WHATEVER HAPPENS, WE ARE PROUD
TEN days ago, Hayes & Yeading boss Paul Hughes was licking his lips at the prospect of his in-form side making a late assault on the BetVictor Southern League South title race.
As United embarked on what they thought was the campaign’s final stretch, the Hillingdon side had the wind in their sails, having fallen to just one defeat in 14 games – a run which propelled them to third in the table and hot on the heels of leaders Truro City and Chesham United.
That was until the COVID-19 pandemic emerged to wreak havwards on the footballing calendar and the country as a whole.
In many respects, the indefinite inactivity and halting of the season could not have come at a worse time for Hughes’ high-fliers but, true to form, the boss is remaining philosophical.
“We were building towards a storming finish, every team that gets promoted has a strong end naturally,” he told The NLP.
“Who knows how they will decide what happens because we had a nice run in whereas a lot of the teams around us were due to play each other.
“I am naturally disappointed but there are bigger things out there. This is a situation that no one has ever lived through and I am far more concerned about making sure the country gets out of this crisis.
“The players have massively exceeded expectations this season and even if they don’t end up getting anything in return, they can sit back and be immensely proud, which is a reward in itself.”
Hayes & Yeading’s march tooc the summit of the Southern League South this season marked yet another feather in Hughes’ cap, after the former Chelsea midfielder guided United to promotion from Step 4 last year, with a remarkable 93 points and 129 goals to their name.
These developments represent huge strides forward in the club’s resurgence following a dramatic decline, which saw United drop from the heights of the National League to the depths of Step 4 in just five years.
With a brand new stadium having opened two seasons ago
and the club now moving in an upward trajectory on the pitch, a corner has certainly been turned. However, Hughes is under no illusions as to the potential challenges which still lie ahead.
“In some ways we have progressed much quicker than a lot of people expected,” he continued.
“The long term aim is definitely to keep moving forward and eventually get the club back to where it was but we have to do things one step at a time and within our means.
“For example the stadium is fantastic when you look at it from the outside but it is essentially a shell.
“It just has a stand and a brilliant 3G pitch. There is no bar or dressing rooms, so there would need to be a lot of investment if we are to push on and thrive at a higher level.”
Nevertheless, as Hughes waits on the sidelines for this unprecedented moment of history to pass, he may well allow himself a moment of reflection to appreciate the fact that Hayes & Yeading are well on their way to redemption in the footballing world.