it and stuck with it, so all the credit goes to them for an unbelievable season and host of achievements.

“I put together an absolutely motley crew of players, but goodness me they’ve come together. I said from the start, it’s not about just having good players, it’s about having good people too. The wrong players were shown the exit and the right players were shown the entrance. That’s half the battle. I’m so proud of them. Despite the chaos they’ve caused me at times.

“Let’s be clear too, we had absolutely no right to win this league, not with the likes of Epsom and Ewell and Dorking Wanderers in there, their resources compared to ours, not to mention the level of competition from clubs like Selsey, Arundel, Wick, Godalming, who all could/should be at a higher level. It’s a phenomenal achievement from this team and club.

“Congratulations to the club, the owners Malcolm (Saunders) and Stuart (Slaney), and thank you to them for the opportunity.

“Special appreciation from me goes to Kieran (Collins) who has, despite being frustrated with my stubbornness at times, done exactly what I needed and helped me and advised me so well, usually at the perfect times - he has taken the sting out of me and challenged me at the right moments and his support has been invaluable.

“Paul (Etteridge) and Phys (Matt Rogers) have also been brilliant and I can’t thank them enough for what they’ve put in - as well as Keith (Hewitt) and everyone else behind the scenes at the club, I’m so happy for them, I hope we’ve done them all proud.

“When I came to this club as a player it was meant to be my last project and I vowed to get this club promoted back to the minimum level it should be at - that opportunity was disrespectfully taken away from me at the end of last season, and we ended up losing in a playoff final that I will always believe we would have won, had I been given the opportunity, like I deserved, to be involved.

“But the world and karma works in mysterious ways, which meant I would be given the opportunity to right those wrongs and fulfil my promise anyway, but as the manager - I may even get the opportunity to re-retire on the last game of the season, as retiring after playing a pointless 4 minutes in a end of season dead rubber has never sat well with me. But my players will decide if I can do that or not.

“Up the Musselmem and stick that in your pipe to the ones fuming behind their keyboards.”

Slaney has worked tirelessly to get Shoreham back on the up and he issued a statement thanking many who had helped this season’s success: "Stuart and Malcolm would like to thank not only the players and team management but all the people behind the scenes, that we could not have done it without them – Keith Hewitt, Steve Boyle, Ian Slaney, Luca Slaney, John Stewart, Nigel, Sue, Janet and all our supporters and local sponsors.

"It’s not just about the team but it’s also about all the volunteers that make it possible. The plan now is to have a great day Saturday and lift the trophy and then consolidate in next season then plan for another promotion thereafter. For now we just look forward to a nice break till pre-season starts again."