CASUALS ARE TAKING THEIR BIG CHANCE
CORINTHIAN-Casuals entered this season on the back of a summer of mixed emotions.
They suffered heartbreak as they lost in the Bostik South play-off final on penalties for a second straight year, before being dramatically granted promotion after Thurrock’s resignation from the Bostik Premier opened up a coveted spot in the division.
The Casuals were handed promotion by virtue of having a greater points per game ratio than fellow beaten play-off finalists Canvey Island and Cambridge City and manager James Bracken is loving life in Step 3.
“Last summer was certainly a strange mix of emotions to go through but to finally achieve promotion was such a massive achievement for an amateur side like ourselves” he told The NLP.
“To lose on penalties for a second year running was absolutely devastating and it hit us all really hard.
“In all three of my previous seasons I felt as if we had done more than enough to get promoted but luck just never seemed to be on our side.
“I always knew at the back of my mind last year that having a strong points per game ratio could have been crucial. The lads used to think that I was a bit obsessed with it but it turned out to be quite a useful thing to have kept tabs on in the end!”
After a tricky start to the season, the Chocolate and Pink secured back to back league victories with a win over AFC Hornchurch last weekend and the Kingston based club seem to be rapidly adapting to life in the pyramid’s third tier.
“It has certainly been a big step up and we have learned that even the slightest mistake is likely to get punished,” Bracken added.
“The players have now begun to find their feet a bit which is great to see. I kept most of the squad from last season because at the end of the day they are the ones that got us to this level and I was never going to deny them the opportunity to play this year.”
While the Casuals have picked up momentum in recent games, Bracken is determined to ensure that expectations stay grounded and is keen to emphasise that the club is already punching well above their weight.
He went on: “It’s a very tight league this year and if we win our games in hand then we could be right up near the play-offs.
“I think that if my players play to their potential then we are more than capable of having another successful season but we mustn’t get carried away.
“We have absolutely no budget, we get a little bit of sponsorship for tracksuits but I have nine members of staff who work for nothing.
“We have to be realistic and admit that with the small resources that we have we should be nowhere near this division but now that we are here I want us to grasp the opportunity.”
Corinthian Casuals are a club steeped in history, having been founded in 1939 after a merger between amateur sides Corinthian and Casuals – with the former believed to be the inspiration for the creation of Brazilian giants Corinthians.
Bracken admits that being in charge of such a renowned club is a source of immense personal pride.
“The club have a history which stands alone in Non-League and can’t be rivalled by most clubs,” Bracken concluded.
“It’s an honour to be manager here but what is really exciting is that we are currently writing a new chapter in the club’s history and we are hopefully not finished yet!”