DIDDY’S BIG TIME SUPPORT SHINES

DIDCOT TOWN head of media Jamie Bowman hopes the club can match its bumper playoff final attendance ahead of their step up next season.

Diddy sealed promotion from the Pitching In Southern League Division One Central Division with a 1-0 win over Ware to return to the seventh tier for the first time in 12 years.

And Bowman, 26, hopes that his hard work drumming up awareness on social media can continue to boost crowds at Step 3.

“To see the whole town come together for the play-off final, 1,938 people, we would love that on a regular basis,” said Bowman.

“There are the same old faces, guaranteed chat with people and we try and make it a club that everyone knows – when I joined some people didn’t even know we had a football club.

“You could hear people around the town, it was a lovely atmosphere. It was a great turnout and a great advertisement for NonLeague football.”

Bowman only moved to Didcot three years ago from Southampton but was quickly welcomed into the community through his volunteering at the club.

“It’s a tight-knit, community club,” he added. “I have never really been part of a community town before, Southampton is a big city, no one really knows anybody whereas here you get that connection.

“I found out they needed a media assistant, I have no previous experience in it at all but I love football and thought I would give it a go.

“The community aspect is strong, but it is something I want to work on even more going forward; football clubs are community assets and we have got to keep them that way.”