BACK ON THE RISE, AGAIN!
Blues boss Saunders is retracing his steps
DRIVING home to Brighton on that overcast day in April three years ago, Shaun Saunders knew he was going to take the job he thought he’d never get.
“I didn’t foresee an entry back in to the game,” said the now Haywards Heath Town manager, who had stepped down from then Step 3 side Peacehaven & Telscombe for family reasons the previous year, still coping with the tragic death of his son, Connor. “I totally needed a break at that time but I’ve been around long enough in football that you can never say never.
“I was dubious whether I wanted to drop down to Step 6; I had started at the bottom with Peacehaven.”
The 54-year-old guided Peacehaven to back-to-back promotions and also lifted the Sussex Senior Cup for the first time in 30 years; clinching the Ryman South title with a record number of points with Saunders named manager of the year.
Appeal
To be starting again three divisions lower raised questions.
“Some people said, ‘Are you mad?’ but I bought into what the club wanted to do. Once I met the chairman, saw the infrastructure, the plans, I drove home knowing I was going to take it. The decision was made easy.”
In his first season, Haywards Heath won the Southern Combination Division Two title before finishing top again, only to be denied promotion to Step 4 due to a nine-point deduction for fielding an ineligible player.
“I had to tell the players we were back at Step 5 and pre-season was starting in a week!” explained Saunders. “We appealed and appealed and it went all the way to the FA at Wembley and it got knocked back at the last hurdle. We were really convinced we were going to win the appeal.
“The players had been told by solicitors and people at our end that we would win it. It was one of the toughest things in my managerial career. Pre-season was horrific. It was a struggle for numbers and getting players on board. Some of them came here to play at Step 4; it was a job and a half trying to convince them we could do it again.”
But they did do it again, pipping Three Bridges to top spot on the final day of the season to make history.
“If we hadn’t have pulled it off this year, the side would have been decimated, the players were fantastic last season,” he said. “We had a five-year plan to get into the Bostik Leagues and we’ve managed to do it in three.
Challenge
“It will be 99 per cent of the same squad this year, they have deserved it. We know it’ll be tough but there’s a little bit of pressure off us. We’ll be finding our feet but we’re not fazed by it.”
Heading into his fourth season, Saunders now faces his biggest challenge but one that he has done before.
The former Whitehawk player hailed last season as his biggest achievement in football and won’t be making any bold statements ahead of this campaign.
“We’re not blasé, we’re not going to be shouting about doing this, that or the other,” he said. “There’s a new plan now. The club needs some financial backing to take it to the next level but we’re in a league we wanted to be competing at. “In my three years, the people behind the scenes have been totally supportive. They’ve backed me again for next season to keep the squad together and add a few. I’ve really enjoyed my time. “Three years, three league wins – it’s all gone really well. The infrastructure at the club is great and it’s run by great people. We’re at a good place.”
“PRE-SEASON WAS HORRIFIC. IT WAS A JOB AND A HALF TO CONVINCE THE PLAYERS TO IT ALL DO AGAIN” – Shaun Saunders